Different journeys, same dominance: Minnesota throwers rewriting record books

(FOX 9) - When people think of college track and field powerhouses, the University of Minnesota is not usually the first school that comes to mind.

But inside the Gophers throwing program, history is being made.

More than halfway through the outdoor season, Annie Nabwe and Hadley Streit have established themselves as two of the best throwers in the nation, pushing each other to new heights while rewriting both school and conference record books along the way.

The duo may now share the same practice facility and goals, but their journeys to Minnesota could not have looked more different.

Annie Nabwe’s rise from Liberia to NCAA stardom

What we know:

Originally from Liberia, Nabwe did not grow up competing in track and field. Basketball was her first love after moving to the United States and settling in North Dakota.

Eventually, coaches encouraged her to give throwing a shot because of her natural explosiveness.

"They was like, OK, we’re going to try you in the throws, and then I went to the throws, and they saw that I was explosive," Nabwe recalled.

Her raw ability quickly caught the attention of Minnesota associate head coach Peter Miller.

"Potential is a curse word, and she’s got a lot of that," Miller said.

Nabwe eventually accepted a scholarship to Minnesota despite knowing very little about the sport at the time.

"I did not really know anything about the sport, it was mainly about the scholarship and I saw this was a great opportunity," she said.

Four years later, that opportunity has turned into one of the greatest throwing careers in program history.

This season alone, Nabwe posted the No. 2 all-time NCAA hammer throw mark, broke both the African and Liberian records in Florida and later set Big Ten and school records at LSU’s Battle on the Bayou.

She is now up for the Bowerman Award, given annually to the top athlete in collegiate track and field.

"Really great because when I first saw it I was laughing because I was like, I never thought this could happen," Nabwe said.

Miller believes her legacy is already cemented among the all-time greats.

"If she stops now, she would probably be top three of all time as far as athletes in general, not just throwers," Miller said.

For Nabwe, the accomplishments carry even more meaning because of where she came from. She says women competing in sports was often frowned upon growing up in Liberia, making her success an inspiration for others back home.

Hadley Streit carving out her own legacy

Dig deeper:

Unlike Nabwe, Streit followed a more traditional path to Minnesota athletics.

Her brother previously ran track for the Gophers and the Minnesota native spent years building relationships with the coaching staff through camps and recruiting visits.

Still, the transition from high school star to college athlete was far from easy.

"It’s definitely different, because you’re kind of going from the top back down to the bottom when you go from high school to college," Streit said.

The hammer throw was also relatively new to her entering college competition.

"It’s kind of just figuring out how to build your way up and take small steps," she said.

Those small steps quickly turned into major breakthroughs.

Streit’s throw of 71.98 meters earlier this season now ranks as the second-best mark in Big Ten history. She is also No. 2 all-time in Minnesota program history in the hammer throw and recently earned Big Ten Field Athlete of the Week honors.

Despite the accolades, Streit believes she is only scratching the surface.

"I’m incredibly grateful that I’ve been able to make this progress in such a short time doing the hammer, but I just know myself and I know that there’s a lot more that I can accomplish," Streit said.

Now with postseason competition approaching, both athletes are focused on bringing Minnesota even more national recognition while continuing to raise the standard for Gophers track and field.

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