Jene Thomas – General Assignment Reporter
Caylee Richardson, 19, of the Southern women’s cross-country team was named a Connecticut Army National Guard/Southern Connecticut State University Athlete of the Week.
The cross-country team went up to Franklin Pierce University in Rindge, New Hampshire at the Bruce Kirsh Cross Country Cup on Sept. 13, where she placed eighth out of 81 runners. This was a 4k race, unlike most other races the team partakes in that are either 5k or 6k. She completed the course in a time of 17:14, placing sixth out of eight teams at the competition.
“To be honest, I’m not really sure why I won the title,” Richardson said. “Every coach had to submit a person and I guess I got it.”
The Southern junior was surprised that she won the title, seeing as how she just transferred to Southern four weeks ago.
Richardson was born in Waterbury, CT., until she and her family moved to Oxford where she attended Oxford High School. Instead of Southern, she actually started her college career at Central Connecticut State University. She ran track and field there, as well as here at Southern. In the 2013 season, she participated in the Northeast-10 Conference Commissioner’s Honor Roll selection and ran in the 3000 meters at the Wolfie Invitational, finishing in 11th place. She earned her team All-State and SWC First Team honors.
Despite her victories, Richardson decided it was time to leave Central. She explained that even though Central and Southern are both state schools, the two are incredibly different in terms of the general atmosphere.
“I wanted to come to Southern because I wanted a change and to try something different,” Richardson said. “The atmosphere here is so inviting and busy, which I love.”
Coming here, she knew she wanted to do cross-country because she loved it at Central. It was something to do besides going to class. “I also just missed being a part of a team,” she said.
Being a part of both the cross-country and track team here at Southern, Richardson has been around some of the same girls who do both sports and they just welcomed her.
“I’ve only interacted with her for a few weeks, but the girls welcomed her,” said Melissa Stoll, Head women’s cross country/track and field coach. “Caylee is very vocal. She has her own unique style.” Stoll mentioned that when two of the girls were out in the past weekend’s event, Richardson was the first the step up. “She had a great start this weekend,” as this was her first event with her new cross-country team.
Richardson takes part in two sports and is a full-time student here at Southern. “It’s a little hard but its manageable,” she said when asked how she managed both. She said that she liked the feeling of being busy. With both school and athletics, she always has something to do. “Write down what you want to do for each day,” she said. Commuters travel to school and back home everyday. Richardson said adding sports makes it a bit more challenging but it can be done.
Senior football player, Zachary Williams, was the other Southern owl to be named “Athlete of the Week,” sponsored by The Connecticut Army National Guard. Williams made six tackles, five of them being solo efforts in last week’s game against Saint Anselm. With a sack and quarterback hurry, he assisted in the bringing the owls into overtime. That six tackle was a second best career play, after his single best game performance against Assumption back in 2011. The Owls play again on Sep,t 20 at Pace University in NY next.
Southern will see Richardson and the Women’s Cross Country Team perform the following weekend on Sept. 27 at the Ted Owen invitational in New Britain.
