Good Sports: Fresno State student flying high in sport of javelin

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- She's one of the top javelin throwers in the state but her athletic career actually started in a different sport.

I didn't even know javelin existed," said Rhiannon Genilla, a Fresno State javelin thrower.

Genilla is still relatively new to her sport.

"I played volleyball, basketball, and softball," Genilla said.

The Manteca High graduate would letter in three sports, taking her volleyball talents to Modesto Junior College.

But her hope of landing a D1 offer on the court never came.

"After I didn't get a D1 offer, I decided to pursue track and field," explained Genilla.

A pursuit helped by a pirate track coach on campus.

"One of my track coaches Sebastian came out and watched my swing and thought I could throw far," Genilla said.

After watching Genilla spike a volleyball, track coaches convinced her to pick up javelin.

"I was really grateful to have Suzy Powell," said Genilla.

With the help of Olympian Discus thrower and Modesto native Powell, Genilla would start to hone her throwing skills, becoming the school's female athlete of the year.

Catching the eye of the Bulldogs' throws coach, Joe Riccio.

"She posted a video of her and I happened to know her not great, but well enough to give her call and ask about her and she said she's a talented human that's just starting to learn the event," Riccio said.

"He had a very open idea to embrace me and embrace different ways because I come from different sports, so I'm not a strictly track and field mindset," Genilla added.

Raw talent that Riccio seeks out.

"I have a technical model that I try to get athletes to understand. The more developed they are the more their good habits are ingrained but also their bad habits," Riccio explained.

Genilla would pick up good habits in her first season with the dogs.

Winning the mountain west title in the javelin, securing a trip to the first round of NCAA regionals.

"Making it to the national championships is most certainly right there," Riccio said.

With another year under her belt, Genilla has her eyes on an NCAA championships push.

"Although I don't want to set that expectation it's a great goal to have. I just want to show up on that day, do my best, and have fun," said Genilla.

But her ambitions go much further than she throws.

"Of course, I've thought about the Olympics and coaching, and just overall expanding the culture of javelin to make it more of a team sport and make it more embraced in our American culture," Genilla said.