Name: Rhuben Jonn Williams
Event: Shot Put
Height: 5’ 9.5” (177cm)
Weight: 265 lbs.
PR: 20.07m/ 65'10¾” (2007)
Born: February 14, 1982, Los Angeles, Ca
Current Residence: Athens, Ga.
High School: Eagle Rock H. S.,Eagle Rock, Ca 2000
College: University of California Berkeley 05’
Degree: B.S. Integrative Biology
Club: Shore Athletic Club of New Jersey
Coach: Don Babbitt, Throws Coach UGA
HOW I ARRIVED IN ATHENS GEORGIA
In May of 2005 I graduated from U C Berkeley with a degree in Integrative Biology. I intend to eventually continue my studies pursuing a Masters Degree in either exercise science or physiology and possibly applying to medical school depending on where my efforts take me. I am a certified personal trainer holding certifications from 24-Fitness as well as an AFAA. During the summer I worked in the bay area as a personal trainer at 24-HR Fitness in downtown Berkeley and a bouncer at a night club in San Francisco. These positions assisted me in my attempt to save enough money to move to Athens Georgia.
At the end of the summer I sold every piece of furniture in my room in Berkeley, and loaded what was left into my 95’ Honda Civic and drove across the country to Athens Georgia. Now I’m living in Athens training for the 2008 Olympic Trials with two Olympians Adam Nelson and Reese Hoffa, along with throws coach Don Babbitt. I am currently working as a personal trainer at The Omni Club in Athens.
Athletic History
FIRST POST COLLEGIATE YEAR 2005-06:
• Placed ninth at USA Indoor Nationals with an indoor personal best throw of 19.26 meters (63-02.25).
SENIOR YEAR 2004-05:
•3rd year as team captain
• In the indoor season Williams took first place and became the MPSF Indoor Champion in the 35-lb. weight throw with a winning toss of 18.92 meters (62'-1").
• Took second in the shot put with a provisional qualifying toss of 19.01 meters (62'-4 ½") and with that mark qualified for the NCAA indoor championships where he finished in 13th place.
• Ended with the 19th best mark in the U.S. indoors in the shot put.
• Improved his lifetime best in the discus to 54.60 meters (179' 1.5").
• Attained his highest finish ever at the Pac-10 championship meet placing second in the shot put with a mark of 19.57 meters (64' -2.25").
• Became the NCAA western Regional Champion in the shot put with at throw 63’-4.75”.
• After graduating from U C Berkeley in May with a degree in Integrative Biology, Williams competed in the USA National Track And Field Championships where he finished in 15th place with a mark of 61-11.75.
JUNIOR YEAR 2003-04:
• 2nd year as team captain
• Earned honorable mention All-American honors with his 11th place finish at the NCAA Championships in the shot put.
• He showed his versatility at Pac-10 Championships where he finished third in the shot put (62-05.75), third in the discus (173-00), and fourth in the hammer (198-09). His PRs in shot (64-09.75) and hammer (205-02) rank him second and fourth all-time at Cal, respectively.
• Named team's Male Outstanding Field Athlete.
• He competed at U.S. Olympic Team Trials in July, fouling out.
• He finished sixth in the shot at Payton Jordan U.S. Open in May (63-01.25).
SOPHOMORE YEAR 2002-03:
• 1st year as team captain
• Williams returned from injury to have a stellar season, he finished 26th in the shot at the NCAA Championships.
• He threw an NCAA regional qualifying mark and Cal's best mark (61-8.25) as he placed third in the shot put at the Pac-10 Championships.
• Threw a 197-11 in the hammer to take sixth at the Pac-10 Championships.
• Set a new PR in the hammer with a mark (202-7) at the Cardinal Qualifier
• Established a new PR in the discus throwing 168-6 at the the UCSD Triton Invite.
MEDICAL REDSHIRT IN 2001-02:
• Set Cal's second-best mark of the season in the hammer with a toss of 181-2 at the USC Invitational and then sidelined for the rest of the season with an injury.
FRESHMAN YEAR IN 2000-01:
• Named Cal's Outstanding Male Field Athlete
• Williams finished 15th in the shot put at the NCAA Championships with a throw of 59-1.25.
• He placed fifth at the Pac-10 Championships in the shot put with a mark of 60-0.25.
• Set a Cal freshman record in the shot put of 60-9.25 at the Modesto Relays, breaking David Porath's previous mark of 58-8 set in 1979.
• At the California-Nevada State Meet, he established PRs in the hammer (184-1) and discus (165-8)
• Finished first in the shot put at the Big Meet, UC Davis Invitational and Brutus Hamilton Memorial Invitational.
• Rhuben was the only Cal freshman to provisionally qualify for the NCAA Championship this season.
HIGH SCHOOL PERFORMANCE:
• Three time USATF Junior All-American.
• Won four city championship titles (1Junior varsity and 3 Varsity) in a row
• Won two California state titles in the shot put in 1999 and 2000 and became the first state champion in Eagle Rock High school history
• As a senior in high school Williams was ranked nationally in four different throwing events:
o #2 in the 25-lb indoor weight throw at 68'00.50"
o #3 in the shot at 63’9”
o #7 in the hammer at 196'01"
o #11 in the discus at 192’9”.
• Three time captain of the track team
• Two time captain of the Varsity football team
• Earned a full scholarship to U C Berkeley
