On Friday, Nov. 20, 2015, Central Bucks West senior Maddie Villalba was recognized for committing to compete in track at the University of Pennsylvania. To view photos of the event, please visit the Photo Gallery.
Maddie Villalba – University of Pennsylvania (Track)
Major: Engineering
Final list of colleges: Penn, Maryland, Vanderbilt
Reasons for choosing Penn: “It just had everything I was looking for. The environment there is incredible – I love the feel of the city, and just the feeling I get walking around campus is indescribable. They also have a flexible science program, which I wanted, a flexible music minor, which is what I was looking for, and the track team is really awesome. I connected with the coach. Everything kind of fit.”
What was the progression that led you to competing in track at the collegiate level? “I actually didn’t know I was going to run track in college until the very end of 10th grade. Tenth grade was my first year running outdoor track, and it was the first time I was a little more successful with it. I had run indoor in ninth grade, but until 10th grade, I kind of thought I was going to play lacrosse in college. I ran track in 10th grade and did pretty well, and that’s when I realized this could really happen, it’s something I could do in college.”
Coach Kiki Bell says: “Maddie makes herself so good. It would be great if I could say it was the coaching, but it’s all Maddie. She’s such a uniquely determined individual that all of her assets altogether make her a runner because it takes a certain level of insanity to want to achieve what she’s achieved. She’s a (three-time) state champion already and still has this track season to go in addition to medaling all four years at cross country states, which is an amazing feat done only by a handful of people – the best of the best in the history of Pennsylvania. She’s really put herself on another level, and it’s kind of spilled over. She’s just that way in everything. She’s the consummate teammate. She communicates with me about the other athletes on the team more than she will about her own training, wanting to make sure we’re all goal-oriented.”
About Maddie:
Favorite food: Mac ‘N Cheese
Favorite movie: Heathers
Favorite music: Jazz Fusion/Soul
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