A year ago, she wasn’t even the top javelin thrower at her own high school. Now, Danielle Steff is one of the top college freshmen in the country.
Steff capped a huge breakthrough freshman year at Monmouth by placing seventh in the USATF Junior Nationals with a throw of 154-3 in Bloomington, Ind.
At Rancocas Valley last year, Julianne Foering and Steff formed a potent 1-2 javelin punch, with Foering throwing over 140 feet and Steff 139. They placed 1-2 at the county meet, 2-3 at sectionals, 2-5 at states and 3-7 at the Meet of Champions, with Foering getting the nod each time.
Then they were off to their respective colleges, Steff at Monmouth and Foering at Temple.
Foering had a very good first year for Temple, although she didn’t throw after early May. She did throw a season-best 134-0 at her last meet.
Steff finished as the No. 11 freshman in the country with her throw of 160-7 when she won the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference title at Rider. That is the No. 2 throw in Monmouth history, behind another South Jersey thrower, Faith Blamon of Cinnaminson.
Steff went on to place third at the IC4As in Princeton and then 151-1 at NCAA Regionals in Tampa.
She finished her season this past weekend, popping the 154-3 on her first throw of the competition.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 