Photo courtesy of UA Athletic Communications.
Former Mountain Brook standout Rachael Reddy joined the Tide this season after spending one year at the University of Texas.
Rachael Reddy is back.
Back to running fast. Back to winning races. Back in her home state.
After spending one year at the University of Texas, the former Mountain Brook High School distance standout made the decision to transfer to the University of Alabama for the start of her 2015 redshirt freshman campaign.
“I just kind of realized that I wanted to be closer to home and to my family,” Reddy said.
As indicated by the results, her addition to the Crimson Tide roster has made an immediate impact.
After winning the first two cross-country races of her career, a pair of victories at the Brooks Twilight Classic on Sept. 6 and at the Oklahoma State Cowboy Jamboree on Sept. 26, Reddy has quickly emerged as the Tide’s top runner.
And, behind her stellar performances, the team has vaulted into the nation’s top-30 team rankings for the first time since 1995, earning the No. 29 spot in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Coaches Poll.
Considering that this is her first-ever season of cross-country, having competed only in soccer and track during high school, the results have been unprecedented.
“I didn’t really know what to expect because I’d never done it before,” Reddy said.
“It’s kind of been a shock to me to come away with the wins.”
In addition to the national ranking, Reddy has also been recognized as the Southeastern Conference Women’s Runner of the Week (once) and the SEC Women’s Freshman Runner of the Week (twice).
But her recent success on the cross-country course is simply a continuation of what she began this summer on the track.
One year removed from a premier victory in the 2 mile at the 2014 New Balance Outdoor Nationals, Reddy made a sensational return to the oval this past June.
At the 2015 USATF Junior National Outdoor Track and Field Championships, held in Eugene, Oregon, from June 25-28, Reddy raced her way to a national title in the junior women’s 5,000 meters, clocking a time of 16:28.04 in her event debut and qualifying for the Pan-American Junior Athletics Championships.
But she didn’t stop there.
For the former Spartan star, qualifying for an international event and earning a spot on the U.S. team still left her unsatisfied. Besides, after redshirting the entirety of her freshman year at Texas, she had eagerly awaited for the chance to return to competition.
So, in her first career race as a member of the U.S. team, Reddy dashed to an unprecedented international victory.
Crossing the line in 16:23.35, she notched a first-place finish in the 5,000 meter final at the Pan-Am Championships on Aug. 1, winning by more than 12 seconds and setting a new meet record.
“I just really wanted to have fun and enjoy the experience,” Reddy said. “It meant a lot to me. I really wasn’t expecting to win.”
As evidenced by her string of success, however, Reddy has made winning a habit. Dating back to her 3,200 meter triumph at the 2014 6A outdoor state track meet, she has tallied first-place finishes in each of her past seven races.
Now in the thick of cross-country season, Reddy is focused on continuing that success and helping the Tide secure a qualifying spot for the NCAA Championships, slated for Nov. 21 in Louisville.
But even in the midst of an elite season — characterized by the flurry of titles, achievements and accolades — Reddy has steadily maintained a humble attitude, thankful for a fresh start in Tuscaloosa and for the endless stream of support she’s received from her teammates, coaches, parents and friends.
“I just feel very blessed that I’ve gotten these opportunities because not everybody gets these kinds of chances,” Reddy said. “It’s really been mind-blowing. I’m very humbled by all the support.”
