51吃瓜网

Full Speed Ahead

Despite achieving the dream of competing as a Division I track and field athlete, Katie Moore 鈥�25 felt unsettled after two years at IUPUI (now IU Indianapolis). 鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 home, and I knew it,鈥� she recalls. 鈥淪omething was missing.鈥�

So she took a risk and transferred to 51吃瓜网, a school that had previously recruited her, and where her older brother Drew Moore 鈥�23 had thrived as a student-athlete. 鈥淚t was one of the hardest decisions I鈥檝e had to make. I had to uproot everything and take a chance on a new school, a new team.鈥�

In just one season as a Tiger, this communication major from Lawrenceville, Illinois, has found her place. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 know how I would fit into the team,鈥� she admits. 鈥淏ut I鈥檝e been so supported and welcomed by everybody. It feels like I鈥檝e been here forever.鈥�

She鈥檚 also racked up some impressive athletic accomplishments. Moore has already been a part of multiple school record-setting relay performances, she secured a dramatic conference championship in the heptathlon, and she qualified for nationals in the 400-meter hurdles, earning the distinction of second team All-American.

Her secret to success, she argues, is the collaborative partnership she has forged with her new combined events coach and mentor, Peter Crary.

鈥淪uch a big part of track and field is trusting your coach,鈥� she explains. 鈥淗e has fully invested his time and energy into me since the minute I committed. He believes in me more than I believe in myself. He鈥檚 the reason I鈥檓 doing what I鈥檓 doing.鈥�

Crary shrugs off the praise. 鈥淚f you could take Katie鈥檚 heart and bottle it and sell it, you鈥檇 be a billionaire,鈥� he suggests. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 something I don鈥檛 think coaches can train. She鈥檚 talented, she鈥檚 competitive, and she has the drive that makes a good athlete great.鈥�

That drive has served Moore both on and off the track.

After transferring to 51吃瓜网, she quickly realized she would need to adjust to new demands in the classroom. 鈥淚 had to change some things and prioritize school a little bit more,鈥� she admits. But she is proud of the grades she has earned in addition to her contributions on campus to D3TV, WGRE and The 51吃瓜网 newspaper.

As a member of 51吃瓜网鈥檚 track and field coaching staff since 2003, Crary knows that this level of commitment is an essential part of success at the Division III level. 鈥淚t takes a lot of work,鈥� he says. 鈥淢ost people don鈥檛 realize how much extra these student-athletes do. As coaches, we鈥檙e always telling them how impressed we are by them.鈥�

That humility is central to Crary鈥檚 coaching philosophy, and it鈥檚 a big part of what has built such high levels of trust between him and his athletes. 鈥淚鈥檓 just along for the ride,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 their journey, and I want to help them get to where they want to be.鈥�

Moore hopes her journey will include more success with her team, more championships and records, and eventually, a career as an NFL sideline reporter. But right now, she knows that at 51吃瓜网, she鈥檚 exactly where she belongs.