Waggoner notches another school record, will sign with Army prep this week

One thing is for sure.

Douglas High senior Jessica Waggoner isn't messing around.

The three-sport standout broke the school record in the discus for the third time in the last calendar year Saturday afternoon at the Carson Invitational with a throw of 144 feet, seven inches.

She has now bested what was a 27-year-old record before she came on the scene by 16 feet and three inches.

It was also the best throw recorded in the state so far this season.

The craziest part? Waggoner's not even close to being done.

"I threw 160 during warm-ups," she said. "I was hoping to do it again during the competition, but it just wasn't there."

Nonetheless, her school record was a fitting beginning to what will be an even bigger week.

Waggoner is scheduled to sign with the United State Military Academy Prep School in New Jersey on Wednesday. She will compete in basketball and track for the Black Knights for a year before enrolling at West Point.

"It's like a red-shirt year except you still get to play a real schedule," Waggoner said of the prep school. "And I'll still have four years of eligibility once I get to West Point."

Recruits are commonly sent to the prep academy for a 10-month developmental program before moving on to West Point.

West Point Prep went 17-2 in basketball this past season and the track & field team will compete in a number of outdoor meets this spring, including the prestigious Penn Relays.

Waggoner fielded recruiting interest in a number of sports from a variety of schools over the past two years, including Arizona, Arizona State, Weber State, Seattle, Southern Utah, Oregon State and Portland.

Army initially came in looking for her to play volleyball last spring, but she held out for offers for basketball and track, both of which she received.

"It's been a long process trying to get accepted to a service academy, but it has been worth it," she said. "I just liked the structure better. I like that I'm not going to have to think too much about what I have to do for college, I'm just going to get told what to do and where to be.

"It's going to be crazy, trying to do the service academy schedule and play two sports, but I like being challenged and I think I can do it. Basketball will be my primary sport and track & field will be what I do during the spring."

The signing will be just another highlight in what has been an extremely stellar senior year for Waggoner.

She was a first-team all-Sierra League selection for the Douglas volleyball team last fall as she helped lead the Tigers to a league title. She finished her basketball career with 1,524 points, which placed her fifth in the NIAA state record book and fourth among 4A players.

She garnered all-state, all-region and all-league honors as well.

And, of course, she has established herself as a state favorite in the discus and the shot put this spring.

"I've been doing a lot of work on my form, going up to Carson two or three times a week to work with their coach (Mike Louisiana)," Waggoner said. "I know can only go so far with basketball.

"Track & field is where I have a promise of a future. I want to go to the Olympics some day."

Waggoner will sign during a ceremony at the high school Wednesday at 2:15 p.m. with classmate James McLaughlin, who is signing with Sonoma State basketball.