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29 M any college athletes have unpredictable paths while finding their "sport." Junior Antonise Christian knew when she was 4-years-old, she was meant to be a runner. Christian found her home with the University of Iowa track and field team and continues to make her name known as each season goes by. Christian, a therapeutic recreation major, grew up in Gary, Indiana, and was always looking for a place to run and pursue her dream. e biggest difficulty was finding places to train. "When I was 4-years-old, I would tell my granddad I could see myself running and crossing the finish line," Christian said. "Aer that, my mom was always looking for tracks, but it wasn't easy looking for stuff back home. I officially started track in sixth grade." Christian tried other sports in high school, including basketball, but nothing captured her attention like track. Collegiate running was always her dream, it was just a matter of where she wanted to take that next step. Christian was recruited by multiple colleges, but Iowa checked all the boxes and gave her a sense of home. "I picked Iowa because it's not too far from my home, yet not too close," Christian said. "On my visit, the coaching staff, the faculty, and the team were incredibly welcoming. e people I met were warm and welcoming. Compared to other schools, Iowa's interest in me was high. e biggest part for me was that it felt like home." Christian enters her junior season with confidence and a healthy mindset. She faced injuries her first two years on the team and the transition of starting college in a new environment affected her mentally. Now in her third season, Christian feels stronger physically and mentally. She also has incredible support in Iowa and back home. "I have a lot of support and my biggest supporter would have to be my mom," Christian said. "At Iowa, it's a combination of people. My roommate and teammate, Mika (Cox), and coach Clive Roberts are two people I feel I can always go to. I'm not really an open book, so it's hard for me to make the initial effort to let people in. It's something I'm working on. My group is open when it comes to helping me solve problems. We're a close-knit group and have gotten closer over the years." At the Jimmy Grant Invitational on Dec. 14, Christian came out fast in the 60-meter dash. She broke a personal best (7.48) and jumped to No. 6 on Iowa's all-time top 10 list. e 2020 season is looking promising for Christian. "e biggest goal for me is to help the team," she said. "I want to qualify and place at indoor and outdoor nationals. I want to win nationals. I'm looking forward to seeing where the season goes." With time le at Iowa, running professionally remains a goal for Christian aer graduation. But as for the 2020 season, she is ready to break records and achieve goals. JANUARY SCHEDULE Jan. 10-11 Hawkeye Invitational Jan. 17-18 Larry Wieczorek Invitational Jan. 24-25 at Rod McCravy Memorial (Lexington, Kentucky) Jan. 31- Feb. 1 Black & Gold Invitational