Erica Bougard

Erica Bougard Bio

Erica Marsha Bougard (born July 26, 1993 in Memphis, Tennessee, United States) is an American heptathlete. She represented the United States at the 2013 World Championships and was crowned the NCAA indoor champion.

Although born in Memphis, Bougard grew up in Byhalia, Mississippi. She first began playing basketball before switching to track and field at Byhalia High School. In 2011, Erica Bougard won the Mississippi High School Activities Association state outdoor track and field long jump title. She was also the Mississippi state long jump leader. In 2012, Bougard secured a track scholarship to Mississippi State University. She won the heptathlon at the 2012 United States Junior Championships. She also made her international debut at the 2012 World Junior Championships in Barcelona, with a 13th place finish.

As a sophomore, Bougard won the pentathlon at the 2013 NCAA indoor championships. At the 2014 NCAA indoor championships, Bougard finished in 2nd place. In 2015, Bougard made another second place finish at the NCAA indoor meet. At the 2015 USATF championships, Bougard finished in third place and secured a spot at the World Championships in Beijing.

In 2016, Bougard competed in long jump, high jump, and heptathlon at 2016 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships. She was placed 12th in long jump, 5th in high jump, and 2nd in heptathlon. She placed seventh in the heptathlon at the 2016 United States Olympic Trials.