Video presentation
When stepping into the throwing circle during her track and field career at the College from 1987 to 1991, Sue Piekarz Rodriguez was as dominant of a competitor as the Lions have ever seen. Competing for both the indoor and outdoor programs, Piekarz excelled in the discus and shot put etching her name into the school record books for those events.
Her efforts as a Lion have endured over time as her name still remains among the program record holders. She still holds the records during the outdoor season in the discus (163’) and the shot put (43’3/4”), in addition to still boasting the top performance in the shot put (43’3”) during the indoor season.
She reeled a long list of accolades as she won four New Jersey Athletic Conference titles and was a six-time All-American. Her top performance at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championship came in 1991 when she placed second in the discus with that school-record throw of 163’. She also finished second at the 1988 championships with a solid distance of 147’-7’.
During the indoor season, she collected another runner-up finish in 1989 as she recorded a throw of an even 42 feet. That spring she earned a seventh-place finish in the discus for her second All-American citation in the matter of a few months.
Piekarz was a two-time All-American again as a junior claiming third in the discus and eighth in the shot put. Both of those honors came during the outdoor season.
When she was not shining on the field of competition, she was passing on her knowledge to the next generation of Lion throwers serving as a coach for both the indoor and outdoor programs from 1994 to 2002.
“Sue Piekarz was an outstanding collegiate thrower and competed admirablely with the best in the United States beyond college. Sue’s marks still stand among the best in Division III history and have served as an inspiration to Lion throwers the past two decades,” noted former Lion head coach Steve Dolan, who Piekarz assisted as the throwing coach.
“It was a real honor to coach with Sue at TCNJ. She made such a positive impact on our student-athletes on and off the track. Her leadership and development of our throws program was instrumental to our team's success,” Dolan continued. “Sue's hard work and character as a student-athlete and as a coach have been a great contribution to TCNJ Athletics.”
Following graduation, Rodriguez continued to excel at her sport as she set a USA Track & Field – New Jersey record during the outdoor season in the discus with a throw of 168’4”.
She has translated her love of fitness into a career as she has held various positions at Gold’s Gym in Princeton, where she is currently the manager of the Kidz Club. Her throwing career also led to her family as she met her husband Herb, who was a renowned thrower in track and field.
