Hardy ‘Always Striving for More’

By: D. Scott Fritchen

Monique Hardy traces back to how it all began. The Kansas State junior didn't just win the weight throw at the KU-KSU-WSU Triangular at Anschutz Pavilion in Lawrence, Kansas. She set the meet record. And she not only set the meet record, but she set the K-State school record. And not only did she accomplish that feat, but she set a personal best along the way.

Her third throw of 22.13m/72-7.25 at the KU-KSU-WSU Triangular was eight inches farther than her previous best of 21.93m/71.11.5 during her time at LSU. She topped Janee' Kassanavoid's previous K-State school record of 21.81m/71.65 in 2017.

"It still hasn't set in yet," she said, "just because I'm always striving for more."

Hardy, a native of Webster, N.Y., is on a roll. She opened the indoor track and field season by capturing the meet title at the Bob Timmons Challenge with a throw of 21.48m/70.5.75, then set records at the Triangular, and then last Friday won the Corky Classic title with a distance of 20.94m/68-8.50.

That's three titles in three meets to open the season.

"It feels pretty good," she said. "It feels amazing. In (the Triangular) I had a feeling that I'd throw far and it's just relieving, a sense of all the hard work I've put in over time that's really paying off. It was great to have that PR this early in the season."

Hardy received an assist from a friend. Kassanavoid, who captured silver in the hammer throw at the 2023 World Athletics Championships, took a video and photo of her good friend after she set her records.

"It was a full-circle moment for Janee' to be there to witness the event," Hardy said. "That made me really happy and gave me a warm feeling in my heart. Being able to have the previous record holder there and to train with her every day was just awesome. It was a good moment because she was able to congratulate me and hug me and everything.

"We're good friends, and it was really cool to experience that full-circle moment together."

Hardy's conquests come after she medaled in her first Big 12 Indoor Championships last season, finishing fourth with a distance of 19.88m, and three years after she transferred from LSU, where she finished in the top-10 in the NCAA Indoor Championships.

"I'm not going to lie, I had a very rough year last year," Hardy said. "I've grown so much not only as a thrower but as a person, mentally, physically, and just being able to put everything I have toward my craft. It can be little things like nutrition and sleep to coming in with the right mindset to practice every day and just really buying into the program and having the confidence in myself.

"Even if you have an off week or an off year, you still have that strength and ability to do what God has put in your heart."

The passion began in the eighth grade. That's when Hardy began official competition in track and field. She started competing in hurdles. Then she picked up a shotput. In the eighth grade she threw the shotput distances that would've ranked among the farthest by any high school athlete in America. Then she gravitated toward the weight throw and hammer throw. In her words, she just "clicked quickly." She finished out her high school career winning 20 of her final 21 weight throw competitions.

Meanwhile, Sherman and Sylvia drove their daughter to hammer throw events in Ohio and Rhode Island (the NYSPHSAA did not recognize the hammer throw as a sanctioned state-wide event). She earned the 2018 USATF Junior Olympic hammer throw title with a mark of 170 feet, 5 ¼ inches at North Carolina A&T University in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Hardy said that her parents were "blowing up my phone" after she set the K-State record and recorded a personal best in the weight throw at the Triangular.

"My mom actually called me about three times before I got to her and my dad, they were just blowing up my phone, saying, 'Oh my goodness! You did it!'" Hardy said. "It was awesome to hear their voices and excitement. It makes me happy that I'm making them proud. Growing up, they were doing so much for me. I'm just happy to make them proud. Hearing how happy they were is a joy within itself."

As a senior at Webster Thomas High School, Hardy tossed the weight throw 66 feet, 11 ¼ inches at the 2020 Millrose games in New York City. It marked the second-farthest throw by a female high school athlete in American history.

She won three straight New York state titles in the weight throw in 2018, 2019 and 2020. She commanded the cage. The only thing that stood between her and the No. 1 all-time weight throw record? The COVID-19 pandemic. She was one week from potentially setting the national mark. Then the pandemic shut everything down, including the final months of her brilliant high school career.

She posted videos of her 60-foot throw on Instagram with her email address and phone number attached, hoping it might entice a major college. Only one other female in high school history had ever thrown such a distance, she figured, so why not?

Greg Watson, assistant coach for throws at LSU, was the first Division I coach to call Monique. Watson was entering his third season with the Tigers. He previously served as assistant throws coach at K-State from 2013-18. While at K-State, Watson coached Kassanavoid.

Of course, every other SEC school came calling shortly after, along with UCLA, Penn State and Texas. But Hardy was hooked on LSU. And she did not disappoint. As a freshman, she competed solely in the weight throw indoors. She became the second female in LSU history to be named SEC Women's Freshman Field Athlete of the Year indoors. She recorded the second-best throw in LSU history with a toss of 71 feet, 11 ½ inches. She finished fourth at the SEC Champions with a heave of 70 feet, 10 ½ inches, then she finished ninth in the NCAA Indoor Championships with an effort of 70 feet, 6 ½ inches, as the only freshman in the nation to make it to nationals in the event.

When Watson returned as throws coach at K-State, Hardy, who had never been to Manhattan, put her name into the transfer portal in hopes of being reunited with Watson.

"We have a great coach-athlete relationship, and I have an understanding of his programming and really stick to it day to day," Hardy said. "Being an athlete with him for so long, I've definitely been able to have that family relationship with him just because I trust his program and his coaching so much.

"I've been with him about three or four years now. I've been able to build a great relationship with him over time."

Hardy calls her experience at K-State "amazing."

"I've loved every bit of this program," she said. "When I first got here, I fell in love with this place because the staff is so encouraging and supportive, and our new facilities have been really nice to go in and train. We train at one of the top facilities in the country, and just having a family behind you is just an amazing feeling.

"It's been amazing to take advantage of all this and soak it all up and be comfortable in my growth here at K-State."

As for goals? Well, she has her sights set on being an All-American this indoor season.

"Ultimately, I'd love to be an All-American and national champion in the weight throw and will see where the hammer throw takes me in the outdoor season," Hardy said. "One season and one throw at a time. My goal is to compete with myself and throw farther than the previous week."

What has Hardy learned most about herself since the start of the indoor season?

"Staying consistent is very, very important — being consistent in everything you do," she said. "Consistency builds diligence and builds a stronger mentality toward what you're doing."

Hardy currently ranks seventh in the nation. After her journey, dreams of reaching All-American status and competing for a national champion are firmly within reach.

And she might just set a couple more records along the way.

Kansas State University Athletics

Players Mentioned

Monique Hardy

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