One of the nation's top distance runners Julie Macedo has announced she will run collegiately at the University of Florida. On her second visit to the University of Florida in early October the Delaware native fell in love with the Orange and blue.
"It wasn't just one thing that sold me on the Gators. It was the combination of how much I like Coach Morgan's coaching style, how well I meshed with the personalities of the girls (and guys) on the team, the beautiful campus and the amazing support that the athletes are provided."
Macedo chose the Gators over Oregon, Arkansas, North Carolina, and Vanderbilt. She has won the Delaware Division One Cross Country State Championships the past two seasons. Recently, she proved her dominance at the Joe O'Neill Invite with a 42 second win over fellow Delaware runner and US#9 Haley Pierce in an incredible 16:55.26. She is currently ranked number one in the latest MileSplit XC Super 50 Individuals.
In addition to the warm weather Gainesville offers Macedo is excited to join what she calls an incredible group of girls.
"I can't stand Delaware winters and I'm so looking forward to not dealing with the ice, snow, hail, or freezing rain anymore. I can't wait for Florida Sunshine. Also, I am looking forward to running with the group of girls. They were so welcoming and helpful on my visit and it was so much fun to get to know them. I'm looking forward to making life-long friends of my new teammates. Besides being really cool people they are also a group of very talented athletes. It will be helpful to have teammates to train with and push me to be a better athlete myself."
The standout runner believes she will be able to make an immediate impact and will thrive with Coach Todd Morgan's training style. She says that UF is getting an athlete who is truly passionate about the sport.
"In me UF is getting a runner who is a dedicated teammate, strives to achieve ambitious goals, is willing to work harder than anybody else I've ever met, and truly loves to run."
Personal Bests
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1600 Meter Run4:59.79
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3200 Meter Run10:34.70
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5000 Meter Run16:53.00
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