Photo by: Kelly Gorham
MSU’s Lasota Headlines Women’s Cross Country Team After Breakout Junior Year
9/14/2018 1:32:00 PM | Women's Cross Country
Patience is finally paying off for senior cross country runner Kelsi Lasota who has taken the long road to get to the top of the Montana State cross country and track record books
Patience is finally paying off for senior cross country runner Kelsi Lasota.
The Estes, Colo., native has taken the long road to get to the top of the Montana State cross country and track record books.
Lasota's first true love growing up was rock climbing. She spent her youth climbing competitively throughout Colorado. Montana State lucked out when Lasota got an itch to compete with her friends in seventh grade.
"I mainly started running in middle school because I wanted to do a school sponsored sport," said Lasota. "I had a lot of friends who were on the team and a bunch of my older friends were on the team as well. One of my climbing coaches was actually the coach of the track team and was a really good friend."
In high school, Lasota's interests were not strictly focused on athletics. She was a multiple year National Honor Society recognized student, who ultimately decided to study mathematics in college.
"I've always been especially focused on science and math," said Lasota. "Going into college, I was an engineering major before deciding to solely study mathematics."
At the conclusion of high school, it was time for Lasota to decide on where she wanted to continue pursuing athletics, and also where she would fit in academically. She ultimately decided on attending Boise State University and competing on their team. In high school, Lasota was more specialized in shorter distances than the long distances she competes in now.
"Going into college, the furthest race I competed in was the two mile," said Lasota. "In high school, I hated the two mile. I didn't want to run longer than a mile, but when I first got to Boise I wasn't really racing. I was either injured or not in the best place I could be in, so I ran the shorter ones."
After a freshman year fighting through injuries and adjusting to new racing events, Lasota decided she needed a change. She decided to be a Bobcat and transfer to Montana State where her career has taken off.
"When I first looked at transferring, I was looking at schools that were still in the west because I come from Colorado and I really like the mountains and I wanted to find a smaller team," said Lasota. "Just a team that was more well connected, with a supportive coach, and Bozeman definitely reminded me of home when I came on my visit. It felt like the right fit."
Lasota made her MSU debut during the 2016 cross country season, finishing in the top five of the Bobcat lineup on multiple occasions, but no higher than second. Though she competed unattached during the indoor and outdoor track and field seasons, she wouldn't make her opening appearance on the track for the Bobcats until she was a junior.
Lasota used that year participating in meets unattached as an opportunity to work on herself.
"It was a little difficult at first because I was so ready to race," said Lasota. "I think it was good to be able to get caught back up in school and really focus on not having to travel, but still getting to work out with everyone and compete at indoor meets and stay on top of school work. I got to watch other people run and how much the team was growing and experience being with the team as well."
Seeing how the team operated gave Lasota extra motivation to have her best season yet when she could compete.
"I saw where [Lyle Weese] could take people and I really wanted to get there," said Lasota. "I ran extra miles over the summer and tried to push that extra little bit to get there. Being able to see where the program was going and where Lyle wanted me to go, that just pushed me a little bit harder."
After a couple turbulent seasons to begin her college career, Lasota finally got her opportunity and never looked back.
Some of Lasota's accolades from last year include; achieving a gold medal at the Big Sky Outdoor Championships in the 5,000, claiming a silver medal at the Big Sky outdoor meet in the 10,000 and in the 5,000 at the Big Sky indoor meet, and earning all-conference accolades in cross country. She ranks on Montana State's indoor all-time fastest list second best in program history for the 5,000, ninth best for the 3,000 and 10th all time for the mile. She also is second all-time on the outdoor top 10 list in the 10,000 and fourth in the outdoor 5,000.
Despite being such a decorated runner, Lasota has her eyes set on higher goals.
"With how close I was to the 5K record last year, knowing how close I was and just [needing] a little bit more, I'll get there," said Lasota. "One that is going to keep pushing me throughout the year is that 10K record. Even last year I was trying to see how far off I was. Every little race I go to is just something that will help me get there."
Individual success is not the only goal for anyone on MSU's cross country team. The women's team was picked by the Big Sky coaches to take home the league crown. A lot of teams can feel a sense of pressure being held in such high regard, but not at MSU.
"As a team we think of it less as pressure and more of something (the Big Sky coaches) think we can do," said Lasota. "We've already been thinking for the past couple years that we can (win the title). Having other people recognize that's where we're heading and that's where we want to be, (it) kind of puts more of a fire underneath us."
Montana State is going to get a chance to compete and use that fire this Saturday. Lasota and the Bobcats open the season by hosting the MSU Cross Country Classic beginning at 9 a.m. at Bridger Creek Golf Course in Bozeman.
The Estes, Colo., native has taken the long road to get to the top of the Montana State cross country and track record books.
Lasota's first true love growing up was rock climbing. She spent her youth climbing competitively throughout Colorado. Montana State lucked out when Lasota got an itch to compete with her friends in seventh grade.
"I mainly started running in middle school because I wanted to do a school sponsored sport," said Lasota. "I had a lot of friends who were on the team and a bunch of my older friends were on the team as well. One of my climbing coaches was actually the coach of the track team and was a really good friend."
In high school, Lasota's interests were not strictly focused on athletics. She was a multiple year National Honor Society recognized student, who ultimately decided to study mathematics in college.
"I've always been especially focused on science and math," said Lasota. "Going into college, I was an engineering major before deciding to solely study mathematics."
At the conclusion of high school, it was time for Lasota to decide on where she wanted to continue pursuing athletics, and also where she would fit in academically. She ultimately decided on attending Boise State University and competing on their team. In high school, Lasota was more specialized in shorter distances than the long distances she competes in now.
"Going into college, the furthest race I competed in was the two mile," said Lasota. "In high school, I hated the two mile. I didn't want to run longer than a mile, but when I first got to Boise I wasn't really racing. I was either injured or not in the best place I could be in, so I ran the shorter ones."
After a freshman year fighting through injuries and adjusting to new racing events, Lasota decided she needed a change. She decided to be a Bobcat and transfer to Montana State where her career has taken off.
"When I first looked at transferring, I was looking at schools that were still in the west because I come from Colorado and I really like the mountains and I wanted to find a smaller team," said Lasota. "Just a team that was more well connected, with a supportive coach, and Bozeman definitely reminded me of home when I came on my visit. It felt like the right fit."
Lasota made her MSU debut during the 2016 cross country season, finishing in the top five of the Bobcat lineup on multiple occasions, but no higher than second. Though she competed unattached during the indoor and outdoor track and field seasons, she wouldn't make her opening appearance on the track for the Bobcats until she was a junior.
Lasota used that year participating in meets unattached as an opportunity to work on herself.
"It was a little difficult at first because I was so ready to race," said Lasota. "I think it was good to be able to get caught back up in school and really focus on not having to travel, but still getting to work out with everyone and compete at indoor meets and stay on top of school work. I got to watch other people run and how much the team was growing and experience being with the team as well."
Seeing how the team operated gave Lasota extra motivation to have her best season yet when she could compete.
"I saw where [Lyle Weese] could take people and I really wanted to get there," said Lasota. "I ran extra miles over the summer and tried to push that extra little bit to get there. Being able to see where the program was going and where Lyle wanted me to go, that just pushed me a little bit harder."
After a couple turbulent seasons to begin her college career, Lasota finally got her opportunity and never looked back.
Some of Lasota's accolades from last year include; achieving a gold medal at the Big Sky Outdoor Championships in the 5,000, claiming a silver medal at the Big Sky outdoor meet in the 10,000 and in the 5,000 at the Big Sky indoor meet, and earning all-conference accolades in cross country. She ranks on Montana State's indoor all-time fastest list second best in program history for the 5,000, ninth best for the 3,000 and 10th all time for the mile. She also is second all-time on the outdoor top 10 list in the 10,000 and fourth in the outdoor 5,000.
Despite being such a decorated runner, Lasota has her eyes set on higher goals.
"With how close I was to the 5K record last year, knowing how close I was and just [needing] a little bit more, I'll get there," said Lasota. "One that is going to keep pushing me throughout the year is that 10K record. Even last year I was trying to see how far off I was. Every little race I go to is just something that will help me get there."
Individual success is not the only goal for anyone on MSU's cross country team. The women's team was picked by the Big Sky coaches to take home the league crown. A lot of teams can feel a sense of pressure being held in such high regard, but not at MSU.
"As a team we think of it less as pressure and more of something (the Big Sky coaches) think we can do," said Lasota. "We've already been thinking for the past couple years that we can (win the title). Having other people recognize that's where we're heading and that's where we want to be, (it) kind of puts more of a fire underneath us."
Montana State is going to get a chance to compete and use that fire this Saturday. Lasota and the Bobcats open the season by hosting the MSU Cross Country Classic beginning at 9 a.m. at Bridger Creek Golf Course in Bozeman.
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Cross Country
Friday, October 27
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Wednesday, October 16
