Callin Naddy posted a 19th-place finish at state cross country a little over a week ago.
************
800 Meters - 2:14.89
1600 Meters - 5:07.13 (at altitude)
3200 Meters - 11:36.78 (at altitude)
5K Cross Country - 18:19.7 (at altitude)
************
Tell us about what made the decision for Augustana.
When I started my college search I was pretty set on going out of state, but I didn't have any strong feelings about where. When I started talking to the admissions counselors and coaches at Augie, I was super impressed and definitely felt like it was somewhere I'd like to be. On my official visit, I loved the atmosphere and felt right at home with the team and school. My decision really came down to the school itself- when I took all my visits I was hurt, so making sure the school was somewhere I'd be excited to attend even if I couldn't run was important. Augustana really captured all of that!
What do you plan to study at Augustana?
I'm not 100% sure yet but am leaning towards something along the lines of journalism/communications.
You've run a lot of both the 800 and 1600 in track. Do you have a preference between the two and why?
Honestly I love both--the 800 is such an exciting event all about speed and harnessing your excitement. I ran a lot of those last year because I hadn't had a full off-season and just felt more confident in the shorter distances. The 1600 is probably my favorite event though because of how dynamic and challenging it is!
Do you think of yourself as more of a cross country runner or a track runner?
Up until this season I would have said track because I've had more success (and less injuries) there! But this past cross country season started to budge that thinking--I looked forward to doing all of the workouts and long runs, which hasn't really happened before. I still probably lean more towards track, but the gap has definitely narrowed quite a bit.
What's been the highlight of your high school career to date?
The highlight is, hands down, the state 4x800 my sophomore year. There were two seniors on the team who really deserved a great result, so getting to anchor them to a third-place finish was amazing. There's nothing like standing on the podium surrounded by your teammates after you've all run your hearts out!
Do you have any particular goals you're willing to share with us for your final season of high school sports this spring?
I haven't set any super specific goals yet, but I do know I'll be looking to PR in all my events, make state (and redeem my last race there), help the team out, and have fun!
