The decision is in for Admiral Farragut senior Brittany McGee. One of the state's top hurdler/jumpers and defending state champion in the 100 and 300m hurdles has decided to commit to Stanford University.
What was the recruiting process like for you?
Well, it was disappointing in the sense that schools I thought I would love just weren't fit for me at all, but it was also great because I had awesome opportunities to meet a lot of awesome people and see some of the best schools in the country. Overall though, I definitely wouldn't want to have to do it again. Telling coaches you're not interested or that you didn't choose their school isn't fun at all.
You didn't sign in November, was that okay with you or kind of stressful?
I initially really wanted to, but it didn't work out that way. So yes, it was very stressful. I had to wait until April to hear back from Stanford on my admission decision and I didn't want my decision to be made beforehand because it couldn't be undone. So patience was key for me and throughout senior year you change a lot, waiting until closer to the end helps you realize what you truly wants, it's just tough waiting.
When did recruiting really take off?
I received my recruiting letter my freshman year and sophomore year came the handwritten letters. Then in my junior year is when I got a lot of emails and communication between coaches. June 1st after my junior year ended I got phone calls, and I had to kind of mentally start picturing myself at all these different colleges. On my 18th birthday, August 30th, I had my second in home visit from a coach, which happened to be Stanford. Only one week after school started and from there on out everything was a kind of whirlwind adventure of discovering what I wanted in the team and school that I would eventually attend.
Where else were you considering/take visits to?
Most people say you will never use all five possible visits that NCAA allows, but I did, and man was it a task. Between scheduling around homecoming and all the school activities I managed to go on official visits to Duke, UCF, UCONN, Boston College and Stanford by the end of the first week of November.
What was it that sold you about Stanford?
Not only will it be an adventure for me, but the campus atmosphere as well as the team just had me the minute I arrived for my visit. The camaraderie of all the students is awesome and going onto the team there I know Daryth and Gabby from the several years we competed against one another in 1A.
Stanford is known as one of the premier schools in the country with a strong balance of athletics and academics. How important was that balance?
Overall, academics come first for me so when applying and looking at colleges I looked for a major I would like, or a special program I could involve myself in, because without my strong base in academics I don't believe I could do as well in athletics. For example, I love math and calculus and when I run my events I try to calculate every move to an angle or time and it makes it easier for me. So, the academics is a big thing for me going into college.
Coming from a very small school like AFA to a college like Stanford what do you think the biggest transition will be for you?
I think the biggest transition for me will be the number of people, even though the undergraduate population is under eight thousand. My school's graduating class of 2015 is under 70 people. Adjusting to the idea that I can see somebody one day and not ever see their face again for a month or even longer is crazy to think about, we are so tight knit here, everybody knows each other.
You did the jumps/hurdles in high school. Does Stanford see you as more of a multis athlete? Is that what you'd prefer to do rather than focus on one event?
Well, I've always wanted to train as a multi- event athlete and see what level I could reach. In high school, I always just competed in the few events I was best at but I never think I got to reach my full potential as a multi athlete. With that being said during this season they haven't had a multi event athlete compete, she tore her ACL preseason. Heading in, I will definitely compete inmultis, but the meets they aren't offered or the meets my coach wants me to do open events I will probably compete in the jumps/hurdles.
I know Stanford was a dream school of yours. How excited are you to sign with the Cardinal and what are you looking forward to most about the next level?
Stanford is definitely a dream school, and their admission process for athletes are a little different than most schools, so leading up the April I truly didn't believe I was going to get accepted. I was just as excited as any other typical high schooler that gets into a school like that, and it was during my spring break also. I'm so excited to finally sign my papers and be able to tell people where I will be attending college with pride. I'm most looking forward to having the opportunity to train with some of the best and compete against some of the best people in the country, it will only help me to improve in my own performances.
You're brother , who is a two-time state champion in wrestling is also signing Wednesday and has chosen Ohio University. What does it mean to share signing day with him and what is the sibling rivalry between the two of you like?
It's pretty cool to have a twin brother sign at the same time, he's actually waited for me to make my decision since he decided in November. To be able to say that I have someone just as talented, if not more, sign at the same time is awesome. We argue and try to show off about who is the best, but we both know we are different and better in a lot of different ways so in the end through all the bickering we really are proud of one another.
Now that this decision is behind you, you can focus on the state meet less than a month away and the state series. What are your goals and what would make for the exclamation point of a great high school career?
My goals going into the state series is to really just focus on enjoying myself, my teammates and my final memories as a high school athlete. I do want to jump 19 this season, I've gotten really close, but I haven't had that perfect day yet. If I could PR in the 300 and 100 hurdles that would be great to hit a 43 and a 13. The biggest thing for me to finish off the year would be to win a team state title. Coming from a team that's never even won districts if we could pull that off I think I could leave with ever dream of mine completed. We've got some surprises coming and I think it's going to be awesome.
Personal Bests
- 100 Meter Hurdles14.14
- 100 Meter Dash12.57
- 300 Meter Hurdles44.68
- 400 Meter Dash1:03.36
- Heptathlon4627
- High Jump5-4
- Long Jump19-5
