Aurora University Athletics

Hometown: Batavia, Illinois
High School: Batavia
Team: Men's Track and Field
Major: Social Work

What is your favorite sports moment at AU?
In 2014, Winning the NACC Championships in Indoor, and then becoming the first team of the Chapman Era to win the Men's NACC Outdoor Track and Field title.

What is your most memorable academic experience at AU?
Making the honor roll.

Why did you choose to attend Aurora University?
Coach Chapman. He is enthusiastic about his program, even when we first met the summer before my freshman year. He had just finished his second season and was really excited about the team and its future. I really wanted to come and compete for him and build the program. Because of his passionate recruiting we now we have (one of) the most talented high jump squads in the nation.

Who is your all-time favorite athlete and why?
Mutaz Barshim. He's the 2nd best high jumper in world history, and very close to breaking the world record (8ft 1/4in). His work ethic is amazing and he is so humble. A great guy from a small country trying to do something amazing.

What is your favorite class and why?
Psychopharmacology. I've always been interested/curious about how drugs/medicine affect the brain and that's what psychopharmacology was all about.

Who is your favorite professor and why?
Dr. Kronner - He's always pushing students to be the best they can be, and to learn as much as they possible can with the resources available to them. He's very focused on student-driven learning, and is always willing to help.

Other than the sport(s) you play, what other sports activity are you good at?
During outdoor season, I used to kick 40 yard field goals after practice in my socks. Chap always said I was pretty good, but I never took him seriously. We play P.I.G.(Basketball) with coach after practice and we keep a tally of winners in his office. I don't win very often, but it's still a lot of fun.

Outside of sports, what is your favorite hobby?
I like to play the guitar. I don't practice very much, I just pick it up and fiddle around with it in my downtime. It's fantastic stress relief, and a lot of fun.

What is your favorite meal in the cafeteria?
Fire Roasted Corn Soup - it's amazing. The salad bar is great too.

Who is your role model?
My parents. They've always been very supportive of me, and they are my biggest fans. I think over my college career they've missed a total of four or five meets.

What do you enjoy most about practice?
Working on technique and trying to refine all of the little elements that make you a better high jumper. Also, our High Jump crew is very talented. It's fun to work together and improve. Four of us are from the same high school, so it's a lot of fun.

Practicing with the team in the morning. We are huge, so it can get cluttered, but it's fun to be around and support each other.

What do you like least about practice?
Plyo circuits. They are not like running or lifting weights in the sense that you feel great afterwards. You just hurt. A lot.

What are your plans/goals after graduation?
Attend Graduate School for Social Work at AU, and help out with the Track program in any way that I can.

Do you have any pregame rituals?
It's strange, but I always wash my competition clothes two days prior to the meet.

I also listen to the same playlist when I warm up, I shuffle it so it's in a different order every week.

What will you remember most from your college career?
Being a school record holder. Even though it may be broken in the future, it's awesome to think that at one point you were the best individual in your event in school history.

Also finishing in the top 25 in the nation as an individual was an amazing feeling.

As a senior, what advice would you give to freshman at AU?
Enjoy what you do and don't be too hard on yourself. Being dedicated is one thing, but if you put too much pressure on yourself it's easy to burn yourself out. You have to get something back from competing in your sport.



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