The Ithaca College women’s track and field team has asserted its dominance in several indoor events this season, with senior Rachel Larson continuing to make her mark on the hurdles. In the past year, the 2025 two-time First Team All-American has cut over a full second in the 200-meter and worked her 60-meter hurdles time down from 8.94 seconds at the Greg Page Relays and Multi Meet to 8.58 at the same competition this year. Larson has improved several of her other times, continuing to compete in many events, including the 100–meter hurdles and the 4×400–meter relay.
Throughout this season, Larson has achieved personal records in the 200-meter, 60-meter and 60-meter hurdles. Named track performer of the week Feb. 9, she came first in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.63 seconds at the Ithaca College Tri-Meet on Feb. 7.
Larson and her team will attempt to regain the Liberty League title. With a leap from her junior to senior season, she continues to create athletic goals for herself after a memorable performance at the NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships in 2025, where she placed sixth and was named All-American.
Larson sat down with Contributing Writer Meaghan Baggoo to talk about her growth with IC track and field.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity
Meaghan Baggoo: What do you think has changed or led the most to this leap from junior season to senior season?
Rachel Larson: I think what’s changed the most is just having confidence. I think last year was really a season of growing and a lot of change, and now I’m really confident in my abilities.
MB: How do you train to prepare for your season, or if you had anything that you did differently, how did you train to prepare for senior year?
RL: This year was a little bit different. I stayed over the summer this year to take summer anatomy, because I’m in the [physical therapy] program, and so the benefit of that was that I got to use all of the athletic facilities while I was here over the summer. So I kept using our weight room, our track. That was really good to help prepare, being in the same spaces that I know I’ll be in all year round.
MB: How did you get into track and field, and when did you realize that you wanted to do it in college?
RL: I was originally a gymnast. And my mom was like, you should try hurdling and track in high school, and so I did it my freshman year of high school, and I was like, it’s OK. My sophomore year was COVID, so I didn’t do it. … My junior year, I was on the fence about doing it again, and then my friend convinced me to, and I ended up really liking it, and I performed a lot better. In the fall, I attended the prospect clinic, and after meeting with the team, it was just such a great group of girls, and the coaches here are really great, and I just, like, fell in love with it.
MB: Do you have a certain routine or any superstitions that you like to do before competing?
RL: Before all my races, I turn away from the hurdle, so I have my back towards it, and I just stand. We call it the power pose, and I stand with my hands on my hips, and I just breathe and talk through what I’m gonna do and my plan for the race. Then, once they call that they’re gonna start the race, that’s when I turn around and it’s go time.
MB: What’s your mindset like going into a race or a meet day in general?
RL: My mindset is to just have fun. I think I race my best when I’m having fun and before meets, like, we always do, like, a team huddle, and we all get super hype, and I think just, like, being around my teammates and, like, laughing with them, singing with them, dancing around is what gets me super excited. If I’m smiling, like, I know I’m gonna do well.
MB: Who have been your biggest supporters throughout your career as a track and field athlete?
RL: Definitely my head coach, [Jennifer] Potter, she has probably had the greatest influence on my track experience. She’s an extremely knowledgeable coach, but she also pushes me to be the best person I am.
MB: As a senior, how do you plan to continue your education, and then do you plan on doing more track and field after this year?
RL: Yeah, so I am in the [six-year] program, so I will be spending the next two years at Ithaca College to finish the [Doctorate of Physical Therapy] program, and I do plan on continuing running. Obviously, I won’t be running with the Ithaca College track and field team, but I do plan on trying to run unattached and potentially find a different track club to be able to run with.
MB: If you could describe your experience with track and field in one word, what would it be?
RL: Growth.
MB: Is there anything else you’d like to say about your experience this season, or what you’re looking most forward to?
RL: I think I’m looking most forward to our Liberty League meet. Our team has been looking really good this year, and I’m really proud of how far everybody’s come since we first got back this school year.
