Carolyn Shult, a senior runner from UW-Eau Claire, has been named the WIAC Kwik Trip Women’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week for her outstanding performance at the St. Olaf Invitational last week. Shult placed first overall, leading the women’s cross country team to a second place finish out of nine teams.
Shult’s Impressive Victory
Shult ran the 6,000-meter course in 22:22, beating the second-place finisher by 12 seconds. She was the only runner to finish under 22:30 in the field of 124 runners. She also improved her personal best by 10 seconds from last year’s race at the same event.
Shult said she was happy with her performance and credited her teammates and coaches for their support. “I felt really good during the race and I was able to push myself to the end,” she said. “I’m grateful for my team and my coaches who have helped me get to this point.”
Shult’s Journey as a Blugold Runner
Shult, who is majoring in biochemistry and molecular biology, has been with the Blugold cross country team since her freshman year. She said she chose UW-Eau Claire because of the program’s reputation and philosophy. “I really liked Coach Schwamberger and everything he had to say about the program,” she said. “He focuses on developing us as runners and as people, not just on winning races.”
Shult faced some challenges in her first year, as she suffered a fractured foot that prevented her from competing. She also had to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic that disrupted the track and field season in the spring of 2020 and the cross country season in the fall of 2020. She said she stayed motivated by training with her small group of teammates and keeping her goals in mind.
Shult finally got to compete in cross country as a junior in 2021, and she quickly established herself as one of the top runners in the conference and the region. She helped the Blugolds qualify for the NCAA Division III National Championships, where they placed 14th as a team. Shult finished 40th individually, earning All-American honors.
Shult’s Goals for Her Final Season
Shult said she is looking forward to her final season as a Blugold runner, and she has high expectations for herself and her team. She said she wants to improve her times and place higher at the national level. She also hopes to lead her team to a conference title and a top-10 finish at nationals.
“I think we have a really strong team this year, and we have a lot of potential,” she said. “We have a lot of depth and talent, and we work well together. We’re all excited to see what we can do this season.”
Shult said she is also enjoying her academic experience at UW-Eau Claire, and she plans to pursue a career in biomedical research after graduation. She said she is interested in studying diseases and finding new treatments or cures. She said running has taught her valuable skills that will help her in her future endeavors.
“Running has taught me how to work hard, how to overcome challenges, how to balance different aspects of my life, and how to be resilient,” she said. “I think those are all important skills for any career, especially in science.”
