TEN QUESTIONS WITH...

How would you assess your team’s performance at this past weekend’s Mid-American Conference Championships?
Overall, I felt it was pretty good. I was real proud of the team. I had a few personal disappointments, but it went well on the whole for the team. I placed sixth in the triple jump, while the four-by-four relay team that I ran with placed seventh.

What is the importance of an event like the MAC Championships for your team?
It meant a lot to us. It’s a very competitive weekend and it is great to be a part of it. The whole thing is just an excellent experience.

The Championships were spaced out over three days. How does that affect you, as opposed to a standard meet where all of your events take place in one day?
I think it’s helpful to have it drawn out, and it also gives you the chance to watch your teammates compete in their respective events. I didn’t compete until Friday, so on Thursday I was able to watch my teammates. Doing that serves as a form of motivation for me.

One of your primary events is the triple jump. What goes through your mind prior to and during one of your jumps?
Mainly, I focus on technique. It is real important to make sure that you’re on your mark and that you are hitting the board as you approach your jump. You also have to have a lot of speed on the runway.

How many of your teammates also compete in the triple jump with you at a meet?
Usually there are three or four of us. There were three UB competitors all together at the MAC Championships – Jennifer Anderson, Kate Kohout and myself. The order that we jump in is usually randomly selected.

Do the results of your teammates affect the way you approach your jump?
We will warm-up and mentally prepare ourselves together before the event. We also cheer each other on and give one another support during the competition. So in that sense we are affected by our teammates.

You compete in both a running event and a jumping event. How common is that at the collegiate level?
There are quite a few people on the team that compete in a variety of events. But I’ve done my events for quite some time, so it feels natural to me.

How is your practice time divided between the two events?
I practice my running everyday. Jumping drills are something I work on about three or four times per week, as far as preparing for the triple jump.

When were you first introduced to the triple jump?
I started with it back in seventh grade. My coaches looked at my speed, which is important for a field event, and decided to let me try the triple jump. I kept with it, and I’ve always enjoyed the event.

You recently received the honor of Most Valuable Player for the indoor track season at UB’s annual Athletic Award Banquet. What did that distinction mean to you?
That was a tremendous honor. I really appreciated the fact that my coaches selected me for the award.

-The ‘10 Questions with…’ feature is compiled by Geoff Nason.