Story Links

Anthony Kostelac is the top freshman in the NCAA over 800 meters this season. With a time of 1:49.47 – the fastest 800m performance of the week last week – Kostelac tied Cavalier All-American Lance Roller’s sixth-best mark in UVa track and field history. Kostelac also used that time to win the event at the Saturday Night at The Armory III, en route to earning Most Outstanding Performer of the meet honors. He has won the 800m at the VT Invitational this year, while he was also a member of the Cavaliers distance medley relay that won at the VT Elite Meet.

Kostelac currently leads the ACC and is ranked 25th nationally in the 800m. In addition, he is on Virginia’s DMR squad that leads the ACC and is ranked eighth nationally.

Question: You were named the Most Outstanding Performer of the meet this past weekend. What does that honor mean to you?
Kostelac: To me, the Most Outstanding Performer is such a cool honor to be given. I was really surprised to receive it, especially when we had a lot of great performances team-wise at that meet.

Question: You’ve had some pretty impressive performances already this season. What are some of your goals for the year?
Kostelac: I personally would like to score at the ACC meet the weekend after next and also make it to NCAAs with a relay team or maybe even individually in the 800.

Question: You were a member of the 4x800m relay team from Albemarle that broke the national high school record in 2009. What is it like to be back training with Zach Vrhovac and Luke Noble, in addition to the rest of Virginia’s middle distance and distance crew?
Kostelac: I absolutely love training with my old teammates again and especially with all the other extremely talented middle distance crew here. We’re really going to do big things in the next couple years.

Question: What are your workouts like now, with the level of talent that Virginia has in the middle distances?
Kostelac: Workouts are definitely more intense than they were in high school. It’s really made me improve with good times so far.

Question: What has been the hardest thing you’ve had to get used to in collegiate training and competing?
Kostelac: The hardest thing that I’ve had to get used to so far is probably the amount of running I’ve increased to, but it hasn’t been too hard of a transition.

Question: When and how did you get involved in competitive running?
Kostelac: I got involved in competitive running seriously my sophomore year of high school. I didn’t even run year-round my freshman year because I honestly didn’t like it that much then.

Question: Being from Charlottesville, what made you decide to come to Virginia?
Kostelac: I actually was born and raised in Arizona and didn’t move here until about four years ago. But I’ve still lived here long enough to get used to the campus and everything. At first I didn’t think I’d like it here because UVa was right in my backyard, but I really wanted to be great at running and UVa has so much talent so I chose to come here. It’s a completely different world here, so I’m very happy that I chose UVa. I love it here.

Question: What has your experience been like so far?
Kostelac: It has been awesome to say the least. I don’t think I’d be as happy anywhere else or with any other coach than our coach.

Print Friendly Version