Katherine Henderson has made a quick and memorable mark on the Waynesburg University cross country and indoor track & field teams, as well as the Presidents’ Athletic Conference during her impressive rookie season.

Henderson is a jumper, competing in the high, long and triple jump. In her first performance of 2020, she earned PAC Rookie of the Week. Two weeks later, the freshman earned that honor again. I sat down with Henderson to discuss how she got to Waynesburg, and what her goals are for the time she’ll be here.

Question: What brought you to Waynesburg University?

Answer: “I want to be a marine biologist, but I didn’t want to move too far away at first. Also, coach Rocky [Michelle Cross] came to me and told me that I could do really well at the Division III level, and the marine biology program was really good here.”

 

Q: What drew you to Waynesburg University? What was the final selling point that got you here?

 

A: “When I first came and visited here, we were walking around campus with coach Rocky, and she knew every single person. She would just stop and talk to them. That meant something to me. It wasn’t about a number, it was about being an individual.”

 

Q: How has your experience at Waynesburg been so far?

 

A: “It’s been good. At my high school we had 100 kids total in it, so it’s definitely bigger. I like the classes and professors. Everyone is really helpful here.”

 

Q: What’s been the biggest adjustment for you so far from high school track & field to college track & field?

 

A: “In high school it felt like more of an individual sport. Now, in college, it feels like we do more stuff as a group. It all feels like a team effort.”

 

Q: Have you changed your technique with jumping at all?

 

A: “For high jump and long jump we’ve changed the techniques I use.”

 

Q: What’s your relationship with the coaching staff like?

 

A: “They’re great. Coach Rocky hasn’t been around, but she checks in with me and sees if I’m meeting my goals and stuff. Coach Lubich and coach Luke [Payson] are really good. They help me a lot with all the technical stuff and make sure I’m getting the form down.”

 

Q: How have you balanced school with track?

 

A: “It’s been pretty easy. I just schedule my classes around practices. I always have time after practice to get my homework done. At meets, I just bring my work with me and once I finish my events I just do my work.”

 

Q: What are your goals for the remainder of the season?

 

A: “I just care about my personal records, and I want to be able to at least get to them, and possibly break my high jump record.”

 

Q: How did you get into track & field? How did you end up becoming a jumper?

 

A: “I didn’t start out as a jumper. I tried jumping in middle school, and I wasn’t good. I was awful. In high school, I tried it again and something clicked. And I jumped with my best friend in high-school so we worked on it together.”

 

Q: Besides track and schoolwork, what do you do in your free time?

 

A: “I don’t know. I honestly just workout. I shoot basketball sometimes. I like to dance.”