On Friday, Nov. 14, 2014, Cheltenham senior Ciara Leonard was recognized at a special news conference for signing a letter of intent to compete in track at the University of Virginia. To view photos of the signing, please visit the Photo Gallery.
Ciara Leonard – University of Virginia (Track & Field)
Major: Undecided but something in the medical field
Final list of colleges: Virginia, Syracuse, University of Penn
Reasons for choosing Virginia: “Three hours into my visit, I kind of knew that this is where I wanted to be and this was my home. The girls were so open with me. They were treating me like I was already on the team, so I felt like that is exactly where I should have been.
“I didn’t realize how competitive some of the conferences were, and I did a little research to find out who was in the conference and how the teams were performing. Now I realize it’s a really competitive conference, and that’s exactly what I need. I need to have competition in order for me to run well.”
What was the progression that led you to competing in track at the collegiate level? “My junior year at indoor, I was .1 (seconds) behind another girl in the 60 hurdles, so I kind of knew I could be better if I tried, so outdoor, I tried, and I got first. I knew if I could do this, I could probably run in college.”
Coach Kelly Jensen says: “She’s the all-time state record holder in the 60 hurdles and the 100-meter hurdles. 
She replaced some people who have won NCAA championships and almost made Olympic teams. That’s the caliber of athlete you’re dealing with here. She’s a very good student – she’s carrying a 3.7 GPA. She wanted to focus on education, number one, and she wanted to stay close to home, and UVA fit that, and UVA has a growing program. The coach is doing some exciting recruiting. I think she’s going to a great place that will allow her to balance academics with athletics. I tell the kids – first, love the sport, and then use it to get the best education they can.
“She’s a great teammate. What sets her apart – when she goes over hurdles, she accelerates. There are some people that just have it naturally. It’s just a gift. She clears a hurdle, and she’s accelerating over the hurdle, and she does it so smoothly it doesn’t take her out of her running motion. You watch her run, and it’s like watching grease moving through a pipe, and it just flows. You don’t even see those hurdles when she’s running.
“The other thing is she’s a fighter. She got knocked down at an indoor meet. She lost her glasses in the infield. This was her freshman year in one of her first races. She runs and picks up those glasses, puts them back on, caught the girl and beat her. Her mother said afterward, ‘I’m glad you got up because I taught you not to quit.’ She ended up almost making the state finals her freshman year.”
About Ciara:
Favorite food: Crabs
Favorite movie: “I don’t really have one. Every movie I’ve ever watched I’ve learned to love. I guess I could say my favorite one would be The Mummy 2.”
Favorite music: “Anything I know the words to or can sing. I prefer Trey Songz.”
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