CASSIDY WALCHAK-SLOAN

Cassidy's Story

Cassidy's journey began in Olympia, WA. Her story begins in an interesting way because despite her coach's desire to help her progress she was reluctant. Her passion and knack towards running didn't begin until her time at NCAA DII Saint Martin's University when she decided to commit late to the program. She experienced first breakthrough her freshman year and having her anemia under control, she began to excel in the sport.

Cassidy she played an integral role for the Saints during the 2023 cross country season. Cassidy's relentless determination and hard work were pivotal in helping the Saints achieve an impressive runner-up finish at the GNAC Cross Country Championships for the 2nd consecutive year. Moreover, she contributed significantly to the Saints securing 7th place at the NCAA DII West Region Championships – marking their second straight top 10 finish and the highest place finish in program history. 

Upon graduating from Eastern Washington, Cassidy is following her mother's footsteps in pursuing a career in Social Work. 

High School Stats

800m - 2:32.05

1600m - NA

5,000m - 25:19.90

College Stats

800m - 2:13.88

1500m - 4:27.97

1 Mile - 4:50.16

3,000m - 9:51.95

5,000m - 16:40.76

6,000m (XC) - 20:34.10

Coach Matt didn't just coach me to run - he really took the time to understand me as an individual athlete. Instead of following the typical path most college distance runners take, he tailored my training to fit what I needed. I've always struggled with high mileage and dealt with frequent injuries, but he never pushed me to do what wasn't right for my body. Instead, he helped me find success through a different approach, incorporating more cross-training and keeping my easy runs shorter. His support and flexibility made all the difference in my development as a runner. 

In high school, I never even broke 6 minutes in the mile, so the idea of running under 4:30 in the 1500m during college felt impossible to me. But Coach Matt didn't see it that way. He believed in me from the start. His steady encouragement and support helped me reach that goal and eventually become an All-American at the 2023 NCAA DII Cross Country Championships; I never imagined that could happen for me. Running is just as much mental as it is physical, and having a coach who understands that and knows how to tap into your potential can completely change your path. That's exactly what Coach Matt did for me.