Danville, Ky. -
(This is part two of a four-part series with Centre College national champion Chloe Hein).
Last summer, Centre College track standout Chloe Hein didn't get to spend an abundance of time training because she was at the University of Iowa in the Biomedical Scholars Summer Undergraduate Research Program studying freshwater snails native to New Zealand.
This summer is a lot more laid back for Hein, who was named the NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships outstanding female field performer after winning the long jump with a school record mark of 21 feet, 1 1/4 inches, clearing 40 feet for the first time in the triple jump to finish fifth and finishing the 100-meter dash in 11.74 seconds to finish fifth.
Hein was approved to train for the U.S. Trails because she's on the long jump "bubble" to be one of 16 competitors. She'll find out in mid-July if she makes the qualifying cut or not.
If Hein had been competing in the Division I NCAA East Regional in Lexington this season, she would have qualified to advance to the national championships in Eugene, Ore., with her winning Division III long jump effort.
"Obviously all the divisions are very competitive and I did beat the girl that won the Division II nationals. Honestly, the lines are blurring in that aspect (of divisions). I just see it as a label. I don't see it as anything too particularly different in my case because we have such good facilities here at Centre. We have such good coaches that I feel like there are even playing fields at this point," Hein said.
"I'm also very aware of my situation right now and my goals right now. My goal was never realistically to be able to make D1 nationals, but as of right now I've pivoted to have my goal be the U.S. Trials. I'm trying to see what a bigger stage feels like because I have so many goals now that will accumulate once I see how the Trials go."
She is training at a "higher caliber" this summer in hopes of getting the invite to the U.S. Trials.
"Summer for us is usually a lot of heavy conditioning, longer distances, even for the sprinters. I am going to be peaking again for the summer trying to get to my best by late July," Hein said.
Hein will be in Danville most of the summer training with Centre College assistant coach Ernest Mosheleketi.
"I am basically taking it easy for a change. I might pick up a job depending on how much training he'll want me to do. For a change I am just going to go with the flow," she said.
"Overall it is a much less busy summer for me. I will be able to get home (Alexandria, Ky.) if I want. I'll need to do more than just train because you cannot overdo it during the summer. But it will be nice just to also have some free time."
She stays busy during the school year. She was the social chairman for the Kessler Scholars, a program for first-generation college students. She was part of the first class of Kessler Scholars and "takes it personally" to try and create unique social events. She will also be the Panhellenic Council President for the college sororities this year.
"This past junior year I was the social media, public relations chair for the sororities, so I had the social media page that I posted on regularly to get people excited for recruitment and aware of social events on campus," Hein said. "I feel like I do take part in a lot more on campus than just athletics.
"You need to be multifaceted as a person. I am here to get my education to go somewhere in the future, and if that's not pro athletics or anything like that. I want to be able to be sociable and to have way more on my record than just track and field."
