COLUMBIA — The girl's track and field program at University High School in Normal, Illinois, was an afterthought. There was no track to run on, no sand pits to jump into and no throws platforms on which to practice.
The first year Stu Shaver coached the Pioneers, 22 girls were on the team. Three years into his coaching career, Gabi Jacobs was one of his athletes.
“She’s one of those rare kids that come through your program that you know will go far,” Shaver said.
Jacobs is a redshirt sophomore thrower at Missouri who qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships that will be held Wednesday-Saturday at historic Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.