University of Delaware Athletics
One Last Ride for Padua Trio
10/26/2022 11:00:00 AM | Women's Cross Country
When looking at the Delaware Cross Country team, it’s hard not to see the connection between athletes Anna Cleary, Katie Hally and Alicia LeNoir.
Not only are they seniors set for their last cross country competition together at Delaware, but the trio has been running together for the last seven years, attending Padua Academy in Wilmington together and joining the Pandas’ cross country team when they were freshmen.
Friendships and relationships can build stronger bonds over time. In high school, the girls were teammates and leaders of the team, and while they were friends, they were not as inseparable as they are now, but gradually became closer as their careers went on.
We were good friends in high school, we had different friends outside of running, but running made us all best friends. Continuing that friendship into college, we’ve gotten even closer, we’re all living together now.Alicia LeNoir
Experiencing state championships and leading a team together was important for them, but they became each other’s support system as they transitioned to the college level, something each of the three outlined as paramount to their success at the University of Delaware.
“It’s nice to have people who understand your life, especially with Katie and I doing both nursing and running, it’s a huge time commitment but we both know we’re in it together,” Anna Cleary said. “It makes it a lot easier to have each other to talk about things with, and with Alicia too, it’s special to have somebody that you’ve known since you were a freshman in high school. We’ve all seen each other grow up and become more confident and succeed at school and running and that’s cool.”
All three have grown up in the First State and went on to attend Delaware, getting to represent the school and their home state at countless competitions throughout the northeast, even going as far as Minnesota recently. Representing the state at meets with larger schools is a special experience for all of the athletes.
I love Delaware. For the longest time, I thought of myself as a homebody, in high school, my senior superlative was “biggest Delaware enthusiast”, and it’s really special for me because I love Delaware so much and I love running so much. It’s cool to represent the place I love doing what I love.Alicia LeNoir
In what could be the seniors’ last meet, Delaware is hosting the CAA Championship at White Clay Creek State Park, something each of them remarked is a full-circle moment. The excitement is palpable for a home race against the conference’s best.
"I feel a little peace going into that race because I know the course and there are no surprises," Cleary said. “We have that down, so we just have to execute on that day. I’m excited to celebrate the outcome with everybody, and to all do it together one more time.”
"I’m so excited about this specific meet, and having it at home is such a special thing," Katie Hally said. “I used to hate this course in high school and I had a bad experience with it once, I did not like it. I’ve grown to appreciate the challenge of it. It’s a true cross country course. It’s going to show who is the best of the best and that’s what’s exciting about it. We’re not favored going in, but anything can happen on the day and especially on this course.”
Head coach Kenyetta Iyevbele has been a witness to the relationship of not just the trio, but the seniors as a whole, who she believes are a big part of the cross country team.
The seniors have meant everything to this team. I think it's tremendous when you have a solid group of seniors to set the foundation and set the culture which allows new people to come in and follow that. I will miss them, they have been a huge inspiration to all of us.Kenyetta Iyevbele
As their cross country days come to an end soon, one thing is for certain; their relationship never will. From their early days at Padua to their last days at Delaware, it’s a bond that will never be broken.
I have two older brothers and no sisters, and as cheesy as it may sound, Alicia and Anna are my sisters. They’re always going to be in my life. It’s cool that we met in high school and we’ve gotten to live and grow together, it’s a special relationship.Katie Hally
