HR0520 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0520 LRB099 12535 MST 35991 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to recognize Jeneva Stevens and congratulate her on her many accomplishments; and

WHEREAS, Jeneva Stevens is the 5th of 7 children born to Oliver McCall and Alethia; she and her family spent time living in the State of Virginia and the south suburbs of Chicago with her grandmother, Shirley Watson; she often missed out on family functions and afterschool activities in order to care for her grandmother when ill; in 2002, as her grandmother recovered, she began to participate in extracurricular activities such as track and field; and

WHEREAS, In 2008, Jeneva Stevens graduated high school with the honors of being name Rookie of the Year in 2005 and twice being named the Most Valuable Athlete; she participated in the high school state track meet in both Virginia and Illinois; and

WHEREAS, Jeneva Stevens received a full scholarship to Southern Illinois University in Carbondale; she graduated with a degree in psychology in 2012 and accomplished spectacular things for the SIU track team; her accomplishments include: 15x Missouri Valley Champion; 3x Missouri Valley Most Valuable Athlete; 3x Missouri Valley Most Outstanding Performer; 4x West Regional Champion; 3x Most Outstanding Midwest Regional Athlete; 11x First Team All-American; 3x NCAA National Champion; finalist for the Track and Field Bowerman's Award; best 3 Event Throwing Combo in the World; best 2 Event Indoor Throwing Combo in the World; 5x World Championship Qualifier, which includes 2 Silver Medals on the Under 23 NACAC International Team, a Gold Medal during the 2013 University Games, and top 10 finishes during the 2013 and 2014 World Championship Finals; a World Ranking of 6th place in the Hammer throw and 8th place in the shot put during 2014; and

WHEREAS, In 2013 in Europe, Jeneva Stevens set the record for the farthest distance ever thrown by an American woman overseas in the hammer throw; in Kazan, Russia, at the World University Games, she became the 1st American woman to medal in the hammer throw overseas, becoming the 2nd American to ever beat Russians on Russian soil; she placed 9th in the hammer throw at the World Championships in Moscow, Russia and ranked No.1 in the hammer throw for women in the United States; and

WHEREAS, In 2014, Jeneva Stevens ranked 6th in the world for women in the hammer throw and 8th in the world for women in the shot put and she placed 8th at the Indoor World Championships held in Poland; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we recognize Jeneva Stevens and congratulate her on her many accomplishments; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the Jeneva Stevens as an expression of our esteem and respect.