Auburn, Ala.—Auburn junior Cade Antonucci will make his debut at the USATF Outdoor Championships, when he competes Saturday in the men's javelin at Drake Stadium on the Drake University campus in Des Moines, Iowa. Antonucci will throw in the first of two flights, which starts at 2:20 p.m. CT.
Antonucci enters the competition seeded 13th of 19 throwers and is one of just seven collegiate athletes in the event. It will be one of the most, if not the most competitive and deep fields he's competed against.
"It helps a lot to get up against real competition," Antonucci said. "Throughout the year in college you don't really have many competitions where you have this many good throwers your competing against. It's about getting experience under your belt competing at these high level meets, seeing what it's like, preparing your nerves, preparing for the meet, just being able to get the job done."
The meet will culminate an outstanding 2019 season that saw Antonucci earn his second All-America honors and first-ever competition representing the United States. Two weeks ago, the Mays Landing, N.J. native wore the red, white and blue for USA Track and Field team at the North American, Central American, & Caribbean (NACAC) U23 Championships in Queretaro, Mexico.
"Mexico was just a great experience being able to make my first-ever Team USA and my first-ever international competition," Antonucci said. "It was a great feeling. I absolutely loved it. Being able to fly down with the team, meet all the guys on the team and wear the USA on your chest; it was an absolute surreal feeling."
Representing his country and competing internationally was not only a memorable experience, but it prepared him for the competition he will face this weekend.
"It was great to go there and compete against other competitors from around the world," Antonucci said. "It led me into a good transition into this meet where we have some of the best throwers in the country both professionally and collegiately, who are great athletes and will be fun to compete against."
Auburn throws coach Pat Ebel is no stranger to big meets. During his coaching career, he's had numerous athletes compete internationally and in the United States against the best of the best. He knows the experience gained for Antonucci is invaluable.
"He can see the men he's heard about and throw against them. He'll be throwing against professionals," Ebel said. "This is the top of the game and if he can compete with these folks, and start to beat them, then you are talking about making world teams and Olympics. It's all part of the learning process."
The main goals for the meet: compete and make finals.
"We want to keep building on what Cade did at NACAC where he threw really well. Obviously I think he's ready to go farther. The two goals we have is to compete and make finals. And also if he can hit a PR, that's great," Ebel said. "I just really want him to go in, compete and have some fun, while gaining the experience he's going to need when he goes into his next two years at Auburn and then hopefully professionally, he's learning from these experiences.
And while the competition may be steep, the two-time All-American is up for the challenge.
"I'm going in ranked 13th so one of my main goals is to make finals," Antonucci said. "Once I make finals, hopefully get into a medal position. That would be fantastic."
Antonucci will not be the only Auburn athlete competing Saturday. Sophomore Madi Malone will compete at 12:30 p.m. in the women's hammer throw. The meet will air online on NBC Sports Gold with limited action airing on NBC and NBC Sports.
MEET INFORMATION
2019 Toyota USATF Outdoor Championships
Drake Stadium
Des Moines, Iowa
Meet Home: https://auburntige.rs/USATFOutdoors
Schedule: https://auburntige.rs/USATFOutSked
Start List: https://auburntige.rs/USATFOutStartList
Broadcast Coverage: NBC Sports Gold, NBC Sports Network, NBC
Antonucci: Saturday, July 27, 2:20 p.m. (men's javelin)
Malone: Saturday, July 27, 12:30 p.m. (women's hammer)