Former Hampden Academy standout Helen Shearer is one of two University of Maine track and field athletes competing in NCAA East Regionals this week in Jacksonville, Florida.
Shearer, a senior for the Black Bears, will be competing in the women’s 3,000 meter steeplechase, which is scheduled to start at 5:40 p.m. on Saturday. Teammate Cheyenne Figueroa will compete in the hammer throw, and the first round of that event is slated to start at 10 a.m. on Thursday.
Both Shearer and Figueroa won silver medals at the America East Conference Championships, and qualified for the regionals by having one of the top 48 times or distances in their respective events among East region competitors. The top 12 regional finishers in each event will advance to the outdoor national championships in Eugene, Oregon.
Shearer originally attended West Point and later transferred to Maine, a move that her high school coach at Hampden Academy said has allowed for continued connection with the former Broncos star. Shearer even helped out as an official at a recent high school meet, Hampden coach Jason Kash said.
Kash has long been impressed with Shearer’s toughness.
“She is extremely gritty, and it’s not just when she lines up with the competitors and races. There’s kind of a grittiness that transcends just the actual training,” Kash said on Wednesday. “Mental fortitude is so important, and we could tell that she is just full of that. And I’m not surprised that it’s serving her well.”
Shearer set the UMaine steeplechase record earlier this season and her May 17 time of 10:12.64 was the 27th best in the East this season.
Figueroa, a senior from Providence, Rhode Island, had the 45th best regional throw in the hammer this season at 57.99 meters.
Both the women’s steeplechase and hammer throw are slated to be broadcast on ESPN+, which requires a subscription.
