RIVERSIDE, Calif. - Seattle U track and field returns to action on Friday when it travels to Riverside, Calif., to compete in the Chris Rinne Twilight, hosted by UC Riverside. The event is schedule to take place at UC Riverside Track & Field Stadium with the first event starting at 10:30 a.m. and the last event starting at 9:15 p.m. The Redhawks will be competing against athletes from UC San Diego, Montana State, San Diego and UC Riverside.
Senior Kailan Claiborne is one of the senior leaders on this year's Seattle U track and field team. In his five seasons with Seattle U, the San Francisco, Calif., native has achieved PRs of 23.62 in the 200m, 51.76 in the 400m and 13.04 in the triple jump. Seattle University Athletics recently took the time to meet with Claiborne to learn more about his time at Seattle U and what his plans might be for the future.
Q: Why did you choose to return to Seattle U?
A: I decided to return to SU in order to better myself professionally as well as athletically. I did not feel as if it was the right time to start looking for a job amidst a global pandemic, and realized that by going back to school for an extra year I would put myself in a much better position to find the job I really wanted. I also felt as if I could not simply turn down the extra year of eligibility when my entire senior season had just been canceled.
Q: Have you decided what you want to do after graduation?
A: After graduation, I hope to pursue a career in qualitative research. I just conducted my first ever research study, focusing on Black student athletes at Seattle University. I hope to at some point return to grad school and further my education, and improve myself as a researcher. Currently, I have an internship at Equal Opportunity Schools, a non-profit which uses qualitative research combined with data and analytics to look at how we can get more high school students of color into AP/IB classes and eventually into higher education.
Q: What's the one thing you look forward to the most on meet day?
A: The one thing I look forward to the most on meet day is the competition itself. I love competing with my teammates and pushing myself every weekend to be the best I can be.
Q: What is your favorite memory as a Redhawk?
A: I would have to say competing at Bryan Clay is my favorite memory at Seattle U. Winning my race at such a large invitational was an amazing feeling and one I will never forget.
Q: How has being a student athlete at Seattle U made an impact on you as a person?
A: Being a student athlete at Seattle U has made me a more driven person in all aspects of my life. I no longer see obstacles as things that will set me back, but instead challenges for me to overcome.
Senior Kailan Claiborne is one of the senior leaders on this year's Seattle U track and field team. In his five seasons with Seattle U, the San Francisco, Calif., native has achieved PRs of 23.62 in the 200m, 51.76 in the 400m and 13.04 in the triple jump. Seattle University Athletics recently took the time to meet with Claiborne to learn more about his time at Seattle U and what his plans might be for the future.
Q: Why did you choose to return to Seattle U?
A: I decided to return to SU in order to better myself professionally as well as athletically. I did not feel as if it was the right time to start looking for a job amidst a global pandemic, and realized that by going back to school for an extra year I would put myself in a much better position to find the job I really wanted. I also felt as if I could not simply turn down the extra year of eligibility when my entire senior season had just been canceled.
Q: Have you decided what you want to do after graduation?
A: After graduation, I hope to pursue a career in qualitative research. I just conducted my first ever research study, focusing on Black student athletes at Seattle University. I hope to at some point return to grad school and further my education, and improve myself as a researcher. Currently, I have an internship at Equal Opportunity Schools, a non-profit which uses qualitative research combined with data and analytics to look at how we can get more high school students of color into AP/IB classes and eventually into higher education.
Q: What's the one thing you look forward to the most on meet day?
A: The one thing I look forward to the most on meet day is the competition itself. I love competing with my teammates and pushing myself every weekend to be the best I can be.
Q: What is your favorite memory as a Redhawk?
A: I would have to say competing at Bryan Clay is my favorite memory at Seattle U. Winning my race at such a large invitational was an amazing feeling and one I will never forget.
Q: How has being a student athlete at Seattle U made an impact on you as a person?
A: Being a student athlete at Seattle U has made me a more driven person in all aspects of my life. I no longer see obstacles as things that will set me back, but instead challenges for me to overcome.