Rebekah Wales Season 2025
Event: Javelin (191-0)
3-time All-American
2-time SEC Champion
3-time All-SEC
2017 USATF Bronze Medalist (Javelin)
CAREER CAPSULE
Graduated from LSU in May 2017 with a degree in accounting … One of the most decorated throwers in the history of LSU’s women’s program … Earned All-America honors in three-straight seasons from 2015-17 … Finished fourth in 2015, sixth in 2016 and fifth in 2017 in the javelin final at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships … Twice crowned the SEC Champion in the event as a sophomore in 2015 and again as a freshman in 2017 … Posted her career-best throw of 191-0 in winning her second SEC title in three seasons as a senior … Ended her career ranked No. 2 on LSU’s all-time outdoor performance list in the women’s javelin … An outstanding student as a three-time selection to the SEC Academic Honor Roll and also a member of the SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll following her rookie season in 2014.
2017
Unleashed a personal-best mark of 191 feet, 0 inches to win her second career SEC title in the javelin at the SEC Outdoor Track & Field Championships … Solidified her No. 2 position on LSU’s all-time performance list in the event while being crowned the SEC Champion for the second time in three seasons following her first win as a sophomore in 2015 … Ended the season as the No. 2-ranked collegian in the women’s javelin with her PR of 191-0 at the conference meet … Capped her senior season with her third career All-American performance as the fifth-place finisher in the javelin final at the NCAA Outdoor Championships held once again at Oregon’s Hayward Field … Threw a series-best of 180-2 at the national meet to score four points for the Lady Tigers … Returned to the NCAA Championships after qualifying with a throw of 163-2 at the NCAA East Preliminary Rounds held in Lexington, Kentucky … Won three more javelin titles at the Beach Invitational (183-2), LSU Alumni Gold (185-7) and SEC Relays (186-4) before the championship season … Opened the outdoor season by finishing second overall and the top collegian with a season-opening throw of 188-0 at the Texas Relays … Followed the collegiate season by earning the title of U.S. Bronze Medalist in the women’s javelin at the 2017 USA Track & Field Championships held in Sacramento, California … Threw a series-best of 181-4 at the USATF Championships in her attempt to qualify for Team USA’s World Championship team … Recognized for her academic performance once again as a member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll following the season.
2016
Eclipsed the 180-foot mark in the javelin for the first time in her collegiate career with a personal-best throw of 180-7 at the SEC Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Tuscaloosa, Alabama … Threw a series-best of 180-7 to earn All-SEC honors as the SEC Outdoor Bronze Medalist in the event … Followed by earning her second career All-America honor as the sixth-place finisher nationally in the javelin final at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships … Threw 177-0 at the NCAA Outdoor Championships held in Eugene, Oregon … Qualified for the NCAA semifinals for the third-straight season after throwing 161-6 for sixth place overall at the NCAA East Preliminary Rounds in Jacksonville, Florida … Won three javelin titles during her junior season at the Hurricane Twilight (172-4), Texas Invitational (169-8) and LSU Alumni Gold (178-1) … Also placed third in the university division at the Texas Relays with a top mark of 170-6 … Followed the collegiate season by competing at the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials for the first time … Finished 18th overall in qualifying at the Olympic Trials with a mark of 167-1 … Did not compete during the indoor season … Honored for her outstanding academic performance once again with a second career selection to the SEC Academic Honor Roll.
2015
One of the nation’s leading javelin throwers during her sophomore season in 2015 … Became the first Lady Tiger to earn All-America honors in the javelin throw in 27 years with a fourth-place finish nationally at the NCAA Outdoor Championships held at Oregon’s Hayward Field in Eugene … Threw a series-best of 178-0 on her third attempt to secure All-America honors with a fourth-place national finish … Was the first Lady Tiger to score in the javelin at the NCAA Championships since Cheryl Coker in 1988, and became just the third javelin All-American for the Lady Tigers as she also joined the likes of 1987 NCAA Champion Laverne Eve … Qualified for the NCAA semifinals for the second-straight season after unleashing a personal-best throw of 179-11 for the second-best performance at the NCAA East Preliminary Rounds held in Jacksonville, Florida … Became the No. 2-ranked javelin thrower in school history with her best of 179-11 on the season … Crowned the SEC Champion in the javelin after opening her series with a winning throw of 177-0 in the first round at the SEC Outdoor Championships held at Mississippi State’s Mike Sanders Track Complex … Became just the fourth Lady Tiger to win the SEC javelin title in the program’s history … Opened the outdoor season by eclipsing the 170-foot mark for the first time in her career with a throw of 176-5 in a third-place finish at the Texas Relays … Also cleared 170 feet in a second-place finish at the 121st Penn Relays with a series-best throw of 172-3 … Finished runner-up at the Battle on the Bayou (156-9) and LSU Invitational (168-1) … Added her fourth-place finish at the LSU Alumni Gold meet with a series-best throw of 145-4 … Followed the collegiate season by earning a 12th-place finish in the javelin competition at the USA Outdoor Championships with a top throw of 172-5 … Recognized for her academic performance with a selection to the SEC Academic Honor Roll for the first time in her career.
2014
Was the NCAA’s No. 4-ranked freshman and No. 19-ranked performer regardless of class while throwing the javelin in her debut season with the Lady Tigers in 2014 … An NCAA Championships qualifier in the javelin as a freshman in 2014 … Threw a series-best of 154-2 in a 19th-place finish at the NCAA Outdoor Championships held in Eugene, Oregon … Qualified for the NCAA semifinals with a top throw of 162-7 for 11th place in the national quarterfinals at the NCAA East Preliminary Rounds held in Jacksonville, Florida … Scored five points for the Lady Tigers with a fourth-place finish in the javelin final at the SEC Outdoor Championships in Lexington, Kentucky … Posted a series-best throw of 164-10 in her debut at the SEC Outdoor Championships … Won her first career javelin title in her collegiate debut at Louisiana Tech’s Jim Mize Invitational with a personal-best throw of 166-11 … Moved into the No. 5 spot on LSU’s all-time outdoor performance list with her victory in her collegiate debut … Also won the javelin title at Miami’s Hurricane Alumni Invitational with a mark of 158-8 … Also finished in third place at the LSU Alumni Gold (158-5), third place at the LSU Invitational (163-4), fifth place at the Penn Relays (155-10) and sixth place at the Texas Relays (165-1) in her first outdoor season with the Lady Tigers … Did not compete during the 2014 indoor season … Followed the collegiate season by throwing the javelin for the United States at the 2014 IAAF World Junior Championships held in Eugene, Oregon … Nearly matched her personal best with a series-best throw of 164-7 for a silver-medal-winning runner-up finish in the javelin final at the USA Junior Outdoor Track & Field Championships also held in Eugene, Oregon … Earned her spot on Team USA with her second-place finish at the USA Junior Championships … Finished in 24th place overall in the qualifying round of the javelin at the 2014 IAAF World Junior Championships with her top throw of 154-2 in the preliminary round … Honored for her academic performance with a selection to the SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll.
PRIOR TO LSU
One of the nation’s premier prep prospects in the javelin throw after opening up her senior season in 2013 by throwing a personal best of 158-3 in her victory at West Monroe’s Van Leigh Relays … Was the nation’s No. 5-ranked girl’s javelin thrower at the prep level with her season-opening performance … Also ranked No. 4 nationally among members of the Class of 2013 … Ended her junior season in 2012 with a previous personal best of 157-2 as the nation’s No. 5-ranked javelin thrower among all classifications and No. 3-ranked member of the Class of 2013 … Launched a 2012 seasonal best of 157-2 to defend her District 2-5A championship for a Top 5 national ranking for the 2012 outdoor season … Smashed the Louisiana Class 5A state meet record in the javelin by more than 10 feet as she captured her first career state title in the event with a throw of 152-6 at the 2012 Louisiana High School Athletics Association Class 5A Outdoor State Track & Field Championships held at LSU’s Bernie Moore Track Stadium … Defended her Class 5A state title by matching her state meet record of 152-6 at the 2013 LHSAA Class 5A Outdoor State Championships … Followed her first career state title in 2012 by throwing 152-7 for second place in the girl’s javelin at the 2012 Great Southwest Classic held at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque … Won back-to-back javelin silver medals in the 17-18 age group at the USA Track & Field National Junior Olympic Championships in 2012 and 2013 … Threw 148-5 to take home the young women’s silver medal and earn All-America honors at the 2012 USATF Junior Olympic National Championships held at Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland … Threw 142-4 to defend her silver medal with a second career All-America honor at the 2013 USATF Junior Olympic National Championships held at North Carolina A&T University in Greensboro, North Carolina … Wrapped up her junior campaign in 2012 with a ninth-place finish in the javelin at the USA Junior Outdoor Track & Field Championships while throwing 140-2 in the event held at Indiana University in Bloomington … Swept District 2-5A (135-3) and Region 1-5A (130-0) championships during her sophomore season at West Monroe High School in 2012 before capturing the Class 5A state silver medal with a top throw of 132-1 at the state meet … Was the Class 5A bronze medalist as a freshman in 2010 … A four-time Region 1-5A javelin champion during her prep career at West Monroe High School as she took the title in 2010-13.
PERSONAL
Full name is Rebekah Francis Wales … Born on Oct. 2, 1995 … Parents are Hal Andrew “Andy” Wales III and Stacy Griggs … Has one older brother, Drew, and one older sister, Hannah … An honor student while compiling a 3.86 grade-point average during her prep career at West Monroe High School … Was a member of the National Honor Society … Honored as a Sophomore of Distinction, Junior of Distinction and Senior of Distinction at West Monroe High School … Majoring in business administration.