BOLIVAR, Mo. — Maddox Johnson, a sophomore at Pittsburg State University, took second out of 22 NCAA throwers Saturday at the SBU Bearcat Invitational.
Johnson, a 2023 Humboldt High graduate, uncorked a personal best throw of 224.4 inches — more than 11 feet longer than his previous best.
“On my hardest throws, I almost kind of dive to the ground,” Johnson told the Register afterward. “I was laying on the ground, thinking, ‘Yeah, that was a good throw.’”
Johnson, son of Bob and Melanie Johnson of Humboldt, recorded the sixth-best throw in the nation this season, and has met the qualifying mark for the NCAA Division II National Championships in Pueblo, Colo., in May.
As an aside, Pittsburg State is a part of the MIAA conference, home to the deepest set of competitive throwers of any college division in the country. The top eight throwers all have eclipsed 64 meters this season. “You won’t find that anywhere else,” Johnson said. “The SEC and the Big 12 don’t have that many good throwers.”
Johnson’s throw, which equates to 68.38 meters, is the fourth longest in MIAA in 2025.
“That’s a pretty incredible testament to the skill and the work ethic of the guys in the MIAA,” Johnson said.
With a near-certain national qualifying mark in tow, Johnson will continue competing and rehabbing through the outdoor track season;
Aside from the occasional twisted ankle and shin splints diagnosis, Johnson has been battling a pulled groin. “I almost always wear a back brace and an elbow brace when I throw, but this time around I wore a brace for my groin, too,” he said.
His goal is to top 70 meters this season.
“That’s what I’ve been gunning for all year,” he said. “If the conditions are right, I think I can do it.”
AS A senior at Humboldt, Johnson threw 175 feet to take fourth in the state track meet. As a freshman at Pitt State last year, he threw 213 feet, 11th in the nation, to earn second-team All-American status.
Johnson was a part of Pitt State’s third consecutive national championship men’s track team.
“We won nationals during the indoor season, and our coach thinks our outdoor team can do even better,” he said.
Johnson holds the ninth-longest javelin throw in Pittsburg State history.
