Stefanie Parsons Finding Success at New Mexico After Four Years at Edinboro

Photo credit to Jordan Menard

Stefanie “Stef” Parsons is a graduate student at the University of New Mexico and a 2021 graduate of Edinboro University. The Canadian distance runner chose Edinboro because “The rich tradition of Edinboro distance running, I knew that it was something that felt right and that I wanted to be a part of. The team was very young, and it was such a fun experience figuring out college and building the team culture together. It was a good transition for me and the level I was at coming out of high school. I really liked being on a smaller team that treated each other like family, as well as being coached more directly.”

Five years later, Parsons certainly left her mark on the cross-country and track and field programs as a Fighting Scot. Her college resume from Edinboro includes a 2021 PSAC title in the 5K, a PSAC meet record in the 1500m run in 2021, a USTFCCCA Regional Athlete of the Year award for 2021, All-American honors in 1500m at the NCAA Track and Field Championships this past spring, an invitation to compete in the Canadian Olympic Trials this summer, a selection to the PSAC Top 12 for the Spring of 2021, a 2019-20 Academic All-American selection, a 2020 selection to the United States Track and Cross-Country Coaches’ Association All-Academic selection, a 2020 CoSIDA Academic All-District® 2 Women’s Track & Field/Cross Country Team, a 2020 PSAC Indoor Track and Field Champion in the 800 meter, 3000 meter, DMR, and mile races., a 2019 PSAC Fall Top 10 selection, a 2020 PSAC Winter Top 10 selection, a 2019-20 Women’s Indoor Track Athlete of the Year, a 2019 Outdoor Track and Field Champion in the 800 meter and 1500 meter runs, Two-time Individual PSAC Women’s Cross Country Champion, the 2021 NCAA XC National Athlete of the Week for week of March 24, the 2017 PSAC Women’s Cross Country Freshman of the Year a Three-Time All-Atlantic Region distinction in Cross Country, a Four-Time All-PSAC in Cross Country, and Edinboro Scholar-Athlete, a PSAC Scholar-Athlete, and 12 Edinboro University varsity letters.

Photo courtesy of Edinboro Athletics

At New Mexico, she is currently competing in her first season of collegiate cross-country at the Division I level, and has had a smooth transition. She picked up a Mountain West Conference Cross-Country Athlete of the Week award in early October. She has also consistently been the team’s top runner so far in 2021. Just yesterday, she helped the team to a Mountain West title with the a perfect score of 15 points. It is just the third time in the history of the MWC that there’s been a perfect score in the conference race. Parsons finished seventh overall in the race.

In the classroom, she finished up a degree in exercise science with a minor in biology. Part of the reason she chose to become a New Mexico Lobo was to pursue a masters degree in exercise science in order to one day become a cross-country and track and field coach at any level of the NCAA. For now, her goal remains to become the best runner she can and to represent Canada internationally for the first time.

Looking back on her time as a college runner to date and attending both Edinboro and now the University of New Mexico, Parsons said. “Moving away from Edinboro has just made me realize how much I really do love it there and how much the people throughout my time in Boro mean to me. I know that they are still rooting for me even in a New Mexico uniform and I want to represent them well.”

“Moving to Albuquerque was a big adjustment at first and pretty difficult, but once I started working out with the team, I knew that I had made the right decision. Training with such a talented group and on one of the best teams in the NCAA has given me so much confidence to know that I belong when running at the front of big races. So far this season, I have had two of the best cross-country races of my life. I try to go into every race with the intention of taking full advantage of the opportunity to compete and run fast, because I know in the past these types of opportunities were not always there.

There is so much history to look back on, but plenty more to come for you, Stef! Best of luck as you continue working on your masters degree and running at the Division I level. Thank you for the chance to share your accomplishments to date 🏃🏼‍♀️

Graphic courtesy of Edinboro Athletics