When you have reached the pinnacle, the very highest level-at the highest level in the collegiate arena, what challenges remain?
Watch out professional track–Allie Ostrander is heading your way!
Allie “O” hinted on Monday through instagram and confirmed on Tuesday that the 13-time collegiate All-American will test herself against the best in the world and join the ranks of professional track and field, foregoing her final seasons of eligibility at Boise State University.
Allie earned her degree in Kinesiology in May punctuated with a 4.00 cumulative grade-point average and on June 27th was named to the Google Cloud Academic All-America Cross Country/Track & Field First Team for a second-consecutive year.
Allie Ostrander, at the Division I NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in June, raced to her third-straight national championship in the Women’s 3000M Steeplechase. Allie also qualified in the Women’s 5000M final. For the 2019 outdoor season, Allie posted the nation’s fastest collegiate times in the 3000M Steeplechase and the 10,000M run. Allie ranked in the Top-20 nationally in both the 1,500-meter (12th- 4:14.76) and the 5,000-meter (17th- 15:45.66).
In Allie’s college career she was awarded 13 NCAA All-American titles, three national 3000M Steeplechase titles, and raced to eight Mountain West Individual Championships.
Also included on Allie’s 2019 college resume’:
2019 NCAA Elite 90 Award recipient, given to the championships participant with the top cumulative grade-point average.
2019 2018 NCAA Regional champion and a women’s cross-country All-American
2019 Women’s Most Outstanding Performer of the Mountain West Indoor Track & Field Championships
2019 1st women’s athlete in Mountain West history to win the conference’s Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Student-Athlete of the Year award for a third-straight season.
In the college career of Allie Ostrander it can truly be stated that the accolades are “too many to list, and the lasting effect too great to judge.”
Ostrander discusses announcement to turn professional
Allie Ostrander spoke with Sports Director Jay Tust of KTVB Boise.
Excerpts are courtesy to KTVB transcript of interview between Tust and Ostrander.
On turning pro:
“I talked to some of my teammates, and I talked to my parents and my sister, and some of my friends. I talked to other runners that have faced the same decision, and obviously, I talked to potential coaches and future teammates about it. In the end, I felt like this was best for my personal and athletic growth. It was what got me most excited about running.”
Did winning a third national title influence your decision?
“That definitely made me feel more satisfied – leaving on a good note – and it made more options available for professional running. If I hadn’t been satisfied with my performance at nationals, I likely would have stayed (at Boise State).”
How long have you dreamed of this moment?
“Running professionally has definitely been a dream of mine ever since I started focusing on running. To be given this opportunity and to see the next portion of my life in front of me – filled with running and racing and chasing my potential – is really exciting.
What comes to mind when I mention the 2020 Olympics?
“Obviously that’s somewhere I’d like to be. I’d love to represent Team USA. But there are a ton of other incredibly talented athletes that are vying for the same chance. So when I think of the 2020 Olympics, I don’t think of the actual Olympics, I think of the Olympics trials and what I’m going to have to do there to get to the Olympics.”
