CAA Rookie of the Year, and 800 Champ Fiana York transferring to Penn State.
There are times to stick it out and work to turn around a less-than-satisfying situation. And then there are times you should just cut your losses and move on. Recognizing when one opportunity has worn out its welcome and another path should be chosen is a valuable skill to have. Especially when the opportunities are finite -- as in a collegiate running career.
Fiana York starts to cut in after passing
everyone in front of her in the 2004 AAA 4x800 championships.
Haverford would win.
Fiana York, a member of the 2004 PIAA Girls' AAA State Championship 4x800 team from Haverford High School, isn't afraid to take a risk. All you had to do was see her first lap running the third leg of that state championship race to know, this girl will do whatever it takes. For those who didn't see the race, Fiana got the stick in 6th place. She immediately hit the gas and when confronted with a pack to pass approaching the 400 point, proceeded to lane three, made the pass, and didn't cut in until the 500 meter mark of her 800.
Confronted with a freshman year that didn't meet her expectations at George Mason University, Fiana is taking another risk - a calculated one - to try to become the best runner she can. She's transferring to Penn State University to run for the Lady Lions.
A middle distance runner who succeeded at cross country on sheer will, York will be leaving behind much more than new friends and teammates. For the first time in her life, she'll be attending a different school and competing for a different team than twin sister Alicia. "I will miss her a lot, but I will unconditionally support her."
Fiana's journey to this point wasn't an easy one. Buoyed by optimism about her first year in college, and anxious to join a 4x800 that would also have former rival Melissa Ferry from West Chester Henderson, she was ready to continue the success she had known throughout high school. Best of all, as a middle distance specialist, she was going to be coached by nine time All-American and three-time Olympic Trials qualifier Alisa Harvey. Harvey was in her third year at Mason, and was a big part of what attracted Fiana to the school. "Alisa was an amazing coach. She loved track inside and out and is an amazing runner." But when Harvey resigned this spring, it was just one more thing that went wrong.
After cross country, Fiana had developed a pre-stress fracture, and was sidelined from running. She would have to train virtually alone, in the pool and on the bike. When she could finally return to running, she knew something was missing... "I had no strength, and no mental focus. I could tell I was running on natural speed."
Despite the lack of a distance base, Fiana did help her team. At the Texas Relays in early April, the 1600 Sprint Medley team that included her, another freshman and two seniors, ran the 13th fastest time in the finals, a 4:04.51. The highlight of her season came in late April when she won the CAA (Colonial Athletic Association) 800 Championship in a PR of 2:13.02 (she had split 2:11-point in her final high school race). The mark qualified her for both the ECAC Championship at Princeton on May 14th, and for the NCAA Division I Northeast Regionals later in the month at Randall's Island in New York.
Despite the loss of valuable training time and a valued coach, Fiana's future was looking up. She was named the CAA Track & Field Female Rookie of the Year, and thanks to "tons of phone calls and a lot of work," was able to transfer to Penn State with three full years of eligibility.
Fiana is looking forward to running for Penn State, competing for another individual she considers a great coach in Beth Alford-Sullivan. "I never thought I'd be good enough, but now I'm hoping to play a big role."
The story on her Rookie of the Year award from the CAA