Syracuse High School standout Jace Cook has developed into one of the nation’s premier shot put prospects, and the Sun Devils have emerged as a serious contender in his recruitment.
Jace Cook remembers wondering whether his throwing career had been derailed before it ever truly got started.
Cook was involved in a serious four-wheeler crash during the summer between his freshman and sophomore years. Cook said the accident required extensive rehabilitation and physical therapy and left him questioning whether he could return to the level he believed he was capable of reaching.
Instead, it became part of what has fueled his rise into one of the nation's premier high school throwers.
“I decided not to let that crash define me,” Cook told High School on SI. “This gave me motivation to work harder than I ever had before.”
Now entering his senior season, Cook has Arizona State among his final five college choices, along with Houston, Air Force, Princeton and UCLA.
And the Sun Devils have a significant connection working in their favor.
Familiar face brings Arizona State into focus
Arizona State hired Kyle Lillie as its new throws coach in August after Lillie spent four seasons coaching the event group at Air Force. Lillie was named the USTFCCCA Mountain Region Assistant Coach of the Year in both 2025 and 2026 before returning to his alma mater in Tempe.
Cook already knew him.
“ASU stood out to me because of its new throws coach,” Cook said. “Coach Lillie transferred from the Air Force Academy so I already had a good relationship with him from my visit at USAFA.”
But Cook's interest in Arizona State extends beyond the throwing ring.
“My dream career is to be a commercial pilot,” Cook said. “The combination of amazing coaching, the piloting program, and nice weather makes ASU a good fit for me.”
Coaching could ultimately carry the most weight in his decision.
“The biggest factor in my decision is coaching,” Cook said. “I want to find a coach who believes in my potential and can help me reach it. My ultimate goal is to become a future Olympian.”
Lillie's résumé provides plenty for an aspiring elite thrower to consider. During his time at Air Force, his athletes rewrote portions of the program record book and competed across all four throwing events at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. His 2026 season included coaching a thrower, Texas Tanner, to an American collegiate record and the No. 2 collegiate marks all-time in both the hammer and discus.
From sixth-grade curiosity to national champion
Cook's journey began much more modestly.
He first tried the shot put in sixth grade after watching his older brother, Levi, competed at a track meet.
“It looked fun and I thought, ‘I wanna get good at that,’” Cook said.
A year later, he pulled off an upset to win his junior high district championship. By high school, “getting good” had turned into becoming one of Utah's best.
Athletic.net results of Cook show the progression clearly. As a freshman in 2024, he reached 59 feet, 1.5 inches during the high school season before throwing 56-5.75 unattached that summer. As a sophomore, he improved to 63-7, and as a junior he produced a personal-best 63-7.5 at the Utah state championships.
MileSplit ranked Cook as Utah's No. 1 Class of 2027 shot putter during the 2026 season.
But his biggest moment came after the high school season.
At the 2026 USATF National Junior Olympic Championships at Cerritos College in California, Cook fouled his first two attempts in the preliminary round. One more foul would have ended his competition.
His mother approached him before the third throw.
“My mom came up to me and told me to trust in myself,” Cook said. “I stepped up, threw, made finals, and won the national title.”
Cook eventually threw 18.93 meters — 62 feet, 1.25 inches — to capture the boys 17-18 national championship. USATF reported more than 6,300 athletes from all 50 states participated in the weeklong championships.
That performance provided another milestone in a career Cook credits heavily to his parents.
“My dad was also a big factor in my success,” Cook said. “He uplifts me and has taught me everything I know. He has coached me to be great. My dad is my biggest inspiration.”
The strength behind the throw
Cook's strength numbers are nearly as eye-catching as his shot put marks.
The senior says he has squatted 803 pounds and benched 415, crediting strength and conditioning coach Jonas Giatras for helping develop that side of his athleticism.
But Cook understands that moving enormous amounts of weight only matters if he can translate it into the ring.
“With this, you also need to have good technique to transfer that power into the throw,” Cook said.
Cook has also competed in powerlifting and posted on social media that he set a U20 110-kilogram world record in 2025.
Cook has his sights on 70 feet
Cook isn't being conservative about what comes next.
“My senior season I know I can hit 70 feet,” Cook said. “After recovering from injuries my junior season, I know I'm capable of something big. I want to become the number one thrower in the country and break into the top 10 high school throwers of all time.”
His ambitions extend well beyond high school.
Cook wants to become an Olympian, but athletics are only part of what he is building. He said he has maintained a 4.0 GPA and is working toward completing an associate degree by the time he graduates from high school. Away from competition, he enjoys paddleboarding, hiking and spending time with friends.
His faith also plays a significant role in his life.
And despite national championships, college recruitment and his pursuit of 70 feet, Cook said the legacy he wants to leave at Syracuse has little to do with a measuring tape.
“I want people to remember me as someone who was kind to others and genuine in the way I treated people,” Cook said. “To me, how you treat others is more important than any accomplishment or record.”
Where Cook continues that journey at the college level remains undecided.
Arizona State, however, has given him plenty to consider.
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