history

         Donna Cate, (1975-1976) Donna Cate unknowningly started a great tradition of girls throwers at Mission Viejo High. Five-foot-nothing "The Great Donna Cate" became a true pioneer for girls track & field at Mission Viejo High, becoming the first league champion thrower in school history in the shot put. And the first state meet qualifier. Donna's all-time best mark is 37'10 1/2 *(8lb shot, 1980 changed to 4 kilo shot put). To Donna's credit, she was also an all-CIF badmiton player and the #1 singles player for Mission Viejo High School. She only threw the shot put her freshman and sophomore years. If you could see Donna (Cate) Ruggles today, married with three children, you would never believe she threw the shot put and went to the state meet as a sophomore back in 1976!

         Jacque Norton, (1979-1982) 5 time SCL Champion, 2 SP & 3 Discus. Norton is 3rd in school history in the Shot Put (43' 10 3/4). Norton is 3rd all time in Orange County with an amazing mark of (167' 5 school record) in the discus.

         Heidi Adams, (1985) is the school record holder in the shot put with a mark of 46' 9. That mark is the 7th best in Orange County History. She only threw at Mission Viejo for one year. Heidi Transferred from Fullerton High School to be coached by the great Hugo DeGroot. Adams also threw the discus 148' 0 which is the 13th best throw in Orange County history. State meet qualifier in the shot put and discus.

           Kristin Dunn, (1987-1990) 42' 1 in the shot put and 128' 7 in the discus is ranked 4th and 8th respectively in those events at Mission Viejo High School. Dunn was also coached by Hugo DeGroot. Dunn went on to Cal Sate Northridge where she became an outstanding Javelin thrower. Dunn threw the javelin over 170' ft, which was one of the best marks in the country at the time.

           Nina Foster, (1991-1994) was a two-time South Coast League Champion in the shot put, her Sophomore & Senior years. She also was the league champion in the discus in her senior year. Foster's mark in the shot put, 39' 6 (9th in school history) and 122' 1/2 in the discus, were also among the best in Orange County during her senior year. Foster was runner-up at the 1994 Orange County Championships in the shot put. Nina also competed in the Long Jump, (16' 11) and the triple jump (36' 2 1/2). Amazingly, track & field was not Nina's number one sport. Foster earned a Volleyball scholarship to the University of Alabama. She competed there until she transferred to The University of Florida for her junior and senior years. Nina was an all-american volleybal player and she also played professionally in Brazil and Germany for a while.

         Natalie Heer, (1991-1994) Natalie threw the shot put 36' 11. that mark placed Heer 5th at the 1994 Orange County Championships. Natalie was runner-up her senior year in the discus (116' 4 1/2) at the South Coast League Finals. Natalie also helped break a school record in the discus relay at the 1994 Tustin Relays, (337' 4 1/2) Along with Nina Foster, and sophomore Marlena Godbolt. Natalie went on to compete at Saddleback Community College and on to San Diego State and threw the hammer.

         Marlena Godbolt, (1993-1996) is 9th all time in school history in the discus with a throw of 128' 5. In her senior year, Marlena was the South Coast League Champion in the discus. Marlena also finished 3rd at the CIF Southern Section Division II Championships in the discus that year. In Marlena's junior year she was the South Coast League runner-up in the discus. She finished 4th at the CIF Southern Section Division II Championships. Marlena also finished 9th at the CIF Southern Section Masters Meet. As a sophomore, Marlena set a school frosh-soph record in the discus (113' 0), while winning the Orange County Championships on the frosh-soph level. In the shot put, (36' 7 1/4) Marlena was runner-up at the South Coast League Finals her senoir year, and finished 3rd during her junior season.

          Stephanie Moses, (1993-1996) was the South Coast League Champion in the shot put her junior year (36' 9 1/4). Stephanie finished 3rd her senior year. She went on to the CIF Southern Section Prelims both years. Stephanie's PR in the discus was 111' 3. Stephanie went on to compete at Saddleback Community College for two years, 1997 & 1998.

          Julia Loya, (1995-1998) Julia has the 11th best mark in the shot put
(38' 4 1/2), and the 13th best mark in the discus (122-7) in school history. Julia was runner-up in the shot put at the South Coast League Fianls her senior year. She also finished third in the discus. Julia qualified for the CIF Southern Section Finals in the discus her senior year, where she placed 7th. Julia was an outstanding power lifter in high school as she won 1st place three years in a row at the South Orange County Power Lifting Championships. Julia is 2nd in school history in the bench press (185) and holds school records in the Squat (305), Clean & Jerk (175), Snatch (115), and dead lift (345). Julia went on to the United States Naval Academy, where she was a 4-time NCAA power lifting champion. Julia was the 2000 Junior World Champion in power lifting. Julia holds 3 NCAA lifting records, Squat, dead lift, and the 3 lift total in the 165lb weight class.

Mission Viejo Thrower History 1975-2005