Njoku began competing in the shot put and discus throw at Padua Academy, winning an outdoor state championship in each of her four years. She also won two individual indoor state championships in back-to-back seasons in 2017-18 and 2018-19.
Her success caught the eye of college recruiters, earning her an athletic scholarship to the University of Delaware. There, Njoku continued competing less than half an hour from home. She was recruited primarily to compete in the shot put.
Njoku was later introduced to the hammer and weight throws. But it wasn’t until her junior year that coaches suggested she focus solely on the hammer throw. The decision paid off, as she made her postseason debut in the event as a senior. But fresh off her successful 2022-23 campaign, Njoku entered the transfer portal, where she was sought after by coaches to compete in the hammer and weight throws.
Burdorff was immediately interested once he discovered Njoku was looking for a new home. He was already familiar with her, as Njoku was a freshman at Delaware during his first year coaching at the Division I level at Towson. Both schools are part of the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA).
Burdorff recalled coaching the No. 2 and No. 3 seeds for the hammer throw in the CAA championships in 2021. However, it was Njoku who beat both competitors, placing second with a 53.39-meter throw as a redshirt freshman.
“I vividly remember once I saw her name and saw that she was looking for a home outside Delaware,” Burdorff said. “I was like, ‘I remember you very clearly, because you beat us.’ … It was interesting to see everything come full circle.”
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