Notre Dame graduate New will throw for Southeast Missouri State track team

Notre Dame graduate Marissa New started attending Southeast Missouri State track and field meets as a sophomore in high school, which quickly led her to believe that's where she wanted to attend college, and hopefully compete as a thrower.

That's exactly what happened as New signed a letter of intent with Southeast on Monday.

"I decided at the beginning of this year that SEMO was definitely going to work out," New said. "Before they even offered me a scholarship I was like, 'Oh, yeah, I'll just go walk on,' you know, that's how much the team meant to me.

"But then whenever they offered me a scholarship, I was like, 'Whoa, OK. This is awesome. I'm definitely going to SEMO and I'm definitely going to throw there.'"

New began throwing her freshman year of high school, and quickly found it was a sport she was passionate about.

"I thought I had dedication before, but whenever I started throwing that discus I just couldn't stop," New said. "It was dedication. I threw every single day for my whole freshman year. It drove my mom crazy."

New earned all-state honors her senior season with a sixth-place finish in the discus at the Class 3 state meet.

She is the three-time defending SEMO Conference champion in the discus and finished second in the shot put this season.

Her throw of 132 feet, 10 inches in the discus at the Class 3 District 1 state meet was good for first place and broke Notre Dame's school record.

Southeast has had several successful throwers in recent years, and New looks forward to working with them and coach Eric Crumpecker.

"We all share the same liking for throwing and we all have passion," New said. "I could definitely tell that they were like a family and they do everything together, and I really thought that would be awesome.

"They definitely have a great lifting program and they work really hard, and [Crumpecker] works hard trying to make sure that they're the best that they can be. And I feel like that motivation helps the athletes succeed and want to try harder and be better and enjoy the sport even more."