Everyday Champion -- Noelle Harer
Beaver senior track and cross country runner Noelle Harer of Seaside, Ore., has been described as one of Kelly Sullivan's "original pioneers" in the rebirth of the program that was dormant from 1988 to the fall of 2004. She was one of the first recruits to help restart the program. She has since set records and taken full advantage of her student-athlete status by being a member of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee and a four-time Pac-10 All-Academic selection.
Harer's career is coming to an end as a student-athlete, as the next chapter of her life begins as an accountant. Brittany Ornelas of the OSU Athletics Communications staff had a chance to sit down and talk with her recently.
Q: How significant was it for you to stay in state?
A: I was open to traveling around; although financially it didn't seem the best way to go. Oregon State was far enough away to where I could still have a life away from my parents, because I was ready for that,
and experience a new adventure being out on your own. It was not a huge thing, but I was glad to stay in state.
Q: You are a part of the original recruiting class, talk about the improvement you have seen in OSU track since you have arrived?
A: I have seen a lot of improvements. The Pac-10 as a whole has improved a lot too. Maybe to some onlookers, it might not appear we improved as much as we have, but we definitely have made some leaps and bounds since that first year.
Q: You have set many personal best records, how important is that to you?
A: It was important, but it was not the most important thing to me. With races, as long as you do your best and you give it your best, the times will come. Coach Sullivan's philosophy was not to focus on times, but to focus on winning races and running as hard as you can. As long as I did that, if the times came, then great and if they didn't, at least I know I did my best.
Q: Most memorable meet?
A: The one that most stood out would be from my sophomore year. I finally broke my high school record in the 800 meters. My high school record was a 2:18 and I ended up running a 2:13. My other most memorable meet was earlier this year, running the 3000. I had never run a 3000 competitively before. So when I ran a 10:11 it got me to believe that I could do better in the 1500 and 800 this year.
Q. What do you see as the future of the program?
I'm excited to see where we'll stand in the Pac-10 next year. Although the Pac-10 is getting stronger and deeper, this program has come a long way from four years ago. We had a lot of athletes redshirt this season and they did some great things on the track, so it will be fun to see what they can do this coming fall.
Q: Now that you're a senior and are about to leave, what will you miss the most?
A: Just being a part of the team and my friends. I will definitely miss the relationships I have built, not only on my team, but other teams as well. Athletics has created a great opportunity for me to build those
relationships and also to have that confidence in my own self to know that I can do whatever I set out to do.
Q: What do you want Oregon State fans to remember you most for during your time here?
A: Somebody that always put themselves out there. I am outgoing and always tried to be involved. I didn't only want to be the student-athlete. I wanted to be well-rounded and not have running just define me as who I am. Being involved in the community through the Student Athletic Advisory Committee that included the Fall Carnival, Operation Santa, HUGS (hats, underwear, gloves and socks), and through
another club I was associated with, Relay For Life.
Q. How have you grown as a person since first stepping on campus?
A. I have learned more about what kind of person I want to be and developed a sense of direction. Being a part of athletics has taught me to be self-disciplined and to manage my time well. I've also learned
the importance of relationships, as well as that life is always going to present challenges -- just that perspective will determine whether those challenges are mountains or mole hills.
Q. What is your next adventure in life - graduate school, internships, jobs, family, etc.?
A. I will be walking in commencement this spring as a summer graduate and then I will only have about 15 credits in the fall to finish up to complete my CPA exam requirements. Also, this summer I will be doing an internship in Portland with one of the Big Four accounting firms, PricewaterhouseCoopers.
