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Sophomore Kathleen Stevens (Blacksburg, Va.) recently checked in with VirginiaSports.com to talk about last week NCAA Southeast Regional Championships where the Cavaliers repeated as champions and the upcoming NCAA Championships on Monday (Nov. 21).

Question: How is your preparation for the NCAA Championships on Monday going?
Stevens:
It’s really exciting. I haven’t been to the course, so I don’t really know what to expect, but most of my teammates have so that will be good to rely on them. I’m really honored to be going and I’m so glad that we made it as a team.

Question: What was it like helping the Cavaliers win the NCAA Southeast Regional title last weekend?
Stevens:
I had bronchitis the week before (the meet), so I was skeptical about how I was going to do and feel during the race. I was just going to give it all I had. I actually felt bad the whole way, but I ended up finishing fourth on the team and was so happy that I could contribute to the score, because we only ended up winning by six points. It was really cool that I could help us win.

Question: Did sitting out last year help you transition from high school into being a student-athlete at the university level?
Stevens:
Yes, it was a blessing to have that whole year to not have to worry about competing and giving all my attention to running because the transition to college was really difficult. I didn’t think it was going to be that big of a deal, but being at UVa, it’s hard academically and it’s hard changing your entire life, so yes, knowing what to expect this year, I was able to take a lot of extra stress out of my life and helped my running.

Question: What was the biggest draw to UVa?
Stevens:
I had a feeling this was the only place I could see myself, I love the campus and it’s a really good school academically, which is important to me.

Question: What has been the best part about Virginia outside of the track/cross country program?
Stevens:
The people I’ve met here. I’ve made a lot of friends outside of running and really like the attitude of the university itself, striving for excellence, while having a good perspective on life.

Question: What has been your favorite class so far at UVa?
Stevens:
It’s been African-American history. I want to be a kinesiology major, but I always looked forward to it. It’s been the only history class I’ve taken here and I really like history, so it was very interesting.

Question: Why should a prospective student-athlete come to the University of Virginia?
Stevens:
I think it’s up to the individual and what they want personally, but the best thing about UVa is everything you learn from coming here, all that it has to offer in terms of academics and that great amount of opportunities you have from going here.

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