EDWARDSVILLE - Rachel Schoenecker is one who loves the team aspect of cross country and track.
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While quiet, she has been a leader in both for Edwardsville High School over the past four years with her commitment to hard work and consistency. She is the lone Edwardsville girl to ever qualify for state four consecutive years in cross country, which she rates as one of her greatest achievements in high school.
This past week, Schoenecker made her college choice official – she will attend Illinois Wesleyan in Bloomington and compete in both track and cross country, her two loves. The Edwardsville athlete is also excited about Illinois Wesleyan’s genetics program.
“I really like their (Illinois Wesleyan’s) mix of athletics and academics,” she said. “It is also pretty small and I wanted to keep it that way (for her college choice). It is not that far away, it is two and a half hours of driving, which is a good distance for me.”
George Patrylak, the Edwardsville High School head cross country coach and distance coach in track and field, said Rachel always gives her all when she is running in practice and meets.
"She doesn't every give up,' he said. "She always puts forth 100 percent effort."
Schoenecker said she couldn’t imagine not being a member of both the cross country and track teams. She said she is probably going to major in biology and follow in some type of career in genetics and research, likely with some post-college graduate school.
“I want to run the 1,500 and the 5K in college,” she said. “There will be a transition with the workouts and practice in college.”
She said she has grown close to her teammates the past four years and enjoyed seeing everyone grow and improve.
“I have gotten a lot stronger mentally and physically and my love for the sport has been growing,” Schoenecker said.
Her goal for the track season is to qualify for state, which she says has always been a dream for her.
In the meantime, she said she plans to just work to get stronger and prepare for the cross country season in the fall at Illinois Wesleyan.
