University of Massachusets Athletics
Friendly Faces and Long Races
February 19, 2004 | Women's Track & Field
Feb. 19, 2004
Senior Kate Markopoulos of the women's track and field team is in the midst of her indoor season, but is closing in on the culmination of the chapter in her life that has consisted of four years at UMass. As a member of the cross country, indoor and outdoor track and field teams for the past three years, Markopoulos has left her mark on campus in classrooms and on UMass' home cross country course.
A native of Porter Corners, N.Y., Markopoulos started running cross country in the eighth grade and continued through her junior year of high school. She chose not to run track her senior year, regardless of her passion for the sport. "The competition level in high school was just too much," said Markopoulos. "I got to a point where I needed a break from running competitively."
As Markopoulos entered UMass as freshman, she had no intentions of running competitively, but still enjoyed casual jogs. Her adjustment time to campus was just as difficult one what many freshmen experience, especially with the size of the UMass campus. "When I started here, it was so much bigger than it seems now," said Markopoulos. "I would never see the same person twice on campus. Now I see friendly faces everywhere." After some prompting from friends on the track and field team, Markopoulos approached head coach Julie LaFreniere about potentially joining the squad.
Markopoulos was welcomed to the team by LaFreniere and she slowly worked her way back to a collegiate level of running. "The first season was very difficult. I had not trained competitively for about two years", said Markopoulos. After hard work and dedication, Markopoulos was performing similarly to her high school years and, most of all, she enjoyed running again. "The girls were very welcoming. I felt like part of the team very shortly after I walked-on", said Markopoulos.
Happy to return to her passion, Markopoulos soon became one of the lead distance runners for the Minutewomen. "I have always just loved running", said Markopoulos. "Those who can not do anything else run, and that is what I did." It can hardly be said that Markopoulos can not do anything. As a distance runner, her specialty events are some of the most grueling. Through out her career she has competed in the mile, the 3,000-meter run, the 5,000-meter run and the 3,000-meter steeplechase.
As a sophomore she was a part of two top relay teams at the New England Indoor Championship: the 16th-place 4 x 800-meter relay team that finished in 9:52.37, and 12th-place distance medley relay with a time of 12:50.12. Markopoulos was also a member of the fourth-place 4 x 800-meter relay team that finished in a time of 9:20.90 at the Atlantic 10 Outdoor Championships, as well as being a member of the sixth-place 4 x 800-meter relay team that recorded a 9:26.70 time at the New England Outdoor Championships.
The 2002 cross country season during her junior year was also a successful one for Markopoulos. She recorded the team's second-best time at the NCAA Northeast Regional meet with a 24:08.8 finish. She was also one of the top five Minutewoman finishers in every meet in which she competed.
Later that spring, Kate also contributed greatly to UMass' success. She posted the second fastest time on the team in the 5,000-meters with a time of 18:30.00. She also finished ninth at the Atlantic 10 Outdoor Championship in the 5,000-meters with a time of 18:49.8. As her final cross country season began, Markopoulos took on the role of lead harrier for the Minutewomen and she embraced the role whole-heartedly. "Being looked at as a leader is very important to me," said Markopoulos. "I want the dynamic of the team to stay strong and positive. That takes leadership." During the regular season, Markopoulos tallied three first-place team finishes and three third-place team finishes. She was the top UMass finisher at the New England Championship, Atlantic 10 Championship and NCAA Regional Qualifier. She placed 11th at Atlantic 10 Championship with a time of 19:32.1.
Markopoulos has also been a standout performer in the classroom. As a history major, she has been on the UMass Athletic Director's Honor Roll, as well as the Atlantic 10 Honor Roll, every semester of competition. Markopoulos is looking to receive her teaching certificate post-graduation.
Markopoulos' hard work and dedication in women's track and field has not gone unnoticed. "I have loved running here at UMass," said Markopoulos. "It is the reason I stayed here. I have made life long friendships which are more important than any athletic accomplishments." With the indoor season in full gear, Markopoulos is keeping her positive work ethic going strong. "Kate is a much better competitor this year then she was last year," said coach Julie LaFreniere.
"I know it is hard to keep going, but I want to show the younger girls that it is worth it in the end and that all the hard work they have been putting in will pay off in the long run. I want them to keep with it", said Markopoulos. She recently posted her personal best time in the mile with a clocking of 5:11 in the team's first competition of the season, a true testament to her drive to make herself a better athlete and competitor.
"I have learned to love my sport more, and I have also gained respect for other sports and everyone who plays them," said Markopoulos. "Almost everyone is so dedicated to their respective sports. They put in hours every day, either at practice, in the weight room or in meetings. It is not like high school where kids can jump around from sport to sport. In college you have to pick one, maybe two and that is what you train for all year whether it be a spring, winter or fall sport."
If the work ethic and motivation that Kate Markopoulos has tried to achieve on the women's cross country and track and field team stays in place, athletic and team success should be just around the corner.