Virginia Commonwealth University

PERSONAL BESTS/RECORDS

• Javelin: 48.55m
• Shot Put: 10.67m
• Discus: 28.03m

• Placed second in the javelin at the Vertklasse Meeting, throwing a season-best mark of 43.22m
• Finished fifth overall in the javelin at the Atlantic 10 Outdoor Championships

• Threw 10.34m in the shot put at the VCU Rams Indoor Invitational

• Qualified to the NCAA East Preliminary Rounds in the javelin
• Won the javelin at the VCU Final Qualifier with a mark of 46.08m
• Placed second in the javelin at the Atlantic 10 Outdoor Championships
• Earned top-five finishes in the javelin at the Georgia Tech Invitational, Texas State Invitational, and Black and Gold Invitational

• Did not compete

2021 OUTDOOR

• Secured a third-place finish and personal best of 48.55m in the javelin throw at the UF Tom Jones Invitational
• Set a personal best of 28.03m in the discus throw and finished first in the javelin throw at the USF Invite
• Placed fourth in the javelin throw at the USF Bulls Invite

2021 INDOOR

• Did not compete

2020 OUTDOOR

• Won the javelin throw at the Bobcat/Shark Relays 
• The NCAA canceled the remainder of the 2020 outdoor season

• Did not compete

2019 OUTDOOR

• Competed at the NCAA Division I East Region Preliminary in the javelin throw
• Finished first in the javelin throw and fourth in the shot put at the VCU Final Qualifier, recording tosses of 44.32 and 10.67 respectively 
• Earned a first place finish at the Atlantic 10 Outdoor Championships, posting a javelin throw of 45.48m
• Placed second at the UNF Invitational after recording a throw of 44.11m in the javelin 
• Won the javelin throw at the Ram Invite with a toss of 41.59m

PRIOR TO VCU

• Named All-State in the javelin throw 
• Holds the Hazleton school record for the javelin throw 
• Four-time state finalist
• Three-time MVP of her high school, as well as freshman MVP her first season

PERSONAL

• Daughter of Patrick and Lauren Merkel
• Born on March 2, 1999
• Has one brother, Patrick
• Father played football at West Chester University