For most athletes, a high school career defined by four State Championships and multiple school records would be the pinnacle. For Diego Turner, it was only the foundation.
Turner, a 2023 graduate of Pulaski County High School, has transitioned from a dominant force in the Virginia High School League to a rising star for Virginia Commonwealth University. Now in his junior season with the Rams, Turner continues to rewrite record books in the throwing circle.
Before heading to Richmond, Turner established himself as one of the most decorated throwers in PCHS history. During his tenure with the Cougars, he secured four individual VHSL Class 4 State Championships, sweeping the indoor shot put titles in 2021 and 2022, and the outdoor shot put titles in 2022 and 2023.
His high school personal bests included a 57-foot-5.75-inch toss in the outdoor shot put and a 157-foot-9-inch throw in the discus.
Turner’s dominance extended beyond state lines. In 2023, he earned All-American honors at the Adidas National Indoor Meet and previously placed second nationally at the 2022 Adidas Track Nationals.
Diego also left his mark on the gridiron. A two-way lineman wearing jersey #52 for the Cougars, he was a key contributor to the football program, recording a touchdown and a fumble recovery in a 2022 victory over Hidden Valley, along with a large share of tackles for the team.
On May 4, 2023, Turner stood in the Pulaski County High School gym to officially sign his National Letter of Intent to compete for VCU. The signing marked the beginning of a collegiate career that has seen steady, incremental growth.
As a freshman in 2024, he wasted no time making an impact. He set a then-personal record of 15.34 meters in the shot put at the Doc Hale Virginia Tech Meet and established a VCU freshman weight throw record of 13.78 meters at the Atlantic 10 Indoor Championships.
Now a veteran presence for the Rams, Turner has expanded his repertoire to include the hammer throw and the weighted throw, while continuing to excel in his signature events. According to VCU Athletics and official TFRRS data, Turner’s current collegiate personal bests are:
Shot Put (Indoor): 15.79m (51' 9.75") – Set at the Doc Hale VT Meet (2/7/2025).
Shot Put (Outdoor): 15.33m (50' 3.5") – Set at the UCF Black and Gold Invite (3/15/2024).
Weight Throw (Indoor): 15.13m (49' 7.75") – Set at the A-10 Indoor Championships (2/28/2025).
Hammer Throw (Outdoor): 46.09m (151' 2") – Set at the UCF Black & Gold Challenge (3/21/2025).
Discus (Outdoor): 41.57m (136' 5") – Set at the UCF Black & Gold Challenge (3/21/2025).
In the most recent 2025 season, Turner notched a fourth-place finish in the shot put at the Atlantic 10 Indoor Championships and a ninth-place finish at the Outdoor Championships.
As the 2026 indoor season progresses, the former Cougar remains a central figure for VCU’s throwing unit, most recently recording a 15.14m shot put mark at the VCU Indoor Invitational in early January. Turner’s trajectory suggests that while he left a historic legacy in Dublin, his best throws may still be ahead of him in the Atlantic 10.