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UNLV women's track squad eyeing national strides

Since becoming the UNLV women's track and field coach in 2007, two-time Olympian Yvonne Wade has made steady progress in transforming the Rebels into winners on and off the track.

Wade has guided UNLV to academic All-American honors (team GPA of 3.0 or higher) in five of the last six years, and the Rebels produced U.S. Olympic hammer thrower Amanda Bingson, a Silverado High School product, on her watch.

"It took a while to change the culture and recruit the type of student-athletes we needed to change the overall program," said Wade, an NCAA All-American at the University of Colorado who competed in the 100-meter hurdles at the Summer Olympics in 1996 in Atlanta and in 2000 in Sydney.

"First and foremost for me was changing the academic culture," she said. "Now we're at the point where we can start recruiting higher-caliber athletes and go after the same student-athletes that some of the bigger (Southeastern Conference) and (Atlantic Coast Conference) schools get."

Wade has high hopes for the Rebels this season, led by junior newcomer Kaysee Pilgrim, who won three junior college national titles in the high jump at Pima Community College in Tucson, Ariz.; senior Auzsane Crowe-Carter, the two-time defending 800-meter Mountain West champion; and sophomore Drea Austin, the team's high scorer at last year's Mountain West championship and one of 11 local products on the squad.

"Our goal definitely is to win our conference, which we do have the athletes able to do that, and to be ranked nationally," Wade said. "I'm excited about it. We have good energy on our team, we're really focused and we work hard."

UNLV opened its indoor season in impressive fashion, winning six events Friday at Northern Arizona University. Pilgrim made a dynamic debut for the Rebels, winning the high jump with a school-record indoor mark of 5 feet 10¾ inches. The junior tied the junior college outdoor high jump record last year with a leap of 6 feet 1¼ inches.

"If she can do that, she should be able to win our conference and be nationally ranked," Wade said. "She's a fierce competitor and she works hard at it."

Austin, a sprinter from Foothill High School, won the 60-meter and 200-meter dashes in Friday's meet and excelled outdoors last season for UNLV in the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes and the 4x100-meter and 4x400-meter relays.

"She's just a beast. We call her 'The Hunter' because every time she gets on the track, she goes after somebody," Wade said. "If anyone can pull the team together, it's her. She just stepped up as a leader her freshman year. She's just fearless."

UNLV also features local products Mandy Chitwood (Canyon Springs), Micayla Coquia (Legacy), Kyra Day (Cheyenne), Lindy Eskin (Green Valley), Madison Johonnot (Centennial), Sydney Land (Sierra Vista), Cortney Miller (Calvary Chapel), Iris Munguia (Basic), Amari Norris (Silverado) and Shaye'e Swaine (Coronado).

The Rebels will return to Northern Arizona on Friday and Saturday for the Mountain T's Invitational.

YANG STARTS WITH BANG — Rebels newcomer Carol Zi Yang from China was named the season's first Mountain West women's tennis player of the week after going 5-2 in her UNLV debut at the elite Freeman Memorial tournament at the Fertitta Tennis Complex.

Yang upset two ranked players from the University of Florida in singles, defeating No. 25 Kourtney Keegan and No. 73 Spencer Liang. In doubles, Yang and partner Aiwen Zhu, also from China, won twice before losing in the semifinals to the nation's second-ranked duo from North Carolina.

The Rebels open dual-match play at 10 a.m. Friday, hosting New Mexico State. They'll host Weber State on Saturday and Pacific on Sunday. Admission is free.

REBEL GIRLS CLAIM CROWN — The UNLV Rebel Girls won their fourth college dance team national title in nine years at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Fla. The Rebel Girls won the Division IA Hip Hop Finals, which they also won in 2008, 2010 and 2013. They were runners-up in 2014 and 2015.

The Rebel Girls performed Friday on NBC's Today show in a segment that aired live from Caesars Palace.

In the New Sport Grid, Monique Williams Reigns Supreme

Monique Williams is a force to be reckoned with—not just because the 5'3'', 136-pound 24-year-old Floridian is an impressive athlete in her own right, but because she's single-handedly putting a new sport on the map.

But before you get to know Williams, you need to get to know Grid. The National Pro Grid League—which consists of eight teams throughout the country—kicked off its inaugeral season in 2014, and describes itself as "strategic team athletics racing." Translation: During a match, two co-ed teams of seven men and seven women race head-to-head for two hours, completing 11 four- to eight-minute races that test everything from speed and strategy to skill and endurance through a variety of weightlifting and bodyweight elements. Fun fact: one man and one woman on each team must be over the age of 40. Think of it as CrossFit on crack (which makes sense, since founder Tony Budding was a former employee of CrossFit Inc.). (Meet The Most Fearless Athletes of the 2015 CrossFit Games.)

Williams has been in on Grid since the beginning. An athlete most of her life, Williams constantly gravitated to male-dominated sports like basketball, flag football, and track and field. It was her love of the latter that propelled her athletic career to the next level—she received a track and field scholarship to the University of South Florida, where she became a two-time Big East champion in both the long jump and the triple jump.

After college, Williams was looking for a new athletic outlet. "I had been doing CrossFit, and my fiancé belonged to a box in West Palm Beach," says Williams. "I had heard about Grid through social media, but I really got a feel for the sport in August 2014 when he came home with tickets to the Miami vs. New York match held in Coral Gables. I was definitely a bit confused at times about what was going on in the match, but it was clear to me that everyone competing was having so much fun. It reminded me of my track and field team in college and all the fun we had together."

Inspired by that match, Williams joined the Orlando Outlaws, a minor league team in the Southern Amateur Grid League (SAGL). After performing the Grid specialty tests, which measure speed, power, strength and bodyweight movements, she decided she was ready for the next level. "I attended the pro day in Miami, which was the first step in showcasing my skills for professional competition," says Williams. "Afterwards, I was invited to the Maryland combine, which was a chance for the professional teams in the league to assess and evaluate my skills to see if I'd be a good addition."

It was an inspiring experience for Williams. "To see so many athletes out there determined to prove that they belonged on a team was so motivating and the atmosphere gave me so much energy," she says. As Williams demonstrated her diverse athletic abilities, there was no question she belonged on a pro team—she was picked tenth overall in the draft, and selected to join the LA Reign. (Ever wonder How the Highest-Paid Female Athletes Make Money?)

Going pro marked an exciting and piviotal turning point in Williams' athletic career, but the relocation from Florida to California was not without its sacrifices. "The time difference and being away from my fiancé were the biggest challenges," says Williams. "And playing at this higher level of competition was a lot more taxing than I realized."

Williams, along with the other women and men on the team (all of whom are paid athletes), spend many sweat-soaked hours at mandatory training camps and practices. "We practice mainly Monday-Friday, often from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., with occasional half days on Saturdays depending on if we have matches or not," says Williams. The exact training schedule is up to head coach Max Mormont. Mormont is no stranger to high-level athletics. A lifelong athlete who excelled in weightlifting—qualifying for both the 2008 and 2012 Olympic trials in the sport—Mormont entered the 2015 season as the director of training and strategy for the Reign and soon after took over as head coach of the team.

While Mormont ultimtely chooses who will perform which skills over the course of a match, every person needs to be ready to do whatever is needed for the team, especially if things don't go exactly accordingly to plan. "Each teammate has to strive to complete each race as fast as they can without slowing down, as the winning team in each race is awarded 2 points, except race 11, which is 3 points," shares Williams. "If we don't win the race, we still need to finish before the time runs out in order to earn one point, as every point earned on the Grid goes towards our ultimate goal of winning the match."

Although there are 23 total players on the team, only seven men and seven women are on the field—or grid—at a time (teams are permitted unlimited player substitutions for most races). A self-described generalist, Williams has had the opportunity to show off her skills quite extensively, competing in every match the team has had. "Playing a match brings both excitement and nervousness," says Williams. "Before a match, Coach Max always reminds me to smile, because at the end of the day we are there to have a good time and to support one another." 

The team aspect is what originally piqued Williams interest in the sport, and it's still something that she loves about Grid to this day. "It's awesome to see athletes showcase their skills with no gender bias," says Williams. "As someone who has always participated in sports mostly dominated by men, I've often been told that I can't jump as far or can't lift much as my male counterparts. Grid gives me the opportunity prove them wrong—with a smile."

But Grid's equal opportunity rules and grueling training regimens haven't quieted the haters. "As much as I find comments like 'men are stronger than women' distasteful, I don't let it bother me," Williams says. "People are entitled to their own opinions. For me, it provides motivation to continue to excel in the sport." (Psst... This 20-Year-Old Golfer Is Proving Golf Isn't Just a Guy's Game.)

And excel she does—after the National Pro Grid League (NPGL) championship match on September 20, Williams was officially named the 2015 NPGL Rookie of the Year. "I'm really excited and grateful to be recognized, especially among so many unbelievable athletes," she says. "I truly believe that working hard, staying humble, and committing to doing anything for the team is what put me in the position to receive this award."

Her hard work has also put her in a position to champion the body positive movement being led by kickass athletes like UFC champion Ronda Rousey, Olympic hammer thrower Amanda Bingson, and more (get to know the Strong Women Changing the Face of #GirlPower). "Strong isn't a word just to describe men," says Williams. "Being strong feels empowering. I think it's pretty amazing that women like me now have the opportunity to have a career as an athlete and not just dream about it."

Empowering Words of Wisdom From 7 Plus Size Athletes You Should Know

From the growing plus size yoga community on Instagram sharing images of their poses to plus size runners proudly entering marathons, hearing these stories and seeing the images are both inspiring and empowering. A plus size model graced the cover of Women’s Running Magazine this year and Olympian Amanda Bingson graced the cover of ESPN, nude.

There’s now DVDs and books specifically for plus size women who want to get active as well as support groups and resources. We’re seeing more plus size women riding bikes, dancing professionally, swimming… there’s even plus size ballet dancers out there!

What’s even more amazing is the size diversity of the athletes, especially the women who are not a size 12/14. Seeing women who are above a size 18 being active defies the myth that fat women are not active. These women are certainly not sitting on the couch with a half gallon of ice cream in hand. They’re out there living life, conquering fear and showing that anything is possible, if you try.

Here’s some empowering words of wisdom from 7 plus size athletes you should know – Get ready to be inspired!

Poland's Wlodarczyk leads hammer throw qualifying, Campbell and Bingson advance

At 75.01 meters, Anita Wlodarczyk of Poland threw the furthest in the women's hammer throw qualifying Wednesday at the World Track and Field Championships in Beijing. Wlodarczyk turned 30 on Aug. 8 and set the world record at 81.08 meters on Aug. 1 in Cetniewo, Poland, becoming the first woman to break the 80-meter barrier. She is the two-time defending European champion, 2009 World champion, 2012 Olympic silver medalist, and 2013 World silver medalist. She placed sixth in the 2008 Olympics at the Bird's Nest, site of Thursday's final.

Amber Campbell, the 34-year-old American, is back in the world final for the first time since Berlin 2009, where she placed 11th. Campbell, of Indianapolis, threw 72.06 meters on her first attempt. She is a three-time U.S. champion, including the most recent, and threw in the qualifying round at the London Olympics and past two World Championships.

"I wanted to hit the marks I've been hitting in practice, and it worked out pretty well, I'll take it," Campbell said. "It's been a while, but I'm very stoked. I have a whole different outlook on things, my confidence is high, it's been a very good year.

Amanda Bingson, 25 from Las Vegas, was 11th in qualifying, making the cut by 0.33 meters with a throw of 69.99 of her final attempt after fouling the second. The third American, NCAA champion DeAnna Price of Southern Illinois University, missed her first two attempts before throwing 68.69 on her third to finish 18th.

"She's a solid girl, I'll feel she'll do great tomorrow," Campbell said of Bingson. "Had to sneak in there."

The other qualifiers are: Alexandra Tavernier of France (the 2012 World Junior champion recorded a personal best 74.39), Wang Zheng of China (was fourth in 2013 and threw 73.06 Wednesday), Zhang Wenxiu of China (72.92, the three-time defending Asian Games champion won bronze in this event in 2007, 2011 and 2013, plus the 2008 Olympics), Zalina Marghieva of Moldova, Kathrin Klaas of Germany (fourth in 2009), Sophie Hitchon of Great Britain (2010 world junior champion), Betty Heidler of Germany (former world record holder won gold in 2007, silver in 2009 and 2011, and Olympic bronze in 2012), Rosa Rodriguez of Venezuela, and Alena Sobaleva of Belarus.

HOMETOWN OLYMPIAN AMANDA BINGSON BARES ALL ON ESPN’S BODY ISSUE—AND STARTS AN UPLIFTING CONVERSATION

“I don’t have traps bulging out to my ears; I have a neck. I don’t have a six-pack,” says Olympian and USA Track & Field hammer thrower Amanda Bingson in her recent interview for ESPN: The Magazine’s Body Issue. “I’m just dense. I think it’s important to show that athletes come in all shapes and sizes.”

The sports publication did just that last week, featuring the Silverado High School/UNLV graduate on one of the issue’s six covers. In the company of sculpted sports figures like fellow Las Vegan Bryce Harper of the Washington Nationals and Olympic swimmer Natalie Coughlin, Bingson ignited a national conversation about body image in sports. The national record-holder received an onslaught of social-media support for her body-positive comments (and complete badassity). A few gems:

•“I want to learn to be comfortable in my own skin, and seeing yours, that helps me more than you ever know. Thank you for showing me how amazing the human body is.”

•“Thank you for the ESPN photo shoot. My daughter is built like you, and you have become her new athletic inspiration!!!”

•“I don’t care who you are, if you don’t think @AmandaBingson is the most BAMF person in the @espn #BodyIssue I don’t want to be your friend.”

We couldn’t agree more. Rock on, Amanda!

Amanda Bingson: 'Athletes come in all shapes and sizes'

USA Track & Field hammer thrower Amanda Bingson spoke with reporter Morty Ain about taking it all off for the Body Issue, her American record in the hammer throw and what she'll do if she wins gold in 2016.

For more from the 2015 Body Issue, check out espn.com/bodyissue! And pick up a copy on newsstands starting July 10.

Dense would be the right word for me. Generally when you look at athletes, you see their muscles and all that stuff; I don't have any of that. My arm is just my arm -- it's not cut, it's not sculpted. I don't have traps bulging out to my ears; I have a neck. I don't have a six-pack. My legs are a little toned, but they aren't bulging out. I'm just dense. I think it's important to show that athletes come in all shapes and sizes.

I broke the female [American] record in 2013. I threw 75.73 meters, which is like 248 feet. There's been a huge jump [in the distances] recently, for sure. Women didn't start getting competitive on the world scene until the early 2000s; that was the first time it was in the Olympics for women. Before then, it was just men.

Hammer throw is essentially like a shot put on a wire. The hammer is about 4 kilos, or 8.8 pounds. You spin around three or four times, you let it go, and hopefully it goes far.

Amanda Bingson

Age: 25
Height: 5'5"
Weight: 210 pounds

You just have to tape up your fingers and hope they don't fall off. You have all this weight just hanging on the edge of your fingers, and with the velocity coming around it, it just destroys your hands. I get manicures every two weeks on my ugly hands and I'm all apologetic: "I know my hands are disgusting. I throw stuff. I'm sorry."

I have a very strong core. For training, we do a lot of twisting motions because that's what our event mainly is: twisting. But I don't have a six-pack or anything else like that. I have, like, two rolls in the back, but I still think I'm pretty strong in my core.

The hammer is in control. You have to be long and loose. It has to be relaxed aggression. If you get pissed off at the hammer -- like I always do at every practice, because it just never goes the way it's supposed to -- you tense up. But if you tighten up, it shortens your muscles up and it just goes nowhere. Then you are even more pissed off.

If I want to throw far, I'll do a handstand. It gets my blood boiling. It gets the blood up to my head and it helps me get a little amped. We don't really have crowds when we compete, so you really have to get yourself going.

I'm so weak in my arms. I can't bench to save my life. I know it sounds really stupid when I say that. But for a thrower, I'm definitely on the smaller side and definitely not as strong as most of my competitors.

"I'll be honest, I like everything about my body."

Amanda Bingson

I'm a protein junkie. I put protein in everything. [My coaches] want me to eat 175 grams of protein a day, which is a lot. And so I came up with all of these different ways to put protein in everything. It's unflavored, so I'll put a full scoop into my mashed potatoes and just mix it up. I put it in chicken salad, egg salad; I put it in my pasta. I just made spinach-and-artichoke dip and I put three scoops of protein in there.

I'll be honest, I like everything about my body. And I think it's because I moved from Las Vegas to Texas. In Vegas, I was bombarded with all of these "double zeros" and Abercrombie models, these little people coming in for shows. I never wanted to be a part of that, ever. And when I moved to Texas, everyone here is just so open about their bodies. I see these big girls in these tiny little bathing suits and I'm looking at them like, "Man, these girls are so confident!" Now I just think, "I'm just going to throw far because I'm confident with myself and I don't have to worry about what I look like anymore."

You might be prettier and skinnier than me, but I'll kick your ass in a game of one-on-one.

I first learned the word "fat" when I was in middle school. I never knew that I was the fat kid in school until a boy told me that I was too fat. I thought, "What does that mean?" I had always been so athletic and into sports; I didn't think I was that fat. But everybody wants to fit that skinny ideal picture that we see on billboards all the time, and people would always remind me that that wasn't me. So you just grow a thick skin. Like I said, I'll still whip your ass if we ever got into a fight.

Whatever your body type is, just use it. There are definitely things that I can do that skinnier people can't do. But then there are things that skinnier people do that I'll never be able to do, like run a marathon. There's just no way that will ever happen.

I was a giant. I was definitely the tallest and biggest girl all the way through high school. In middle school, I was about 175. Throughout high school, I played around 175, all the way up to 200. When I got to college, I stayed at about 200 pounds. And now I fluctuate between 210 and 215. But I embrace it. I love myself.

I got kicked off my high school volleyball team because I was too fat. I had been playing volleyball since I was in elementary school, and I was pretty good at it. But my coach told me that unless I lost 30 pounds there was no room for me on the team. I couldn't lose the weight. I went with my mom to the doctor and we tried to learn all this stuff. I did everything I could and I could not lose it. So she kicked me off. There were other girls who were not as good as I was, but they fit into the uniforms. So that was her rationale. She said unless I lost 30 pounds then I couldn't be on the team, even though I was pretty good at volleyball.

I've seen two people get hit with the hammer. One of them was in the ICU for about three months with a collapsed lung. The other was my teammate. I actually hit my teammate and she walked away from it. But when it happened, I thought I'd killed her. It happened in my sophomore year in college and we were practicing at UNLV. She didn't think that I could throw that far, I guess.

If I medal in the upcoming Olympics, I'm just going to chug a beer.I'm going to get up on the podium and just go "Stone Cold" Steve Austin on it. I'm working on some things. Everyone will be looking at me like "trashy American." But at least we're still No. 1!

This is an online exclusive story from ESPN The Magazine's Body Issue 2015.Subscribe today!