Photo by: Sam Bloom
Athletic Career Cemented, Tru Roginske Ready to Make Professional Step
4/9/2020 12:08:00 PM | Women's Track and Field
Despite her outdoor season being cut short before it even started, Tru Roginske leaves track and field program with marks among the best
BOZEMAN, Mont. – The hard work was coming to fruition for Truanne Roginske.
Roginske put together her best college season of her career during the 2019 indoor track and field slate. In her final season of indoor eligibility, Roginske broke out completing four lifetime-best marks. She set a new school record in the 60-meter dash at 7.56 seconds, moved to fourth in program history in the triple jump with a leap of 38 feet, 3.25 inches, while also moving to seventh all-time among Bobcats in the 200 (24.66) and long jump (18-07.25). She earned her first individual all-conference finish to cap the Big Sky Championships held in Bozeman by claiming bronze in the 60 dash finals.
She also took seventh in the 200 and ninth in both the triple jump and long jump to help spearhead a runner-up showing for the Montana State women's team in its home facility.
"It was a lot different," Roginske said of that indoor season. "I hadn't done that much running ever in my life, so I was in a lot better shape which translated well to jumps. That's just from (sprints coach) Jay (Turner), he really pushed me on the days when I was like 'I don't know if I can do this.' He just really pushed me and it helped to go through those days when you're puking through the workout and then that translating to championships. It makes it all worth it."
Roginske followed her indoor season in 2019 with another strong one outdoors. After redshirting during the 2018 outdoor schedule, Roginske finished the year by placing in the top 11 in four events at the Big Sky meet in Missoula. She ended last year's outdoor season with two individual personal-best marks along with two top-10 times as part of MSU's 4x100 relay squads.
"That (2018-19) season was definitely the highlight of my track career," Roginske said. "It's a little frustrating because you do so well in high school, and then you come to college and it's just a new experience. For all of my work to finally pay off and watch it all come together was really great."
With her indoor season eligibility exhausted, Roginske went into the 2019-20 school year knowing she'd have more time to prepare for competition than her teammates. While the Bobcat program got its competition schedule in December, Roginske knew she wouldn't be wearing Blue and Gold at upcoming meets. She'd be able to participate in several meets during the winter months, but they'd be as an unattached athlete, utilizing MSU's open meets to develop and train.
Roginske had her eyes set on the start of the outdoor season.
"It was definitely really hard because everybody was gearing up for indoors and I wasn't," Roginske said. "It was really hard during the fall semester to keep your mindset on competing when you have so far to go still. I guess it was tough doing indoor unattached because you're not at your best because you go so long in between each meet without competing, you don't have the jersey on, but looking forward to outdoor is what keeps you going."
With the outdoor season just a couple weeks away from opening, the COVID-19 pandemic began to make an impact on the college athletics spring calendar. On March 18, the Big Sky Conference canceled all spring competition and championship events. For Roginske, that meant her track and field season ended before it even began.
"It doesn't really feel real yet just because this would be my season now," Roginske said. "Going into this before this all happened, I thought I was ready to say goodbye to track. But then when this all happened, I thought to myself I wasn't. There wasn't really any closure with the season or saying goodbye to teammates. I guess we should've known this was coming, but it was still really hard.
"I think my teammates saw me cry more in a few days than I had in the previous five years. I've had a lot of great support from my family, teammates and coaches during this which is awesome."
Roginske's athletic career at MSU was provided optimism on March 30. The NCAA announced that its Division I Council voted to allow school to provide spring sport student-athletes an additional season of competition and an extension of their period of eligibility. That could mean a chance for Roginske to continue to train and have another opportunity for an outdoor season.
However, her mind was already made up as the coronavirus pandemic persists. Roginske has been preparing to attend Physician Assistant (PA) school and hopes to spend the next year getting hands-on clinical hours. While the healthcare field faces the challenges of the pandemic currently, Roginske plans to work as a medical scribe or phlebotomist to prepare for her next academic pursuit.
"I'm a microbiology major with an option in medical laboratory science," Roginske said. "That's why I chose not to take a sixth year. The last year and a half my goal has been PA school, so I can't put that off anymore especially with everything going on right now. It's clear how important the healthcare field is and I'm ready to be a part of that."
The Joliet, Montana, native said the support from her family has been one of the things that stood out to her most during her time at Montana State. An MHSA Class B champion three times for Joliet High, Roginske became an accomplished athlete for the Bobcats. She was able to compete in front of those close to her near home while transforming into a strong Division I student-athlete.
Roginske completed her college career as a two-time all-Big Sky performer. She ranks among the top 10 in program history in a combined seven events individually between the indoor and outdoor seasons, while she also is listed on three of MSU's 10 best 4x100 outdoor relay teams. A five-time Big Sky All-Academic team honoree, Roginske proved she could do it all on the track and in the classroom.
"I'm really happy I chose Montana State," Roginske said. "I think it's been a great fit for me athletic and academic wise… I knew I always wanted to stay in Montana. Both my parents graduated from MSU so I grew up a Bobcat fan. I couldn't see myself anywhere else. I wanted to wear that jersey. I didn't know I wanted to run college track until about my junior year in high school, and once I did, I knew MSU was where I wanted to be."
Roginske put together her best college season of her career during the 2019 indoor track and field slate. In her final season of indoor eligibility, Roginske broke out completing four lifetime-best marks. She set a new school record in the 60-meter dash at 7.56 seconds, moved to fourth in program history in the triple jump with a leap of 38 feet, 3.25 inches, while also moving to seventh all-time among Bobcats in the 200 (24.66) and long jump (18-07.25). She earned her first individual all-conference finish to cap the Big Sky Championships held in Bozeman by claiming bronze in the 60 dash finals.
She also took seventh in the 200 and ninth in both the triple jump and long jump to help spearhead a runner-up showing for the Montana State women's team in its home facility.
"It was a lot different," Roginske said of that indoor season. "I hadn't done that much running ever in my life, so I was in a lot better shape which translated well to jumps. That's just from (sprints coach) Jay (Turner), he really pushed me on the days when I was like 'I don't know if I can do this.' He just really pushed me and it helped to go through those days when you're puking through the workout and then that translating to championships. It makes it all worth it."
Roginske followed her indoor season in 2019 with another strong one outdoors. After redshirting during the 2018 outdoor schedule, Roginske finished the year by placing in the top 11 in four events at the Big Sky meet in Missoula. She ended last year's outdoor season with two individual personal-best marks along with two top-10 times as part of MSU's 4x100 relay squads.
"That (2018-19) season was definitely the highlight of my track career," Roginske said. "It's a little frustrating because you do so well in high school, and then you come to college and it's just a new experience. For all of my work to finally pay off and watch it all come together was really great."
With her indoor season eligibility exhausted, Roginske went into the 2019-20 school year knowing she'd have more time to prepare for competition than her teammates. While the Bobcat program got its competition schedule in December, Roginske knew she wouldn't be wearing Blue and Gold at upcoming meets. She'd be able to participate in several meets during the winter months, but they'd be as an unattached athlete, utilizing MSU's open meets to develop and train.
Roginske had her eyes set on the start of the outdoor season.
"It was definitely really hard because everybody was gearing up for indoors and I wasn't," Roginske said. "It was really hard during the fall semester to keep your mindset on competing when you have so far to go still. I guess it was tough doing indoor unattached because you're not at your best because you go so long in between each meet without competing, you don't have the jersey on, but looking forward to outdoor is what keeps you going."
With the outdoor season just a couple weeks away from opening, the COVID-19 pandemic began to make an impact on the college athletics spring calendar. On March 18, the Big Sky Conference canceled all spring competition and championship events. For Roginske, that meant her track and field season ended before it even began.
"It doesn't really feel real yet just because this would be my season now," Roginske said. "Going into this before this all happened, I thought I was ready to say goodbye to track. But then when this all happened, I thought to myself I wasn't. There wasn't really any closure with the season or saying goodbye to teammates. I guess we should've known this was coming, but it was still really hard.
"I think my teammates saw me cry more in a few days than I had in the previous five years. I've had a lot of great support from my family, teammates and coaches during this which is awesome."
Roginske's athletic career at MSU was provided optimism on March 30. The NCAA announced that its Division I Council voted to allow school to provide spring sport student-athletes an additional season of competition and an extension of their period of eligibility. That could mean a chance for Roginske to continue to train and have another opportunity for an outdoor season.
However, her mind was already made up as the coronavirus pandemic persists. Roginske has been preparing to attend Physician Assistant (PA) school and hopes to spend the next year getting hands-on clinical hours. While the healthcare field faces the challenges of the pandemic currently, Roginske plans to work as a medical scribe or phlebotomist to prepare for her next academic pursuit.
"I'm a microbiology major with an option in medical laboratory science," Roginske said. "That's why I chose not to take a sixth year. The last year and a half my goal has been PA school, so I can't put that off anymore especially with everything going on right now. It's clear how important the healthcare field is and I'm ready to be a part of that."
The Joliet, Montana, native said the support from her family has been one of the things that stood out to her most during her time at Montana State. An MHSA Class B champion three times for Joliet High, Roginske became an accomplished athlete for the Bobcats. She was able to compete in front of those close to her near home while transforming into a strong Division I student-athlete.
Roginske completed her college career as a two-time all-Big Sky performer. She ranks among the top 10 in program history in a combined seven events individually between the indoor and outdoor seasons, while she also is listed on three of MSU's 10 best 4x100 outdoor relay teams. A five-time Big Sky All-Academic team honoree, Roginske proved she could do it all on the track and in the classroom.
"I'm really happy I chose Montana State," Roginske said. "I think it's been a great fit for me athletic and academic wise… I knew I always wanted to stay in Montana. Both my parents graduated from MSU so I grew up a Bobcat fan. I couldn't see myself anywhere else. I wanted to wear that jersey. I didn't know I wanted to run college track until about my junior year in high school, and once I did, I knew MSU was where I wanted to be."
Players Mentioned
Sprints/Jumps
/ Women's Track and Field2022 Big Sky Outdoor Championships
Monday, May 16
Track and Field Big Sky Championships
Monday, February 18
Coach Kennedy - Feb. 11, 2013
Tuesday, February 12
Coach Kennedy - Feb. 4, 2013
Tuesday, February 05
