By Gavin Lapaille
University of Louisville junior thrower Jere’ Summers said she did not have high expectations when she started college.
“When I came to college I thought I was going to be bad,” Summers said.
Thankfully for U of L, Summers was wrong.
Summers, along with senior thrower ZeNai Savage, give the U of L women’s track and field team one of the best throwing combinations in the country.
The duo finished 1-2 in both the shot put and the weight throw at last month’s Big East Indoor Championships. Savage won the shot while Summers took the weight to lead the team to a school-record third place finish.
Both Summers and Savage represented U of L at the NCAA Indoor Championships last weekend. Summers finished 12th in the shot and 13th in the weight, while Savage finished 13th in the shot.
“I think we’re having a good season,” Savage said of the team. “You can always improve, but I think everyone is pleased with how we did.”
Summers transferred to U of L this season after spending two seasons at California State Northridge University. She was a two-time conference champion in the shot put for the Matadors.
Summers said there is no comparison of the two programs.
“I am definitely in a greater place,” Summers said. “The whole athletic program seems to be more together than the program over there.”
Summers started her U of L career off with a bang, breaking the school record in the indoor shot put by nearly three feet in her first meet. She won five individual titles in the shot and three in the weight during the indoor season and currently owns the school record in both events.
U of L head coach Ron Mann said Summers has already left her mark on the team.
“Jere’ is an extremely talented thrower and she’s a very hard worker,” Mann said. “There is no doubt she’s made us a better team, not only on the weekends at a meet, but throughout the week in the classroom and in the community.”
Savage has been one of the most consistent performers for U of L during her career. She won her first Big East championship with a win in the outdoor shot put last season and was a NCAA Outdoor Championship qualifier in the hammer throw.
Savage is also serving her second season as team captain.
“To just be a leader and encourage people and get our team more involved not only in track stuff but in athletic events overall and community service,” Savage said of her role as captain.
Mann said Savage leads by example.
“As a coach, you’re always thankful to have great leadership and great performances from your upperclassmen,” Mann said. “That’s what ZeNai brings to our team.”
Savage and Summers practice their throws nearly everyday for two and a half hours, rotating events every 40 minutes. The girls also lift weights and condition, but mainly stick to throwing.
Summers said the key to the workouts is repetition.
“It’s a lot of repetition doing the same thing over and over again,” Summers said. “Constantly trying to make your throw better and go further.”
Savage and Summers insist there is no rivalry between them during meets or in practice.
“We just compete above our level to try to see who is going to win that day,” Savage said. “We push each other; it isn’t like we are really competing.”
The U of L women will kick off their outdoor schedule at the Austin Peay Spring Fling in Clarksville, Tenn. this Saturday. The Cards will host their first home meet of the season April 19 at Cardinal Park.
