Ballenas Secondary School graduate and former Oceanside Track and Field member Alycia Butterworth saw her University career come to a close at the NCAA Track and Field Championships held at the University of Oregon.
Butterworth finished 19th in the 3,000-meter steeplechase event in the NCAA finals for that event. It’s been five hard-working years in the making for Butterworth, trying to qualify for the NCAA finals and it finally came in her last year with the University of Idaho.
Butterworth, who graduated in 2010 from Ballenas Secondary, wrapped up a successful career with the University of Idaho Vandals, an NCAA Division 1 school. She earned the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Women’s Track Athlete of the Week award three times in 2014, as well as First-Team All-WAC honours in 2011, 2012 and 2014 for her efforts in individual and team races.
“I think I let nerves get to me,” said Butterworth, who also said she felt out-of-sorts throughout her warm up. “I wasn’t as calm as I wanted. I didn’t have as much pep and bounce as I usually do, it just didn’t go my way.”
— With files from the University of Idaho Athletic Media Relations