Collective Wisdom of Sooner Seniors, Part 3

The end of things - like an academic career or an athletic career - is often a time when people step back and reflect on the journey. The third in our senior series has given four seniors a chance to share what they have learned and what they have enjoyed while at OU as they prepare to compete in their final Big 12 Championship this weekend.

Q: What are your plans after graduation?
A: Run professionally (not sure where yet)

Q: What was your favorite class from your time at OU? What made it your favorite?
A: Nutrition taught by Dr. K (Knehans) because I not only enjoyed learning about it, but Dr. K kept it fun.

Q: What was your favorite road trip with the Sooners?
A: My first trip to the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Ore., with Alex Deir.

Q: What is your favorite competition memory?
A: When I earned first team All-America honors for the first time in the 3000 Steeplechase.

Q: Who is the teammate who has made the most difference in your time at OU?
A: Patrick Gomez. We have ridden through the lowest of the lows in running together, but we have also brought each other up to highest of the highs together. Ranging from injuries, to complete coaching changes, to team failures, to individual triumphs, and everywhere in between.

Q: What is your best memory, out of all the things you have experienced, while at OU?
A: Going 1, 3 at conference with Patrick Gomez in the 3000 steeplechase at 2014 Big 12 Conference Championship (and Dylan was eighth).

Q: What person - coach, teammate, professor, classmate or other person - has had the biggest positive impact on you? What was it that they did?
A: My mom, Lucia Doughty, because she has been the most supportive person anyone could ever ask for, no matter how well or poorly I am doing.

Q: What piece of advice would you share with the incoming freshmen if you had a chance to speak with them before they started their OU careers?
A: Don't wait until next year to decide to want to be good because you will regret every day that you put off being the best athlete you can be. Your eligibility will truly be gone before you know it.

Q: What was the most exciting thing you experienced during your Sooner career?
A: Watching Alex Deir qualify for the NCAA in the 3000 steeplechase at regionals, right before my race went off.

Q: What do you want to be remembered for at OU?
A: To be remembered as a good man of God.

Q: What are your plans after graduation?
A: Move to a new part of the country and begin a new career.

Q: What is your favorite competition memory?
Winning the Big 12 javelin title in 2014, my sophomore year.

Q: Who is the teammate who made the most difference in your time at OU?
A: Ashley Kowalewski -- because she showed me what it was like to have a strong work ethic and leadership.

Q: What person - coach, teammate, professor, classmate or other person - has had the biggest positive impact on you? What was it that they did?
A: Coach Blu -- because he has never stopped believing in me.

Q: What piece of advice would you share with the incoming freshmen if you had a chance to speak with them before they started their OU careers?
A: Come in with the intent to win, talent alone will not carry you to championships. Start with a strong work ethic and push your limits. Give 100 percent and hold yourself accountable.

Q: What are your plans after graduation?
A: Next year I will be finishing up my prerequisites for PA (Physician Assistant) school while working here in Norman. After that, I will be attending PA school.

Q: What was your favorite class from your time at OU? What made it your favorite?
A: My favorite class would definitely be my physics class that I had this semester. Dr. Strauss has taught the class in a way that helped me to conquer a topic that I didn't know if I could ever understand. He has been innovative and interactive with all of his teaching methods and that has made it a class that I look forward to attending every day.

Q: What was your favorite road trip with the Sooners?
A: It would have to be a tie between when we got the opportunity to go to NCAA Outdoor last year in Eugene, Ore., and when we took our spring break trip to Arizona State this year. It was awesome to be able to bond with my teammates over new experiences that we had during both trips. It's always an honor to get to travel all over the country, doing what we love and having a blast while we do it.

Q: What is your favorite competition memory?
A: My favorite competition memory so far has been making the finals at NCAA last year and then throwing a PR in the finals to end up on the podium in fifth place. That experience changed me for the better as an athlete and set me up this year to compete at a different level.

Q: What do you want to be remembered for at OU?
A: As my time as an athlete at OU comes to a close, I hope to be remembered as someone who took the time to get to know each person on the team and supported them when they needed it most. I hope that I've been a leader who stood up for what was right and knew when to step in and make a change when something was wrong. This has been such a positive, life changing, and blessed experience for me. My hope is that I've make a positive impact in return.

Q: What are your plans after graduation?
A: My husband (Scott Williams) and I are planning on moving to Bellingham, Wash., to start our next chapter in life together. He will be attending nursing school there and I will be building my career in consulting in the Seattle area.

Q: What was your favorite road trip with the Sooners?
A: My favorite road trip with the Sooners was the trip to New York City when I was a sophomore. We were staying about half a mile from Time Square. We were able to be "tourists" as well as student-athletes! It was awesome!

Q: Who is the teammate who has made the most difference in your time at OU?
A: The teammate who made the biggest difference at Oklahoma for me was by far Alex Morgan, who graduated last year. She helped me get through some of the toughest times and the scariest (coming out as gay). She helped mold me into who I am today.

Q: What piece of advice would you share with the incoming freshmen if you had a chance to speak with them before they started their OU careers?
A: Be grateful. There was a time at OU (my freshman year) where you had to earn your equipment (spikes, clothes, etc). Now, Coach V provides the best resources available to make his athletes the best that they can be, and our results are showing exactly that!

Q: What do you want your legacy/how you are remembered at OU to be?
A: I want to be remembered as the man who helped change the face of intercollegiate sports. I want people to see inclusiveness and diversity as great things. Gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender are not dirty words. It is possible to be LGBT and be an amazing athlete with great support systems. Do not let your personal opinions about this issue get in your way of including every athlete as a member of the team, no matter their race or sexual orientation. If a person is gay, that doesn't affect your life in any way. If anything, it allows you to be a better person for being accepting and supportive. Respect other people's feelings. Being LGBT is not a choice or lifestyle - it is a part of who that person is. It is their personality and a characteristic that doesn't need to be changed. Love everyone as you would love yourself.