Courtesy of Lilla Kate Tucker ’27
When I decided to pursue athletics in college, I made the commitment to be the best possible version of myself. Whether this meant performing when it mattered, putting in extra work when no one was watching, or simply being a good teammate, I was determined to make the most of my experience. However, committing to something so daunting as a junior in high school was honestly terrifying. All my friends from Georgia were gearing up to go to the University of Georgia or Alabama and were sometimes confused as to why I was choosing to go to a tiny school 16 hours away that they had never even heard of. Despite the adversity, I stuck with my gut and made the jump, or should I say the trek, all the way up to Connecticut. I trusted that my passion for both soccer and track would be enough to help me through the biggest transition of my life.
Looking back, freshman year feels like a blur. The fall semester was filled with late-night calls to my parents crying about how homesick I was, frustration about soccer, and the adjustment to the college social life. There were points where I would question my decision to come to Conn, jealous of my friends who could go home on a whim or attend football games every Saturday night. Determined to give it at least a year, I pushed on to the spring semester. It was then that I joined the track team and met some of the most genuine people. This environment and these people were immediately welcoming, despite having already been together for all the cross-country season. This was exactly what I needed to feel confident in my decision and work towards finding my place at Conn.
Flash forward about a year, and I am now a sophomore having just completed my second soccer and indoor track seasons. To say it was special does not do it justice. Every athlete dreams of going to nationals; getting the chance to compete on the biggest stage that the NCAA has to offer. For me, it was no different. One of my favorite events in track is the Distance Medley Relay, or the DMR. Only an indoor event, this race consists of four people and a baton. The first person, or leg, runs 1200 meters, the second runs 400 meters, the third runs 800 meters, and the fourth finishes the race by running 1600 meters, or a mile. I was given the opportunity to be a part of this relay, running the 400 leg, alongside Abby Fernald ’26, Alexa Estes ’26, and Grace McDonough ’26. These girls are truly incredible athletes and even better people; therefore, I was both excited and terrified to be a part of something like this.
Having run this relay last year and making it to nationals, we knew we had a chance of qualifying again and doing something special this year. We were unhappy with our performance last year, finishing 12th and not having a great race. Because of this, I think all four of us entered this indoor season with a chip on our shoulders: a need to prove that we deserve to compete with the fastest runners in Division III. We raced the DMR twice in the regular season this year, running our fastest time at Boston University in late January. After that, it was a bit of a waiting game. Only twelve teams make it to nationals for relays, and these qualifiers are announced about a week before the meet. When it all was said and done, we were seeded eighth, and it was confirmed that we were going back to nationals!
As everyone else left for spring break, the four of us and April Schilling ’27, our teammate and alternate who was traveling with us, stayed behind to train. On March 12, we all piled into a 12-passenger van alongside three of our coaches, Chris Koskinen ’25, who qualified for pole vault, and Matt Scardigno ’25, who qualified in the 3K. Pole vault poles and all, we made the six hour drive up to Rochester, New York. The first two days were spent grocery shopping, practicing at the track, getting gear, and resting up for the big day. The DMR was set for 6:30 p.m. on Friday night, the last race of the day. That morning, I woke up with a weird feeling in my stomach: somewhere between nerves and excitement for what was to come. Waiting in the hotel room, April and I passed time by stretching, watching TV, and doing anything to try to relax. About an hour before we had to leave for the track, I started to get ready: doing my hair, putting my uniform on, and mentally preparing. I remember looking at myself in the mirror and vowing to trust my training and trust my teammates. After that, it felt like time was a construct and suddenly it was 5:30 p.m., and I was warming up for the relay.
Picture this: an indoor turf field filled with athletes stretching, lunging, jogging, sprinting…welcome to the warmup area. Throughout the hour of warmups, I think I was in shock that this was about to happen, that I was at nationals with four other amazingly talented runners. However, it came time to accept reality and focus on the present moment, as we all began to ensure our numbers were properly on our uniforms and put our spikes on. After getting in our last few strides, we were called to the staging area, in which all four members of the relay must be sitting before they guide you out onto the track. The nerves began to resurface, and I could hear my heart beating out of my chest. The official led us out, placing us in four lines corresponding with the leg of the relay we were running. Lined up behind the other 400 runners, I began to take deep breaths to try to center myself. The men’s DMR was still going on, and my ears were overwhelmed by the sheer amount of sound that filled the building. It was getting real. I looked to my right and saw my teammate, Abby, our leadoff runner. She turned to me and said, “LK, are you locked in?” I told her “Yes,” and she assured me that she was too. This simple exchange gave me a lot more confidence, and I was finally ready to do what we came here for.
The gun was fired, and Abby was off. Baton in hand, she ran an excellent leg, putting us in third. Standing on that line watching her round the final turn, my hands were shaking. Because I’m not a true 400 runner, all I wanted to do was keep my team in a decent position. I was there for my teammates, because of my teammates, and all of it was for them. Right before Abby got to me, I heard Alexa yell, “Confidence, LK,” which gave me the spark that I needed. As soon as the metal baton hit my hand, I took off. The pain was immense, as I could feel my legs becoming lactic on the second lap. I ran hard and aggressive, reciting, “Just get to Alexa, just get to Alexa,” in my head. I turned the last curve and ran towards her outstretched hand, relieved when I knew she had the baton, and my job was done. Catching my breath, I found Abby and congratulated her. Soon after, Alexa joined us, and it was time to watch Grace anchor and finish the race. For all eight laps, I was jumping up and down, screaming. Grace passed Johns Hopkins towards the end, moving us back into third. At this point, it set in what was really happening. When Grace crossed the line, Alexa and I ran over to our coach, hugging and squealing with pure excitement. It had really happened. We were third in the country and going to be crowned All-Americans.
When they called our name on the podium, I couldn’t help but smile from ear to ear. With the medals around our necks and trophies stretched into the air, we posed for what felt like hundreds of pictures. I felt like I needed to pinch myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. I felt nothing but gratitude for my teammates and was honored to have gotten to be a part of such an historic relay team. That night, I swear I fell asleep grinning, still so excited from the day’s events. A day later, once the meet was officially over, we all celebrated in the only way that we knew how: a late-night run for a Wendy’s Frosty. Laughing in the hotel lobby until midnight, I found myself simply enjoying the presence of my teammates and appreciating the opportunity that the sport had given me.
Looking back, I will certainly remember the NCAA decorations all around the track, opening my phone after countless messages from the people closest to me, and obviously the race itself. However, what is going to stick with me the most is the look on my teammates’ faces when we realized what we had just done. Working for something for three months and finally being rewarded is such a great feeling and something that I will never take for granted. If this trip to nationals has taught me anything, it is to be in the moment and appreciate all aspects of your life, whether it be in sports, in the classroom, in a social setting, etc. Track is a part of who I am, and it is a part of my experience here at Conn. It is safe to say that I have found my place here, truly making it feel like my second home. Having two teams, two families, is a privilege and something that I wouldn’t change for the world. If you told my last year self that I was going to be this happy, I wouldn’t believe you. Getting to compete in the two sports that I love with amazing people by my side is truly such a blessing and what makes Conn such a special place. As for nationals, I hope to be back. I hope to continue to make a name for myself and ensure that everyone back home knows exactly what Connecticut College is, and what it means to me.
