Paola Rodriguez '21 Recruiting Profile

At the beginning of my sophomore year, I joined a track club named Bayamón Club. While the transition was not easy because of the distance from home and time commitment, it turned out to be a great decision. As an independent runner, I was oblivious to the role of a team in track, but in Bayamón Club I quickly noticed the benefits of training with athletes of my skill level. Between my highly experienced coach and the new team dynamic, I started the pre-season by taking off two seconds  from my best 400m time the previous year and I tried a new event, the 800m. Additionally, I was invited to join the a program for the development of future national athletes in Puerto Rico which led me to represent my country in the NACAC U18 Championships in Querétaro, Mexico.

For a college, my priority is to go to an academically rigorous school that is math and science oriented. I have always thrived in math and the natural sciences, and I would like to major in one of those subjects. Equally important, I would like the school to have a strong track program that helps me become a better athlete and develop a connection with my teammates.