As LSU senior runner Morgan Schuetz prepares for her final cross country season, it doesn’t seem like long ago when she was a fifth-grader trying to figure out what she was good at.
“We had a physical fitness test, and I stunk at everything else,” Schuetz said. “Then we had the mile, and I thought I’d be pretty good at it and ended up beating most of the boys.”
Schuetz quickly caught the eye of cross country coaches and began running competitively in sixth grade. She continued running throughout high school, earning three-straight 1,600 and 3,200-meter Class 3A state titles and two 800-meter 3A state titles.
As the top distance prospect in the state for the class of 2012, LSU always was the first choice for Schuetz.
“My family has always been huge LSU fans,” Schuetz said. “I’ve always wanted to run for LSU, so I did all I could to be good enough for the team. I really wasn’t fast in high school, so I was just hoping to be good enough to run at LSU.”
As the only freshman runner on the cross country team in 2012, Schuetz proved she was more than good enough. She placed in the top 30 twice in her freshman season, placing as high as 24th at the LSU Invitational, where she clocked her season-best 6k at 24:01.4.
Schuetz improved even further her sophomore season, earning another top 30 finish and the honor of LSU Women’s Cross Country Runner of the Year. In 2014, Schuetz had four more top 30 finishes, including first place at the LSU Invitational.
Despite all of those accomplishments, Schuetz said her favorite moment from her career came during a home track meet last year.
“I was just really relaxed, which isn’t normal for me because I’m normally very, very nervous,” Schuetz said. “I was running against some really good girls and this awesome girl, who has become kind of my archrival. It was the only time I beat her, unfortunately. But I beat her, and that’s where my personal record for the 800 is.”
Between setting records and beating archrivals, Schuetz said she hopes to be better this season than she ever has before.
In order to keep improving, Schuetz said she wants to have the right mentality, which
requires believing in herself.
“I still don’t think I’m that fast,” Schuetz said. “I still forget that I’ve been to nationals. Wrapping my head around the thought that I’m good, I’m one of the best, I have to start thinking that way in order to progress even further.”
With the first meet of the cross country season approaching on Sept. 4, Schuetz already has her sights set on qualifying at regionals, which will ultimately lead to nationals.
Schuetz said because LSU hasn’t had many cross country runners at nationals, she would love to be one of the few to be able to say they have done so.
“I’ve never really been to nationals for cross country,” Schuetz said. “My coach thinks I can do it. If he thinks I can do it, I think I can do it, too.”
Although this cross country season will be the final for Schuetz, she plans to return as a fifth-year senior and will be eligible for the 2017 track andfield season.