Hagerty senior Nicolette Worrell was 16th at last year's Cross Country Finals and is hoping to improve on that finish in 2016. Recently, the Huskies standout made her college decision when she committed to Jacksonville University and head coach Ron Grigg. We caught up with Worrell to talk about the college recruiting process, why she chose the Dolphins, and much more.
What was the recruiting process like for you?
The recruiting process for me was fairly slow. I started to look at schools near the end of my junior year and started to make contact over the summer. By senior year I began my official tours. Overall though, I had a great experience. It was a huge learning experience and I'm lucky that I had my parents and coach supporting me the whole way.
Where all did you visit/consider?
I did three official tours. First was JU (Jacksonville University), then Stetson, then FAU.
What sold you on the Dolphins?
For me, everything pretty much sold me on JU. The biggest factor though was the team. I felt like I connected to them really easily and felt totally comfortable with them and in the atmosphere of the campus.
How was your relationship with the coaching staff and the rest of the girls?
Meeting the coach and the team was phenomenal. It helped me mold what I was really looking for in a college team/culture. It felt natural while I was there interacting with everyone.
All of the schools you visited were in-state. Was staying at home a factor in your selection process?
I did a few unofficial tours in addition to official tours and they were all in state. For me, staying in state was easiest on my family financially (and my mom didn't want me to go too far away).
Why the decision to commit early?
I got a lot of different perspectives on when I should actually commit and sign. When it came down to it for me, I finished checking out the main schools I was interested in and was ready to make my decision. I didn't really feel a need to wait any longer, especially if I already made my mind up in my head of where I wanted to go. My coach told me that if I knew, then go for it.
Now that you know where you will spend the next four years of your running career you can focus on the state series. This weekend you have regionals, 4A Region 1 which is known as the Region Of Death. What are the goals for this meet?
For regionals, my main goal is to take advantage of the weather and the competition to run fast. It's a great opportunity to run well and that's exactly what I want to do. I also want the same for my team. We're all extremely motivated to qualify for states and I know that all of my girls are looking to run as fast as it takes for that!
How would you sum up your time at Hagerty High School?
My time at Hagerty has been more amazing than I could even imagine! My team has become my family every single year and it's going to be really hard to leave them. We're all so close, I really can't imagine running a season without them with me every step of the way. It's going to be exceptionally hard to leave Coach Getty, too, because he's basically become like my parent, but I am excited to be a Dolphin!
What are you looking forward to the most about the next chapter in your life?
What are you looking forward to the most about the next chapter in your life?
I really think that I'll be able to make another family with the team at JU and I'm so excited to start collegiate training! It's going to be a life changing experience I can already tell, but I'm so, so, so ready for it. I also plan on visiting at meets when I can!
By The Numbers:
- 800m - 2:27.76
- 1600m - 5:13.45
- 3200m - 11:48.29
- 5K (xc) - 19:10.47