• By Sam Ross Jr. 
  sports@tribdem.com
•  
• Jun 30, 2016

Propelling objects great distances always came easily to Karlee McQuillen.

That prowess earned her accolades in Punt, Pass and Kick competitions, including posting a national best combined total distance for age 14 and 15 girls in 2005.

But it was with a javelin in her hand that McQuillen did the most damage, figuratively speaking.

Her pair of state championships and a runner-up finish while competing for Westmont Hilltop High School helped earn her an eventual spot in the Pennsylvania High School Track and Field Hall of Fame.

At Penn State, she was a three-time All-American based on her performances at the NCAA championships. McQuillen was the Big Ten champion as a senior.

McQuillen’s latest honor will bring her back home. She will be inducted into the Cambria County Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2016 during a ceremony that begins at 6 p.m. on July 9 at the Pasquerilla Conference Center.

She will join inductees John Goettlicher, Samantha Pollino, Gen. George B. Simler (posthumous), Geroy Simon and Evan Slonac in the Class of 2016.

The hall also will honor Johnstown Vo-Tech’s 1986 District 6 Class AAAA championship football team and girls basketball state runner-up teams from McQuillen’s Westmont Hilltop (2004-05, 2005-06) and Conemaugh Valley (2005-06).

McQuillen’s career highlights include:

• She was inducted into the Pennsylvania High School Track and Field Hall of Fame in 2015.

 McQuillen won two state titles (2006 and 2007) and had one runner-up finish (2005) in the javelin while at Westmont Hilltop High School. She also won the javelin event at the prestigious Penn Relays in 2007.

• She was a two-time, first-team All-American honoree from Track & Field News while at Penn State University.

• McQuillen was a two-time NIKE Outdoor National champion in javelin while in high school.

• She was named to The USA Today All-USA team in 2007.

• McQuillen took the Big Ten championship in javelin as a senior at Penn State, with a throw of 162-10.

• She was named a second team All-American as a senior, finishing 10th at the NCAA outdoor championships.

• McQuillen took eighth in the USATF Outdoor championships as a senior with a javelin throw of 170-1.

• She competed at World Junior Championships in Poland in 2008, finishing 14th.

• McQuillen played on two state runner-up basketball teams at Westmont Hilltop and will join her teammates in being honored by the hall.