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| Upcoming Events: Fri-Sat., March 9-10: SMU at NCAA Indoor Championships, Terre Haute, Ind. |
SMU's Ashley (athlete), Jackie (coach) Luehmann
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Tennis, golf, basketball, track … whatever the sport, Jackie Luehmann set the bar — and Ashley has spent her entire athletic career trying to clear them.
Which hasn't been easy when your older sister was a six-time All-American during her collegiate track and field career at Gustavus.
Saturday afternoon at the NCAA Indoor National Championships at Rose Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute, Ind., the younger Luehmann will be on the nation's biggest stage with one goal in mind — give the Luehmann name a seventh All-American honor.
And make her sister proud in the process.
"Jackie and I have played with and competed against each other in sports since we were little kids," said Ashley, who is making her second NCAA appearance, having placed 16th in the shot at last year's outdoor national championships. "I remember watching her compete in tennis, golf, basketball and track, and I couldn't wait until it was my turn.
"She was always teaching me how to improve, no matter what sport I competed in — she pushed me to be better at every level and in every sport," she added. "There was always that hug at the end of the game or event — she hugged me when I succeeded, and cried with me when it wasn't meant to be.
"Jackie and I do a lot together away from sports,, too. We're just close — our entire family is that way."
The bond between the Luehmann duo goes deeper than just that of sisters and friends.
The elder Luehmann is also Ashley's throwing coach — and a key contributor to her success.
"It's extremely special to get the chance to coach Ashley on the big stage," said Jackie, who boasted a second-place finish in the shot put at the 2004 outdoor national championships to highlight her six All-American efforts during her days as a Gustie. "I am proud to share this moment with her. It's a great feeling to help her achieve her goals as an athlete.
"I remember how great it felt to be an All-American, and I want Ashley to experience the same thing."
"Jackie has taught me so much," said Ashley, who enters the national championships with the 10th-best shot put performance (13.31 meters) and is coming off an MIAC Indoor Championships in which she won the shot put crown. "When (Jackie) went away to college, she would call me with words of advice — she always told me not to give up — to keep working, keep improving, keep trying.
"When I went to (Saint Mary's), we found ourselves in different uniforms for the first time in our lives," added Ashley, who competed against her sister for two years, including 2004, when Jackie won the shot put at the MIAC Outdoor Championships, while the younger Luehmann was third. "But even when we were competing against each other, she still pushed me to strive to be better."
With just two national championships (indoor and outdoor) remaining in her collegiate career, Ashley Luehmann won't be able to match her sister's six All-American honors, but another Luehmann All-American performance is definitely her No. 1 priority.
And she'd love nothing more than to do that with her sister at her side.
"I have learned so much from watching (Jackie) compete for all those years, and now her insights have really helped me to fine-tune my throwing," said Ashley of her sister. "If I had to pick one person — other than my parents — to be with me at nationals, it would be Jackie.
"It just doesn't' get any more special than that."