Sophomore Karrington Seals becomes first indoor track All-American in school history

Sophomore hurdler and CLAS biology student Karrington Seals' hard work and dedication paid off when she became the first 'All-American' in women's indoor track on this semester. In order to qualify as 'All-American' you must finish top eight in the nation for your event.

This was a first in the four year history of the Warrior Women's Indoor Track and Field Squad. Wayne State University students have qualified for the NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field National Championships for the past three years.

Seventeen women competed for a spot, but only eight were eligible. In a time of 8.70 seconds, Seals secured her spot, ranking eighth in the 60m hurdle finals.

The Warriors finished in a 47th-place tie with one point.

Seals wasn't always passionate about running; it wasn't until her sophomore year in high school that she started to take it seriously.

"Track never came easy for me; it's something that I have to continually work on. In my years of running I realized it's okay to fail, because in failure you're able to grow. And I constantly to grow as a runner," says Seals.

Not only does Seals conquer the competition on the field, but also in her schoolwork. She is an honors biology major, minoring in Spanish and currently holds a cumulative GPA of 3.74.

A typical day in her life consists of attending class, going to practice, weight lifting and studying at Wayne State's David Adamany Undergraduate Library.

I've learned what true dedication and perseverance looks like. When I get it wrong, I can try a thousand more times and still get it wrong. But I always get back up, this is what makes me a stronger person overall.

The hectic schedule, the long hours of training, the late night study sessions, all give Seals structure. She plans to attend medical school to become an orthopedic surgeon.

Seals was raised with a hard work ethic, and continues to implement it within her everyday life. It's an honor to have students who are passionate about what they do, and willing to grow from mistakes made.

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