 While in high school at Thomas Downey High School in 1994 she was named the national Girl's "High School Athlete of the Year" by Track and Field News after setting the National High School Record in the discus at 214' 0" As a sophomore, she was on the American team at the IAAF World Junior Championships, finishing tenth.Two years later she took home a bronze medal from the same event.She was the 1995 Pan American Junior Championships gold medalist.