MacKenzie McMahon's Throwing Journey Hits Record Distance Behind First Collegiate Discus Event Victory for St. Cloud State University
What made MacKenzie McMahon stand out at Baraboo was never just one throw. It was the steady climb, the consistency, and the way she kept putting herself near the top of the field year after year. From 2021 through 2024, the Baraboo High School standout recorded at least 14 top-three finishes across shot put and discus, building a career that made her one of the Thunderbirds’ most dependable and decorated throwers.
McMahon’s senior season put that growth on full display. She captured the 2024 Badger Conference North title in shot put with a winning mark of 36 feet, 5 inches, then followed it with a runner-up finish at the WIAA Division 1 Regional at 37-0.25. In discus, she added a second-place conference finish at 100-3 and a third-place showing at the Sauk Prairie Invitational with a throw of 108-5. Her high school personal records, 37-10 in shot put and 111-8 in discus, reflected the progress of an athlete who developed into a major factor in both events. She also placed third in shot put at the 2023 Baraboo Relays with a throw of 36-2, another sign of the consistency that defined her career.
That consistency mattered to Baraboo well beyond the results sheet. McMahon served as a team captain for the Thunder Throwers and led the Baraboo squad in points from the throwing events throughout much of her career. She gave the group both production and presence, setting a tone for younger teammates while competing at a high level herself. Her emergence in discus, which began during her sophomore year, added another dimension to her impact and showed the kind of work ethic that teammates and coaches noticed every day, year in and year out.
One of the defining moments of her final high school season came in the postseason. McMahon consistently advanced to the sectional level and came heartbreakingly close to a state-meet berth as a senior, finishing fourth at sectionals, one place short of qualifying for UW-La Crosse. Even in that narrow miss, she showed the same resilience that marked her Baraboo career, turning near-breakthroughs into motivation and helping keep the standard high for the program.
Now a Class of 2024 alumna and a Sophomore student-athlete at St. Cloud State University in St. Cloud, Minnesota, McMahon is still adding to her story. On April 11, she earned her first collegiate event victory by taking first place in the discus at the St. Olaf Manitou Classic at St. Olaf College. She has already posted personal-record marks in discus, hammer, and shot put for the Huskies, including 40.18 meters (131-8) in discus, which ranks No. 5 in St. Cloud State history, and 44 meters (144-3) in hammer, good for No. 8 in program history. For McMahon and Baraboo, that next chapter feels familiar, another reminder that one of the Thunderbirds’ best competitors is still finding room to throw "Feet Farther" at the collegiate level.
