Alex Porlier Langlois has a tendency to overthink and overanalyze. For the biggest meet of the season, the Hawaii junior’s approach for the NCAA Track and Field Championships is less cerebral, much more simplistic.

"I’m going to go in with the same mentality as I always go to for different meets," said Porlier Langlois, who will be throwing in Thursday’s shot put competition in Eugene, Ore. "Even though it’s nationals, it’s still a meet where everyone is trying to get No. 1 and to get good performances basically. It’s the same as other meets but with high-level and really high-quality college students.

"I really want to think simple, be as explosive as I can, and intense and just throw the crap out of it basically. No grind, no shine. That’s the moment where I have to shine. That’s my plan."

Porlier Langlois, the Big West shot put champion, qualified for the national championship after placing ninth at the NCAA West Preliminary meet on June 6 in Texas.

The top 12 throwers advanced, and Porlier Langlois made it with a throw of 15.89 meters (52 feet, 13/4 inches) on her first attempt. Porlier Langlois is Hawaii’s first shot put thrower to qualify for nationals since Waynette Mitchell made the 1974 AIAW Championships. She is also the first Rainbow Wahine to make the national meet since triple jumper Amanda Alvarez in 2013.

"She’s extremely smart," throwing coach Josh Aydlette said of Hawaii’s Big West Scholar Athlete of the Year. "Sometimes I got to get her to simplify things because she overanalyzes a bit."

Rather than focusing exclusively on qualifying for the NCAA Championships, Aydlette and Porlier Langlois focused on reaching certain marks during the season. But once Porlier Langlois started hitting 16 meters, she put herself in contention for nationals.

"We have some marks that we try to attain but we don’t really stress it too much because we know if we execute what we’re trying to work on to get to those marks, it’s going to happen," Aydlette said. "Really it was for her to hit a PR. I think she’s wanted to throw around 16 meters and she’s done that four, five times this year. Whatever happens after that happens.

"I was looking at it after she threw 16 meters the first time and I was looking at outdoor nationals last year, and it took 15.80 to make it. I just got to thinking this is actually a real possibility, she could do this. It all worked out and we’re going."

Their routine has remained the same leading up to Eugene. She throws and lifts twice a day, and her weight room routine includes Olympic lifting to develop the explosive force needed in the throwing ring.

"Some explosive stuff to get the hips working," Porlier Langlois explained. "Hang cleans, hang snatch, box squats, circuit squats, it’s a bunch of different things but when they’re put together, it works every part of your body that’s necessary for throwing."

Both are excited to be at Hayward Field in TrackTown, USA this week. Residents welcome athletes with signs dotting the town and fill the stadium for the four-day event.

"I know they’re really big track fans," Portlier Langlois said. "It’s going to be fun to be in a stadium where it’s packed and full of people and full talented athletes, too, all there to win No. 1. It’s going to be pretty exciting."

Aydlette, in his first season after coming from Charleston Southern, is just as excited to be in Eugene.

"For me to be at UH, my dream job, and taking an athlete to the national championships my first year, it’s a dream come true," he said. "It’s awesome. I’m really blessed."

The NCAA Championships isn’t the end of Porlier Langlois’ throwing season, which began back in January during the indoor track and field season. She will be representing Canada at July’s World University Games in South Korea. Then she will compete at her provincial games in Canada.

"I’m really excited," Porlier Langlois said of the World University Games. "That was the plan this year, to qualify for that meet and represent my country."

After that, she will recharge mind and body before returning for her senior year and finishing her degree in animal science. Porlier Langlois, who grew up in a small Canadian farming town, wants to be a veterinarian.

"It’s been a long season, and my body needs it," she said. "After that, I’ll come back and be ready."