Mensi Stiff, a recent graduate of Brentwood Academy in Tennessee and an Ole Miss signee, joins DyeStat editor Erik Boal to discuss winning the women's shot put gold medal for the United States on Aug. 4 at the Pan American U20 Championships at Jose A. Figueroa Freire Stadium in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. Stiff achieved a mark of 54-9.50 (16.70m) on her final attempt to become the first American female athlete to capture the shot put title at the meet since Alyssa Wilson in 2017 in Peru. She also elevated to the No. 4 outdoor competitor in U.S. prep history and produced the No. 12 all-time performance with her winning effort. Stiff, the Gatorade Tennessee Girls State Track and Field Athlete of the Year, completed a remarkable season that also included a second Nike Indoor Nationals title and the USATF U20 Outdoor Championship on July 8 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore. She also achieved a lifetime-best 165-7 (50.48m) in the discus throw in April at the Doug Hall Relays. Stiff explains how meaningful it was to be an American team captain in Puerto Rico and how special it was to capture one of 30 gold medals achieved by the U.S. roster. She also expresses gratitude for coach Steve Wade making the trip to the Pan American U20 Championships and his support throughout her high school career, along with her family and Brentwood Academy. Stiff examines how inspiring it is to be mentioned with the same respect as Raven Saunders, Michelle Carter and Wilson, the only three all-time U.S. prep athletes with better marks in their high school careers, and how much motivation it provides during her next chapter at Ole Miss. She speaks about the opportunities to train with a talented group of throwers at Ole Miss and learn from veteran coaches John Smith and Connie Price-Smith, in addition to wanting to make her mark as a freshman in the Southeastern Conference and at the NCAA Division 1 indoor and outdoor championship meets. Stiff highlights how instrumental faith and spirituality have been throughout her career, in addition to being able to represent Brentwood Academy and Tennessee.