Cougar Athletics
30 NAIA National Championships
95 GSAC Championships
...and counting

THIS YEAR: One of the key personnel in leading Azusa Pacific to the NAIA title last year, senior Megan Ilertsen returns for her final year to team with Ruth Wilhelm and give the Cougars a great 1-2 combination in the throws … Excels in the discus and hammer … Enters the season with the program’s all-time No. 5 mark in the discus (156’1 1”) and No. 6 in the hammer (168’ 8”) … Will also compete in the shot put.

2007: Captured her first 2 NAIA All-America honors and in rather grand fashion during the 2007 NAIA Outdoor Championship Meet in Fresno … Recorded personal bests in both discus and hammer, finishing second and fifth respectively … The effort in the discus clinched the Cougars’ national championship … Posted PRs of more than 8 feet in the discus and nearly 11 feet in the hammer during the NAIA championship meet … At the GSAC Championships finished fourth in both the hammer (153’ 1”) and the discus (144’ 10”) … Qualified for the NAIA Indoor Championship Meet in the 20-pound weight throw, finishing ninth (59’ 2¾”).

2006: Appeared in both the NAIA Indoor and Outdoor Championship Meets ... Did not advance to the finals of the weight (indoor), hammer (outdoor) or discus (outdoor) throws ... At the GSAC championships in San Diego, was fifth in the discus (season-best 147’ 5”) and eighth in the hammer (146’ 6”) ... Also posted a career best in the shot (38’ 1¼”) at the GSAC championships ... Threw the hammer a career-best 157’ 9” at the Occidental Invitational for the eighth best throw in school history.

2005: Displayed tremendous growth as a first-year collegian and by season’s end qualified for the NAIA Outdoor Championships in the discus, finishing 21st with a throw of 130’ 6” … At the GSAC Championships was fifth in the discus (129’ 5”) and sixth in the hammer (123’ 5”).

HIGH SCHOOL: Competed 4 seasons in track & field for coach John Turek at Troy High in Fullerton, Calif. … Was a 3-time team MVP and Freeway League champion in the discus and shot … As a 2003 junior, set the school record in the discus at 133’ 0”, fifth best in Orange County for the year … Was a 3-time CIF qualifier in the discus … Also earned 3 varsity letters in volleyball … As a 2004 senior, named team MVP and All-Freeway League first team as an outside hitter … Named Troy’s Athlete of the Year in 2004.

PERSONAL: Born Jan. 3, 1986, in Fullerton, Calif., … Parents are Dane (teacher) and Lynette (assistant principal) Ilertsen … Her dad, who is the baseball coach at Troy High, played baseball at Point Loma (member of the PLNU Hall of Fame) and in the San Diego Padres organization … Her grandfather Don Marshburn is the former chairman of the board of trustees for Azusa Pacific … Majoring in business administration.

ILERTSEN BESTS at AZUSA PACIFIC

Year   Shot   Discus  Javelin  Hammer  Weight
2005 33-9 1/2 138-11   122-8   137-4   39-1 1/4
2006 38-1 1/4 147-5    121-10  157-9   47-2 1/2
2007 41-1 1/2 156-6       -    168-8   50-2 3/4