"Elisha Hunt was my total idol," Evans said. "I thought she was the coolest person."

Evans figures she attended that throwing camp for six years straight, starting around the seventh grade.

"It was all about learning," Evans said. "I had no idea I wanted to come to Mizzou. I didn't know if Mizzou would ever want me. I was just coming for experience mainly."

Evans would go on to break Hunt's MSHSAA Class 2 state-championship record in the shot put in 2008. Now a senior for Missouri, Evans is throwing the shot farther than Hunt did — although Hunt still holds Missouri's indoor record in the weight throw with a 2007 mark of 68 feet, 2½ inches.

Evans never thought Missouri would have much interest in a thrower from Powersville, village of about 60 people tucked along Missouri's northern edge.

But Evans, a Putnam County High School product, continued a tradition of small-high school shot-put elite going to Missouri.

That tradition started with Mitzi (Noelker) Clayton, Missouri's associate athletics director for compliance. Missouri high school track moved to a four-class system in 1979, and after that switch, Clayton became the first Class 2 female to top 40 feet in the shot put at the state championships. She set the Class 2 championship record with a throw of 41-2 in 1990, repeating as state champion for Lexington High School. Clayton went on to become an All-Big Eight javelin thrower at Missouri.

Her Class 2 state championship shot-put record stood until Lexington's Lindsey Markworth broke it with a throw of 41-8 in 2001, capping her run of four straight state shot titles.

Markworth then became a Tiger and is still on some of Missouri's top-10 throws lists. Markworth's record fell to Linn High School's Hunt in 2003, when Hunt threw 45-8¼ to win her second of three straight shot titles.

Evans set the mark that still stands with a throw of 46-7¼ that earned her the first of her two state shot titles.

At Missouri, Evans experienced a long journey to reaching that elite level. MU Coach Brett Halter said Evans' career plateaued longer than anyone would wish to see.

Then, there was a breakthrough last month when Evans topped 50 feet in the shot for the first time at the Iowa State Holiday Preview in Ames, Iowa. Evans threw 52-6 to place third. Only five females have thrown a shot put farther during the indoor season in Missouri history.

"We're just thinking it could be the tip of the iceberg," Halter said. "There's obviously a lot more in the tank there."

Evans will compete in tomorrow's Missouri Opener at the Hearnes Fieldhouse, and Halter expects her to eclipse 50 feet again. Halter wants Evans to be averaging about 52 feet by the end of January and progress from there. Evans' goal is reaching indoor nationals in the shot put, and she believes if she can post a mark a little closer to the mid-50s, she'll earn her first career indoor nationals qualification.

"I feel like" 52-6 "was a really good place to start, but I have a lot more in me," Evans said.

Two of the athletes ahead of Evans on Missouri's all-time indoor shot put throws list are Evans' teammates, Kearsten Peoples and Jill Rushin. Being the third member of that triumvirate doesn't bother Evans.

"It always shows me I can push myself to do a lot better," Evans said.

Peoples is known for her power, while Rushin relies on athleticism. Halter and Missouri throwing coach Krishna Lee agree Evans is a mix of the two.

"She's not the strongest. She's not the fastest. But she's extremely consistent," Lee said.

Peoples also admires Evans' mental makeup.

"It's dedication and just will," Peoples said of what makes Evans stand out. "That first meet that she had, that was a breakthrough for her, so I'm kind of excited to see what happens this season."

Evans only wishes she could have trained with Peoples and Rushin during the fall. Evans student taught U.S. history, pop culture and psychology at Rock Bridge High School last semester. Being at Rock Bridge from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. meant Evans couldn't participate in the team's workouts. So she went through a more individualized regimen.

Before going to Rock Bridge, she'd work on her throwing at about 6 or 6:30 a.m. and then lift weights after school. After that, she'd build her lesson plans for the next day of classes.

"Some nights I would get home and sleep at 7:30," Evans said.

Lee said Evans going through a pretty individualized workout routine in the fall speaks to her determination. Evans found it was easy to do.

"I only have one more year left of this," Evans said. "I want to utilize it."

This article was published in the Thursday, January 9, 2014 edition of the Columbia Daily Tribune with the headline "On verge of breakthrough: Evans tops 50 feet in glimpse of potential."