Cassie Wertman Honored with 2017 Coach Chuck Rohe Leadership Award

University of Tennessee shot putter Cassie Wertman is the second annual recipient of the Coach Chuck Rohe Leadership Award. Wertman is a three-time team captain and was selected by the UT student-athletes for the 2017 Volscars “My All” Award, given to the athlete that best exhibits excellence in character and leadership. She is a member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll and completed more than 60 hours of community service during the 2016-17 school year. In the shot put she has won two SEC silver medals and one NCAA silver medal. Wertman graduated from Tennessee in May 2016 with a degree in animal science and a minor in business administration. She is working on a master’s degree in agricultural leadership, education, communications and extension and plans to graduate in December 2017.

According to Coach Beth Alford-Sullivan, “Cassie is just a perfect fit for the description of the Chuck Rohe Leadership Award. She has not only been an outstanding student-athlete for us, but she has also been a community leader, a team leader and a true Vol at heart. She has invested so much here at Tennessee in four years as an undergrad and this year as a graduate student. We are thrilled to have this award that Coach Rohe represents and it was an honor to have him back on campus and present it to Cassie. We are just thrilled with the impact that Cassie has made on this team over her five years with us.”

Career Highlights

Cassie Wertman
  • Finished in 18th place in her final competition for the Vols as she recorded a shot put of 16.22m at the 2017 NCAA Outdoor Championships.
  • Second Team All-American in the women’s shot put at 2016 NCAA Outdoor Championships with a 16th place finish for a throw of 16.28 meters
  • First Team All-American in the women’s shot put at 2016 NCAA Indoor Championships with a 2nd place finish for a throw of 17.68 meters (58-0.25), just 3/4 of an inch off Tennessee’s indoor shot put record
  • Finished 2nd in the shot put at the 2016 SEC Championships with a throw of 17.24 meters (56-6.75), just 1.75 inches back from first place and reigning world champion Raven Saunders.
  • Second Team All-American in the women’s shot put at 2015 NCAA Indoor Championships with a 12th place finish for a throw of 15.98 meters
  • Second Team All-American in the women’s shot put at 2014 NCAA Outdoor Championships with a 15th place finish for a throw of 16.02 meters
  • Represented the Big Orange at the 2016 U.S. Trials in women’s shot put throwing 17.07m (56-4) in qualifying round
  • Named to 2015, 2016, and 2017 SEC Community Service Teams for work with Read Across America and a host of charities

PERSONAL

  • Recipient of the A. Dean & Ann Skadberg Fund for Student-Athlete Academic Excellence
  • Graduated in May 2016 with a degree in animal science and a minor in business administration
  • Working on Master’s Degree in agricultural leadership, education, communications and extension