Needham Finishes 16th at DII National Championships

EMPORIA, Kan. – Macayla Needham closed out the 2024 track and field season for Southeastern with a toss of 14.32 meters to finish 16^th place in the shot put at the NCAA Division II National Championship Meet on Saturday in Emporia, Kan.
 
Needham, a senior from Quinton, Okla., became the first Savage Storm track and field athlete to qualify for the NCAA DII National Championships, advancing to the finals in Emporia with a school record throw of 15.28 meters which was also good enough to earn her a Great American Conference Championship.
 
She would turn in her best toss on her first of three attempts, following with a 14.18 meter throw on her second attempt with a fault on her final toss.
 
In her season with the Storm she has collected school records in both the shot put and the hammer throw and owns at least the five best throws in both events in school history.

Needham was one of two GAC participants in the shot put and finished higher of the two, beating out Oklahoma Baptist's Flora Dupans by 0.36 meters.