(Photo by Mike Leary)
2013 was a breakout year for Karen Xiang. After finishing 22nd at the state meet as a junior, the Nease standout rattled off seven consecutive victories to start her senior season. The first three wins saw her break the nineteen minute barrier, but it was at the flrunners.com Invitational Race of Champions where Xiang took her career to new heights. I recall her asking in the weeks before the race if she could run in the ROC. Her prior meets definitely showed her potential, but nobody predicted her to dominate a field of the state's best. She says it is at that point her recruiting took off.
"It really took off after the FLRunners Invitational. I'm so thankful I was able to run in it this year. The Flrunners Invitational opened up the door to a lot of great opportunities"
Xiang finished in a new personal best and state leading time of 17:52.20. With the win came interest from some of the top colleges and universities in the country. Xiang says the recruiting process was very overwhelming, but it was still a very enjoyable experience.
"I took official visits to the UF, UPenn, and Columbia. I took back to back visits; train from New York City to Philly with Columbia and UPenn. That same week, I had to decide on which school, submit my application for early decision, and compete at regionals. It was a crazy week!"
The winning school was the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. Xiang says it was a really tough decision and each school was very different in regards to campus, team training, and facilities, but for her the strong balance of academics and athletics gave the Quakers the edge.
"That was extremely important to me. I wanted to find a school where there was a good balance between both academics and athletics. I did not just waste four years of sleepless nights in the IB program! Because UPenn's distance team is still developing, it gives new runners a chance to contribute. Also, there's no doubt that UPenn has the best business school in the country! The Wharton School definitely played a major role in my decision, but it was also the people, especially the team. As soon as I met the team, I felt that I fit in really well. They were extremely welcoming (not that other teams weren't)! It wasn't just the team, but the whole student atmosphere at Penn. Everyone seemed so down to earth and friendly."
At UPenn, Xiang, who finished third at this year's Cross Country Finals, will train under coach Steve Dolan who is in his second year with the Quakers. Prior to that he spent eight years at Princeton helping develop the Tigers into one of the most successful Ivy League programs. The Nease standout says from the get go Dolan was very dedicated into making her decision "happen."
"He seems to really know what he's doing. Plus, the team absolutely loves him! He's a really nice guy and I can't wait to have him as a coach. In college, I hope to get better, faster, and stronger. Overall, I want to be able to contribute to the team-and just have a great running experience!
Personal Bests
- 1,600 Meter Run - 5:10.27
- 5,000 Meter Run - 17:52.20
