Douglas Breaking Records for the Raiders . By : Brad Davis
Nettleton senior Donna Douglas has been a standout on the basketball court for the Nettleton Lady Raiders for the last three years , but it is track and field where she has been breaking records . In fact , you would be hard pressed to find someone in a sport that has had the success that Douglas has had in track . Entering the 2024 track season , Douglas is the reigning 5A State Champion in both the shot put and discus holding the state records in both records that she has set and reset over the last two seasons . The amazing part of it is she has only thrown for two seasons . According to her track and field coach , Brian Lovins , the Nettleton standout didn ’ t try the throwing events until later in her sophomore year . “ She didn ’ t start throwing until tenth grade ,” Coach Lovins said . “ She ran the 100-meter dash and high jumped . It wasn ' t until late into her sophomore season that Donna realized her own potential when it came to track and field .”
It was that sophomore season in 2022 that Douglas first broke the 5A state record in the shot put becoming the 5A State Champion in the event launching the shot 43 feet 11 inches . She turned around a week later and won the overall event title at the Meet of Champs . “ My favorite memory from track was when I was in 10th grade , and it was my last throw in the first round ,” Douglas recalled . “ I broke the 5A state record and my coaches lost their minds . I love how competitive track is and how exciting it is .”
Last season , Douglas solidified her spot at the top with not one , but two record breaking performances and an undefeated season in both throwing events . She won the 5A East Conference , 5A State , and Meet of Champs in both the shot put and discus . In the shot put , Douglas broke her own state record and set a new overall state record with a toss of 44 feet 5 inches , then set a new Meet of Champs record a week later with a throw of 44 feet 1.5 inches . In the discus , Douglas set the 5A State and Meet of Champs record with a hurl of 147 feet 11 inches . Those performances have earned the Lady Raider senior a long list of accolades including two All- State selections . In 2022 Douglas was listed as a Top 10 female track and field athlete by the Arkansas Track and Field Hall of Fame , and in 2023 she was named the top female track and field athlete by the ATFHF . Also , in 2023 , Douglas was named the Gatorade Player of the Year in track and field . Earlier this year , Douglas committed and signed to the University of Tennessee track and field team . “ I picked Tennessee because of how the environment was ,” she said . “ I felt like I fit right into the team .”
Douglas also just completed her senior season as a standout member of the basketball team . The Lady Raiders finished the season 23-8 winning both the V-Town Showdown in Vilonia and the Lyon College Tournament . Nettleton finished fourth in the always tough 5A East , earning a trip to the 5A State Tournament for the second consecutive year . Douglas was a focal point on the team with 10