EXPECTATIONS EXCEEDED
Adam Longsworth didn’t have his sights set exceptionally high heading into his first NAIA National Outdoor Track and Field Championships, but the University of Saint Francis red-shirt freshman has raised his expectations since finishing eighth in the discus competition on May 28, 2005.
“It validated all the hard work with our coaches, all the training and practice,” said Longsworth, who is a 2003 Elmhurst High School graduate. “It showed me that we’re on the right path and Coach (James) Bettcher and I feel that I can qualify and compete in all three weight events next year (discus, shot put, hammer throw).”
Longsworth placed eighth with just one out his six throws counting – 162 feet, 2 inches. The pressure was really intense with just one throw left out of three in the preliminary competition, but Longsworth produced a PR (personal record) and jumped up to fifth in the challenge on the final day of the 54th annual men’s meet.
“It was a matter of getting a good throw in, so when I heard the distance, I was really relieved,” Longsworth recalled. “I was able to get with Coach Bettcher and the plan was to break out one more big effort. I nearly had it on the second throw, probably would have been second, but my foot just grazed the top of the circle. That was a sinking feeling to say the least.” ‑
USF Head Coach James Bettcher is confident even better days lie ahead for Longsworth, who finished 17th in the Indiana High School Athletic Association State Championship in 2003.
“Adam made great strides this season, and for him to get that taste of national, to have some success under pressure, should make him even hungrier to go beyond what he did this season,” Bettcher said. “He just missed earning All-American, so he knows what he has to do to prepare to exceed his success this season.”
His eighth-place finish is the best finish for an Indiana entry in the discus since 2000, when Taylor University’s Steve Ercegovac placed second with a throw of 184-4.
Longsworth entered the meet as the No. 14 seed. Competing in his first national competition for the Cougars, Longsworth qualified with a school record and his season-best 158 feet, 4 inch throw on March 24 at the Goshen Invitational.
Longsworth was a double-winner in the 2005 Mid-Central Conference Meet at Indiana Wesleyan earlier this year. He won the discus with a throw of 151-6 and he also won the hammer throw with a best effort of 152-7. Including his effort in the MCC Meet, Longsworth won four blue ribbons in the discus this season. He also placed first in the shot put (Taylor Invitational) once and won the hammer competition twice. He scored points for the Cougars in every NAIA competition this season.
Not a bad recovery for the red-shirt freshman who finished 17th in Indiana in his senior year in high school. Longsworth attended USF in 2003, but a severe ankle sprain limited his progress.
“No question I was eager to get going this year,” Longsworth said. “Now that I’ve been to the national meet and experienced what it is like, I’ve already started getting ready for next year.”
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