Hailey Middlebrook '12 Recruiting Profile

       Hello, my name is Hailey Middlebrook and I am currently a senior at Watauga High School in Boone, NC. I have a 3.8 unweighted GPA and am ranked 16 in a class of 320. I started out my athletic career as a swimmer when I was 6 years old, and I have been swimming on a club team for 11 years. I began running my freshman year of high school, encouraged by my father, who ran throughout high school and his 4 years at Albion College in Michigan. I fell in love with running quickly. Starting freshman year, I have ran on varsity in every meet in cross country, and have been awarded All-Conference for the last three years in cross country and track. Our team has placed well in the 4A NCHSA State Meet every year, coming in 3rd, 6th, and 2nd during my time here. Though I love 5ks, I am more of a middle distance runner. In track I typically run the 400 and 800, and both the 4x800 and 4x400 relays. Our 4x800 relay team has ran well this year; we won a 3rd place at both indoor and outdoor State Meets and qualified for New Balance Nationals last June. 
           There is a lot on my mind going into my senior year of high school. I am team captain of the girl's team this year, and a major goal of mine is to encourage my fellow teammates and be a role model to newcomers. This season I want to break 19 minutes for a 5k, and run around 18:45. I also want to urge the other girls on our team on and help bring come home a State Championship title for WHS. In track, I want to break 2:20 in the 800 and be sub-60 in the 400 m. I hope to train smart and have a positive outlook throughout the year in my schoolwork and my sports.
          In looking for colleges, the number one thing I am looking for is a quality education. My mother attended Duke University, and she as well as I would like to find a school with a history of good academics and a quality sports program. Though I am undecided on a major, I want to pursue medicine in graduate school. I am especially interested in schools bordering North Carolina and in New England and the Midwest, because of the climate and being closer to my family and relatives. I am open to different sized schools, though I would like a school with a population of more than 1,500. I realize that I may not be on varsity if I run in college, but I would love to run on a team regardless. I think of myself as a hardworker and a leader, and using my talents to run competitively in college would be amazing.