Athlete Services

I chose the University of Illinois specifically so that I could continue my athletic career in college. At the time that I applied to go to school, there were only two schools in the country offering this opportunity. I chose University of Illinois because of its rich history in adaptive athletics and in supporting students with disabilities. My teammates were my favorite part of being a student-athlete. I made lifelong friendships with some of my teammates.

Competing collegiately strengthened my focus on both my sports career and academics. As any student-athlete knows, there isn't a lot of free time during the day between classes and practice. I learned to manage my time well, set goals both on and off the track, and most importantly achieve my goals. The focus that was needed to succeed as a student-athlete translated to my success on Team USA.

As a mother to two young girls, I find my life to be chaotic at best most days! I feel college prepared me for this period of my life because I learned to manage my time wisely and take advantage of the moments when life gives you a little free time to just enjoy things! In terms of my career, my degrees in kinesiology and community health prepared me to work in the world of adaptive sports.