Hempfield's Maddie Holmberg takes 3rd in NCAA heptathlon

When the final day of the NCAA Division I track and field championships began Saturday in Eugene, Ore., Penn State redshirt junior and Hempfield product Maddie Holmberg was in sixth place in the heptathlon with three events left.

When she finished, Holmberg earned a bronze medal and all-American honors.

“All season, I was hoping for a top-five finish,” Holmberg said. “But when I went I thought I had a chance to win. I was having hamstring issues this week and couldn't practice much.

“When you compete in multiples, you have emotions. I went from hoping to stay healthy to winning again. The top two girls separated from the pack, so I concentrated on placing third.”

Holmberg placed fourth in the long jump with a leap of 19 feet, 8 inches. She placed ninth in the javelin (134-2) and 800 meters (2 minutes, 19.16 seconds).

Holmberg's seven-event totals were 5,833 points behind champion Wisconsin senior Georgia Ellenwood (6,146) and Georgia sophomore Louisa Grauvogel (6,074). UCLA senior Kendall Gustafson was fourth (5,800).

On Friday, Holmberg placed second in the shot put, fourth in the 200, 18th in the 100 hurdles and 22nd in the high jump.

Paul Schofield is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at pschofield@tribweb.com or via Twitter @Schofield_Trib.