(Edited from an article by Matthew Chaves ’21, sports editor of The Ionian)
Gabrielle Toth ’23 is enjoying being part of the cross country team here at Iona College. Cross country is very different in Australia, where Toth was born and raised.
Toth began running when she was 12 years old, representing her high school team in competitions. She joined a running club soon after, which helped hone her skills. “In Australia, you do a couple competitions for your high school, but formal training is at a club,” Toth said. “But there was no sense of being part of a team,” she added. “You didn’t score points for a team. It was just your result.”
Toth also didn’t have the opportunities in Australia that she could have here. “I didn’t want to stay in Australia because there was nothing like the National Collegiate Athletic Association,” she said.
Toth’s priority is to get the most from both her athletic and academic experiences. She explained that in Australia the two lifestyles are separate. Here in the U.S., athletics and academics are more integrated.
Toth gains support from her upperclassmen teammates who help her work on her form. That kind of mentorship was not a part of the culture back in Australia. “Having them help me, even if it’s just showing me around, has been a really good part of being here,” Toth said.
Friendly coaches, small class size and an athletic program with a strong reputation are the main reasons why Toth picked Iona College over other schools. “There’s a lot of potential here at Iona,” said Toth, “and I wanted to be part of that.”
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