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University of Illinois Athletics

2025-26 Women's Track & Field Roster

Phethisang Makhethe

  • Class Graduate Student
  • Hometown Sasolburg, Free State, South Africa
  • Major Psychology

Biography

USA Button All-American (Indoor Weight Throw '25)
NCAA Badge 1x NCAA Championships Qualifier
Big Ten Logo white Second-Team All-Big Ten // Weight Throw ('25), Hammer Throw ('25)

2025

Indoor

  • NCAA All-American (Weight Throw)
  • Second-Team All-Big Ten (Weight Throw)
  • NCAA Championships qualifier (Weight Throw)
  • Broke the program record for the weight throw, 23.11m (75-10), in her win at the Tyson Invitational 
  • Placed third in the weight throw, 23.08m (75-8 3/4), at the NCAA Indoor Championships to become an All-American
  • Placed in second in the weight throw, 23.02m (75-4 1/4), at the Big Ten Indoor Championships
  • Finished in first at the Fighting Illini Open WT 22.28m (73-1 1/4) and at the Hoosier Horsepower Classic WT 22.26m (73 1/2) 

Outdoor

  • Second-Team All-Big Ten (Hammer Throw)
  • Threw the program's second-best hammer throw, 68.66m (225-3), in her silver medal finish at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships
  • Academic All-Big Ten

2024

Indoor

  • Threw a season-best weight throw while competing unattached at the Illini Challenge, 20.85m (68-5)

Outdoor

  • Threw the program's second-best hammer throw at the Fighting Illini Tune-Up, 61.93m (203-2)
  • Placed eighth in the hammer throw at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships, 60.35m (198-0)
  • Placed 23rd at the NCAA West Preliminaries in the hammer throw, 57.51m (188-8)

2022-23 (at New Mexico State)

  • Winner of the weight throw at the 2023 WAC Indoor Track & Field Championships, throwing a New Mexico State school record of 20.61m (67-7 1/2) 
  • Winner of the hammer throw at the 2022 WAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships throwing 62.86m (206-3)
  • Winner of the weight throw at the 2022 WAC Indoor Track & Field Championships, recording a personal best of 19.39m (63-7 1/2) good for second on the all-time records list at New Mexico State

TFRRS Profile

Historical Player Information

  • 2023-24Junior

    Throws
  • 2024-25Senior

    Throws
  • 2025-26Graduate Student

    Throws