Talk about the recruitment process - what other schools were you looking at, and how did you come to choosing Santa Clara University?
The recruitment process was a great learning experience for me. When I reached out to different schools I enjoyed meeting coaches and hearing about the various programs.
Other than Santa Clara University, I was also looking at Claremont Mckenna, Lewis and Clark, Gonzaga, and Cal Poly.
I ended up choosing Santa Clara on my official visit because I loved the team, school, location, and the coaching seemed like a great fit for me. I was looking for a college program where running was not an overwhelming commitment, and all of the athletes at Santa Clara had a great balance between school and running.
What do you plan to study at Santa Clara?
I plan on studying Economics with a minor in Political Science.
What event do you see yourself focusing on at Santa Clara?
I see myself focusing on the 6k at Santa Clara since I am definitely more attracted to cross country. During track I hope to run the longer events and work my way up to running the 10k.
You've had success in the 1,600 and on up to the 5k, which event would you say is your favorite, and why?
I would say that my favorite event is the 5k. I love cross country season because I really enjoy trail running and going longer distances. The 5k is such a nice race because you have room to settle into your pace, and every course is different which makes each race unique.
You made a big leap of improvement from your sophomore to junior year (and again from junior to senior year) - what would you say attributed to such an improvement?
I would say multiple factors contributed to my improvements such as my coaches and my age. During my sophomore and junior years, Coach Besset (my high school coach) and Coach Rojas (my club coach) helped me improve a lot. This year Coach Culpepper has been such an amazing coach and has implemented really effective training.
Another element is that I skipped a grade, so I am over a year younger than most seniors. This has presented some challenges, however, I am grateful for being younger since it has helped a lot with injury prevention and will give me more room to grow throughout my college career.
The first result we have on you on MileSplit is a 12:07 3,000, 10th place finish, at the Boulder Valley Middle School Invite in September 2015 - what do you remember from this competition?
I actually remember a lot from this day! 2015 was the first year they offered cross country in middle school, and I was so excited to have the opportunity to run longer distances.
My teammate Tegan and I had run together every day at practice, and since we both have very competitive personalities, we were excited to race each other. We stuck together the whole race and had a lot of fun on the final kick to the finish.
What got you interested in competing in XC/Track in the first place?
I have been interested in competing in XC and track for as long as I can remember. In elementary school, I loved the pacer test and set the school record in fifth grade. I joined Land Sharks, which was a great introduction to running with a team, and from then on I ran XC and track in middle school and was hooked!
Favorite book, musical artist, and movie - GO:
Favorite book would have to be "The Glass Castle" by Jeanette Walls or any book from the Harry Potter series. My favorite musical artist is Surfaces because their music is so happy and always makes me think of summer! My favorite movie isInception.
Could you share any goals you have for your final track and field season?
For my final track and field season, I hope to run the mile and two mile at state. I am also hoping to bring my mile time to around 5:10. Most importantly, I want to have a fun last high school season! I am really excited to challenge myself and finish the year out strong.
What would your favorite high school moment be?
I have so many great memories from high school, however, my favorite would have to be the National High School Trail Running Competition in Salida this summer. Even though our team drove out and camped in a grass field the night before, the race ended up going surprisingly well. It was my first time trail racing, and the race was just over 5 miles which was an exciting distance to try.
