Former Triton Nick Howe '12 Competes at U.S. Olympic Team Trials

EUGENE, Ore. – American javelin thrower Nick Howe, a 2012 UC San Diego graduate and former track and field standout, recently competed at the 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Track & Field Trials held on Saturday, June 19 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon. 

It was Howe’s second time participating at an Olympic Trial, the last one taking place in 2016. Additionally, since graduating, Howe has competed at every World Championship Trial possible – six total. 

Although Howe did not perform the way he would have hoped in Eugene, there is success in the opportunity itself. 

Howe qualified back in February of 2019 after beating the qualifying standard and winning the 44th Stanford Invite with a fourth-round effort of 251’8” (76.72m) at Cobb Track and Angell Field. However, the Olympic Trials and Olympics were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving Howe with nearly an entire year of no competition. 

“In college, your main focuses are athletics and academics. When you start having kids and a wife, it’s totally different because those become your number one. Then, your job is there to support them, and the athletics are there to make you feel good about yourself – the part of your life that helps you stay sane. In both scenarios, you segment out your day and try to forget about everything else except what you are focusing on in that moment. That’s how you keep it all going.”

During his four years at UC San Diego (2009-12), Howe qualified for the NCAA Track and Field Championship every single season in which he was the javelin National Champion in 2011 and 2012. He also earned United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-Region twice and was named the CCAA Freshman of the Year. 

Following his time in the blue and gold, Howe has worked persistently hard with hopes of one day reaching his Olympic goals. Along his journey, it’s safe to say his support system has played a big role in carrying him through the highs and lows.

“It’s simply the best to represent UC San Diego [at the Olympic Trials],” Howe commented. “Everything about my time in La Jolla was amazing. [Head Coach Tony Salerno] is like a second dad to me. He’s one of the most kind and knowledgeable people that you will ever meet. He made a huge impact on my life and has always been an amazing and positive role model. 

“At the Trials, I’m representing my wife, my family, Tony and all of my other coaches and teammates through the years. It’s been a family affair the entire time. I have this amazing support base that is all tied to UC San Diego and tied to who I am. Representing them at trials is really awesome.”

Howe’s younger brother Nash (2012-15) was also an outstanding javelin thrower for the Tritons, while Howe’s brother-in-law Keith Rose (2012-16) was an impressive sprinter. In the Triton record books, Nash sits right behind his big brother at number two in the javelin (229'3"), as Rose is ranked second in the 100 (10.62) and the 200 (21.30) and 10th in the 4x100 relay (41.82).

"Nick has certainly made us all proud throughout his career,” commented Salerno, who will enter his 23rd season at the helm of the UC San Diego men’s track and field team in 2022. 

“Unlike many of those he is competing against at Olympic Trials, Nick really didn't start throwing the javelin until college. That is a real testament to his athletic ability and his determination to succeed.”

Howe's program record in the javelin has remained intact for 10 years now. His winning toss and top mark of 231’3” earned him the NCAA title in 2011. 

Howe’s Olympic aspirations are far from over. He believes there is still a six-year window in which he can live out his dreams. Until then, he plans to compete in England this upcoming summer. In particular, Finland – “the mecca of javelin throwing” – as Howe described it, is the place he has his mind set on. 

About UC San Diego Athletics
After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program began a new era in 2020 as a member of the Big West Conference in NCAA Division I. The 23-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions II and III and helped guide 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 83 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 38 have earned prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world's preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 91 percent, one of the highest rates among institutions at all divisions.