Melbourne Central Catholic senior Amanda Beach is one of the top distance recruits in the state of Florida for the class of 2017. Beach, who recently finished 5th at the 2A Cross Country Finals and has PR's of 5:05.86 (1,600m), 10:48.35 (3,200m), and 17:47.60 (5k XC), recently announced her college decision to attend Duke University. We caught up with her to talk about the recruiting process, picking the Blue Devils, the upcoming track season, and more.
I started getting official calls in July (when the coaches were allowed to start talking to me) and I remember quite a few saying my performance at either NBN Outdoor or the FSU Relays caught their interest.
How would you describe this journey?
The process was super exciting. I loved meeting the coaches, the teams, and all the other recruits on my visits. Everyone was so encouraging and supportive and I couldn't be more grateful for that. At the beginning of the process, though, I had no idea what to expect so it was a ton of fun when I found out I got to hang out with the team and get to see all the athletic buildings/ equipment that the college had to offer. Overall, I was blessed with an amazing experience.
What schools did you visit/consider?
I mainly considered the University of Florida, Florida State University, and Duke University. Those were my three official visits.
In the end you picked the Blue Devils. What was it that sold you on Duke?
I was sold on Duke because of its incredible academic opportunities, and I love the team and the coaches. It's always been a dream of mine to run for Duke for some reason, so the whole decision is kind of surreal.
Duke has a very young team and I loved every single one of the girls. They were all super positive and welcoming so I felt like I really fit in. The coach was also extremely welcoming and even squeezed a visit in for me in the middle of the week on short notice! We especially bonded over talk of healthy dessert recipes (haha).
A lot of the schools you looked at were very strong academic institutions as well. How important was that balance of being a true student-athlete?
I recognize that eventually one day I will have to "hang up the spikes," so I wanted to make sure wherever I went I would receive a great education. So yes, all the schools I considered would have given me opportunities to succeed academically as well as athletically and I chose that on purpose!
Why the decision to commit now?
I wanted to commit early because I had already visited all the schools I wanted to visit and I was ready to make my decision. I had always planned to commit early just so I can take the weight off my shoulders regarding college decisions and be able to enjoy the rest of my senior year/ track season!
What are the goals for your senior track season?
Of course I want to set new PR's during track season, but I mainly just want to strive to be the best I can be.
What are you looking forward to most about the college experience and being a Blue Devil?
Lastly, is there anyone you'd like thank for helping you get to where you are today?
By The Numbers (Personal Bests)
- 1600m - 5:05.86
- 3200m - 10:48.35
- 5K (xc) - 17:47.60
