N Our Voice
I have always enjoyed the opportunity to compete.
Whether it be on the track or the football field, competition has always played a central role in my life.
When I was young, however, it was mostly about spending some quality time with family and friends.
But in high school, I discovered the exhilaration of state championships and record-setting performances. I viewed sports, and track and field specifically, in an entirely new way.
I wanted to be among the very best track and field athletes that this state, and even this region, had ever seen.
Dad's footsteps
When I was younger, hurdling wasn't even on the radar.
Frankly, I wanted to be a sprinter.
After years of finishing in the middle of the pack in sprinting events, however, I decided that I would follow in my dad's footsteps and give the hurdles a try.
As a former high-school hurdler, he knew the ins and outs of the event. He taught me the basic fundamentals and instilled an incredible level of knowledge in me.
Almost instantly, I began to excel. I was no longer securing second, third, or fourth-place finishes at meets but rather was taking home first-place medals and ribbons.
I had not only found my niche within track and field but, more importantly, had fallen completely in love with the sport.
A no-brainer
Despite being among the top ten hurdlers in the nation, capturing state titles, and even setting a new high-school state record in my junior and senior seasons, college scholarship offers were not prevalent.
I began to doubt my track and field aspirations and in the midst of my junior season, I even committed to playing football for the Fighting Hawks at North Dakota.
While this commitment should have been one of the happiest moments of my young career, I could not help but feel an incredible sense of doubt and an overall lack of enthusiasm for my decision.
Track and field had always been my first love, and deep down, I knew that this was the sport I was supposed to be in.
During my senior season of high school, I re-opened my recruitment and began taking official visits to a couple of Big Ten schools.
One of those schools was the University of Nebraska.
As a kid growing up right here in Lincoln, I always dreamed of one day representing the Huskers and competing in my hometown in front of my family and friends.
Once I met my teammates and coaches, it didn't take me long to commit to Nebraska.
Best of all, I got to be a hurdler for the Huskers.
Everything was falling into place.
Falling short
While the transition to college athletics was quite challenging and took me some time to acclimate to, my first few seasons of indoor and outdoor competitions were largely successful.
I notched top-ten finishes in my first two Big Ten Championship meets and even captured individual title performances on multiple occasions throughout those first few seasons.
Entering my third indoor season, my confidence was at an all-time high, and I had my sights set on capturing a Big Ten title in the 60-meter hurdles.
I posted the fastest qualifying time and was one of the favorites to win it.
But then, I false-started in the final and was disqualified.
I was devastated.
I had pushed my body really hard and was ready to win my first conference title — and in just a split second, those dreams were shattered.
I had a choice to make. I could allow this moment to derail my entire career, or I could use it as fuel to come back even stronger.
I chose to utilize humor to deal with the setback, refused to let it define who I was as an athlete, and relied heavily on my family, teammates, and coaches to continue pushing me forward.
Another try
I spent the entirety of the next year focusing on the intricate details of hurdling and entered my fourth season with a mindset of just improving each and every day and chasing individual and school records.
As the 2023 Indoor Big Ten Championships approached, I would be lying if I said that the events of last year didn't creep into my mind prior to that 60-meter hurdle race.
I remained steadfast in my approach, however, and continued to focus on chasing the fastest times of my career.
After setting a new school record in the preliminary round, I could not have been more confident heading into the medal race.
My newfound mindset was paying off, and I was more determined than ever to capture that Big Ten title.
Following an on-time start and a clean race, I finally crossed the finish line as a Big Ten Champion with my teammate right behind me in second place.
I was completely overwhelmed with feelings of joy, excitement, and an incredible sense of pride.
I had spent the entire year seeking redemption and putting in countless hours of hard work to ensure a solid performance. To see that all come to fruition in front of my family and friends, on one of the biggest stages, was a feeling that I will never forget.
As I look ahead to the indoor and outdoor seasons remaining in my career, I long to capture a national title and continue to work as hard as I can to represent the University of Nebraska in the best way possible.
The sport of track and field will always have its fair share of ups and downs, but one thing remains certain. I will always learn from my mistakes and continue to turn the page and focus on the incredible future that lies ahead.