Closse had a distinguished Lady Texan career, winning three
NJCAA championships in her freshman year (2008-09) and winning two more this
past season. At the 2009 NJCAA indoor championships hosted by Texas Tech
University Closse set a NJCAA record in the shot put and also won the weight
throw on her way to being named Field Event Athlete of the Meet. She then
added the outdoor shot put championship to her list of accolades when she won
with a meet record throw.
It is very possible Closse would have more than five titles had the SPC track
teams competed in the 2010 NJCAA indoor championships. However, she
completed her career as a Lady Texan by repeating as champion in the shot put
and added the discus title as well as a third place finish in the hammer throw,
scoring 26 points and helping the Lady Texans to a second consecutive NJCAA
outdoor championship.
Closse, who owns SPC school records in the indoor shot put and weight throw, as
well as the outdoor shot put, discus and hammer throws, will continue her
education and athletic career at Texas Tech University.
About the Betty Jo Graber Award
Betty Jo Graber spent 35 years advancing opportunities for women in NJCAA
athletics. Along with a successful basketball coaching career at Weatherford
College, she was also the Region 5 Women's Director, the NJCAA Women's
Basketball Committee Chair and a founding member of the NJCAA Women's Division.
Graber is a member of the inaugural class inducted into the Women's Basketball
Hall of Fame in Tennessee. Graber was the perfect model of hard work,
discipline, ethics and excellence in community college athletics. This award is
given annually to the NJCAA Student-Athlete that best exhibits these traits.
