By Rachael Cataldo, Assistant Sports Editor
Erin Reese is all about visualization. She often pictures herself crossing the finish line to get through a tough race. One thing she never could’ve pictured though, was leaving her passion for soccer behind and becoming an all-star crosscountry runner in college.
Reese, a sophomore River Hawk from Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, was always very serious about soccer. She began playing as a child and was a part of all-year-round club teams. She even attended some of the clinics hosted by Susquehanna.
Going into her senior year of high school however, she began to get tired of the sport and picked up running instead.
You would never know that her cross-country career began at the collegiate level though. Reese has been the top finisher for the River Hawks consistently throughout every race of the 2017 season. She eclipsed her own school record at the Dickinson 4K meet earlier this year with a time of 14:54.4.
“Breaking the record felt great because it shows that all [of] the training and hard work I put into the season is paying off,” Reese said. “It’s also nice because last year being my first of cross-country, I was learning and adjusting to the sport.”
Reese placed fourth at the Landmark Conference CrossCountry Championships with a time of 24:09.22, which earned her First Team AllConference Honors. She had a 55th-place finish at this year’s Regional meet, where she clocked a time of 23:46.7.
“The entire [championship] race it was a matter of staying mentally strong and running through the pain,” Reese said. “Erin has been running very strong all year and shows signs that we have just begun to scratch the surface of her potential,” head coach Martin Owens said.
Reese is currently training in preparation for the 2018 Landmark Conference Championships on Feb. 24.
Before her time as a River Hawk, Reese graduated from Central Mountain High School in 2016. “I chose Susquehanna because I wanted a smaller school with a good science program,” Reese said. “I thought it would be a good balance between my academics and running.”
To get through a tough race, Reese said she thinks of how everyone else is enduring the same amount of pain and hardships as her. “I always remember my favorite verse, Philippians 4:13, which reads ‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.’”
In addition to being a crucial part of the cross-country team, Reese also participates in the 10K, 5K and 3K events. She is a sister of the Alpha Delta Pi sorority, a member of the PreHealth club and helps with the Girls on the Run club. Her other hobbies include playing soccer, cooking and baking different recipes she finds on Pinterest.
Her favorite course to run, she said, is at Lock Haven University because it is all flat. Her favorite athletes are runners Emma Coburn and Alexi Pappas. Coburn is a mid-distance runner for the United States Olympic team, and Pappas is a long distance runner for the Greek Olympic team.
Reese has a large support system back home in Lock Haven. Her parents, Bob and Jacquie, are very active people. Her oldest brother Brady is attending graduate school at the Medical University of South Carolina. And her other brother Chad is a senior wrestler at Bucknell University.
Her younger sister Tara is a senior in high school who is committed to Lycoming College to play soccer. She has another brother, Seth, in 10th grade and a sister, Megan, who is in eighth grade. Reese’s youngest brother Jeremy is in fifth grade.
Reese also has three furry friends cheering her on: her dogs Lola, Chipper, and Gus.
From a strict soccer player to a record-breaking runner, Reese has just begun her journey. She has a track and field season and her junior and senior seasons in front of her.
“It felt great to be the top-finisher and to help the team achieve a higher placement,” Reese said.
Reese’s advice to beginners in the sport is to keep up the effort, because you will see results slowly over time. “Be willing to put in the time and never give up.”