BY JORDAN RODRIGUEZ
C of I seniors run circles around the competition Similar circumstances brought runners Hillary Holt, Jasmine Hurd, Sarah Johnson and Sora Klopfenstein to The College of Idaho. Like many Coyote athletes, the foursome arrived in Caldwell underestimated, under-recruited and under the radar. Four years later, the four seniors are on the eve of graduation. And when they walk across the Boone Hall steps May 17, they will do so having accomplished more than any teammates—in any sport—in the 123-year history of the College. “I won the lottery with this group,” C of I track and cross country coach Pat McCurry said. “Getting elite athletes like Hillary, Sora, Sarah and Jasmine all in the same class; I don’t know if I’ll ever pull that off again. They are a rare group, and they’ve raised the profile of C of I track and field on a national level.” With 2014 NAIA Outdoor Nationals still to come, the Coyote quartet already has combined to rack up 11 national titles and 30 All-America selections while contributing to four Cascade Conference team titles and three NAIA National team trophies. It has been an unprecedented run of success, one that nobody—not even McCurry—could have envisioned when the foursome first set foot on campus.
Today, the four seniors are dramatically different both as athletes and as people. Only small things—such as Johnson’s “Bobbles” nickname—serve as reminders of how far the group has come. “When I first came here, I bobbled my head when I ran,” Johnson said. “It was really bad. We’ve worked hard to fix it—sometimes it still happens when I get really tired—but Pat started calling me ‘Bobbles,’ and the nickname stuck.”
SUPER SOPHOMORES As the calendar turned to the 2011–2012 season, it became apparent McCurry had some special talent on his roster. The women’s cross country team, led by Holt, Johnson and Klopfenstein, captured its first of three consecutive Cascade Conference championships in the fall. The girls seemed to be getting faster by the day. “I think our sophomore year, we all realized our potential,” Klopfenstein said. “And we were able to build on that.” The breakout season continued into the spring as the Coyotes sent twice as many qualifiers to NAIA Outdoor Nationals as they had the year before. And Holt—who had missed most of indoor season with a stress fracture in her leg—unleashed a stunning performance in the 1,500 meters to win the first individual national championship in school history. “When I first came here, I never dreamed I would be as successful as I have
A REBUILDING PROCESS When the Class of 2014 arrived in Caldwell, McCurry was six years into reconstructing the College’s track and cross country programs, which he was
been,” Holt said. “But when I won my first national title, it changed everything. I began to realize I had more potential than I ever imagined.”
hired to restart in 2004 after a nearly 30-year hiatus. The seeds of success had been planted, but the program had yet to break through. “I’ve been really fortunate to have [Athletic Director] Marty Holly, who has been so supportive of the vision I had coming here,” McCurry said. “He’s allowed me to take the program as far as I believe it can go, but the process definitely has taken some time.” Hurd, who competes in sprints, hurdles and multi-events, was one of just two throwers at the College during her freshman year. This year, she saw both school shot put records broken by current freshmen Andrew Galloway and Jessica Bates. “We actually have a throwing crew this year, which is awesome,” Hurd said. “It’s cool that the C of I is on the map now when it comes to track and field.” Freshman year came and went as Holt, Hurd, Johnson and Klopfenstein settled into college life while making major improvements to their training habits and fitness.
Sora Klopfenstein is an eight-time NAIA All-American for the Coyotes.
spring 2014 • page 5