Sophie Atkinson now holds the Texas school record in the 5k, and although the graduate distance runner is a new face to some, Texas has been her goal from the start.
“Texas has always been a dream school for me,” Atkinson said. “I did look here for undergrad, but I think it was just a matter of timing and it wasn’t the right fit at the right time.”
Atkinson, originally from Katy, Texas, spent her undergraduate years at the University of Virginia. Competing year-round athletically, she also earned a dual degree in economics and American studies, qualifying for the Atlantic Coast Conference honor roll twice.
At Virginia, Atkinson competed for the Cavaliers in cross country, indoor and outdoor track and field.
“I prefer outdoors … but I love cross country in the sense that it’s a team sport. I think that element of it … the camaraderie in cross country is unlike anything else,” Atkinson said.
In her senior year, Atkinson earned silver at the Panorama Farms cross country invitational, pushing the Cavaliers to victory at the meet. She placed fifth in the 5k at the ACC indoor track and field championships, the No. 3 all-time best by a Virginia runner. During her final outdoor season, she recorded a personal best in the 10k with a time of 33:29.46, placing her fifth overall in program history for the event.
Graduating from Virginia but still athletically eligible, Atkinson looked to Texas.
“I needed a change,” she said, “A lot of that was back being coming closer to home and family, and having a new set of eyes on me. That’s been really helpful with Coach Smith, starting fresh and having a new program.”
In addition to being from Texas, Atkinson admired the unique culture of Texas athletics.
“Something that’s really cool about (Texas) is the ambition and drive,” Atkinson said. “The coaches encourage you … and cultivate an environment where you feel like anything is reachable.”
At Texas, Atkinson has competed for the indoor and outdoor track and field teams while also pursuing a certificate in strategic communication.
During the indoor season, Atkinson recorded a personal best mile time of 4:47.97. She also broke a 39-year-old school record in the 3k race with a time of 9:04.40 at the David Hemery Valentine Invitational in Boston.
“That race (was) exciting for me,” she said. “My progression within the sport has not been the most linear path … I felt really fortunate in that race, it just clicked, I ran into (my) fitness and it was a special day.”
With the remainder of the outdoor season ahead of her, Atkinson looks to further her influence on the program.
“I want to leave an impact in the best way I can, influencing younger people and being a good teammate,” Atkinson said.
