Sweet Home alumni continue to prove the success of the Sweet Home High School Athletics program. Casey Tow was seen during the NCAA Outdoor Championships that were held June 5-8, participating for Grand Canyon University and placing 22 out of 24.
“I was really happy for the opportunity to compete at NCAA nationals this year,” Tow said.
Tow has had a fulfilling sports career, first beginning in high school. He attended SHHS and spent four years lettered in both track and field, and basketball, with two years being lettered in football. Tow was valedictorian, member of the National Honors Society and member of the School Leadership Council.
Tow took this experience to the next level, signing to compete with the U.S. Naval Academy track team. He competed for them for two years. According to gculopes.com, during his freshman season Tow participated in the IC4A All-East Decathlon after participating in the Navy’s Intrasquad meets, posting performances in the 400m (51.97), 500m (1:08.85) and 60m hurdles (9.35).
The following indoor season, Tow claimed bronze in the heptathlon at the Patriot League Indoor Championship, totaling a season best of 4,801 points and contributing to a podium sweep. A podium sweep is when a team comes in first, second and third, winning all available medals that are recognized during a podium ceremony. Tow was able to achieve season best performances in the 60m hurdles and pole vault.
During his outdoor season, Tow competed as a decathlete in various events across five different meets. Those included the San Diego Collegiate Challenge, Ross and Sharon Irwin Meet, Navy Spring Meet I, George Mason Invitational and Larry Ellis Invitational.
Tow then transferred his junior year to Grand Canyon University, where in just his first outdoor season, he broke an eight-year-old record and scored 7,493 points at the University of Arizona. This score qualified him to nationals.
So far, in his junior year, Tow has set personal records in the 60m dash (7.13), 1000m (2:44.81), 60m hurdles (8.54), shot put (12.71), high jump (1.88), pole vault (4.50m), heptathlon (5350) and long jump (6.80m).
Tow attributes a lot of credit to his coaches and teammates who helped push and put him into a place to succeed all year.
“This is my first season at Grand Canyon University, and I was able to fulfill a long time goal of mine,” Tow said. “Coaches Todd Lehman and Tim O’Niel gave me a huge jump in my development as an athlete and were able to keep me healthy all year, which has been a first in my career.”
Tow was the Western Athletic Conference decathlon champion and his team also won the WAC team championship.
During the NCAA Outdoor Championships, Tow placed 22. This championship brings in the top 24 scorers in Division 1 in the country, and Tow was able to come in 24. His results are in metric, and follow by event:
100m (11.22(23), long jump (6.59(20), shot put (12.56(21), high jump (1.86(16), 400m (49.71(19), 110m hurdles (15.82(21), discus (37.65(21), pole vault (4.41(18), javelin (55.99(6), 1500m (4:33.34(6).
“I’m looking forward to building on this next year and trying to get back to the national stage,” he said. “It was a great meet with an awesome group of athletes, and I was lucky to compete in front of a lot of family and friends.”
Casey Tow encapsulates what it means to be a high achieving SHHS alumnus. He continues to prove that someone from the tiny town of Sweet Home can go on to be successful and do great things.