Laura Coyer might seem like an average nursing major at first glance, but this cross-country and track runner has a fierce competitive side that has been pushing her to victory for years.
Coyer has been a top runner on the Saint Louis University cross-country team since she joined in 2005. She holds multiple school records, with her most recent ones coming at the Ole Miss Track and Field Invitational Saturday, April 12. Now, the senior is gearing up for the conclusion of her career: the Atlantic 10 Outdoor Championships May 3.
“Graduation is bittersweet,” she said. “College went by really fast. If I could have another year of running, I would do it to see how much I’ve developed. I know I could do a lot with another year, but I believe [the team] will only improve in this year’s A-10s.”
At age 5, Coyer joined a swim team. She swam competitively through high school, but along the way, another sport drew her interest: track. After running throughout high school, she joined SLU’s club track team as a freshman and the Division I cross-country team her sophomore year.
“I’ve known her for three years and I’ve been able to see her become a great runner,” junior teammate Lauren Verzal said about Coyer’s progression throughout college. “She’s got everything going for her, and I’m so happy to see how successful she’s been.”
Coyer attributes her success to a combination of things: her coaches, self-motivation and encouragement of her teammates. The team’s new assistant coach, Gavin Kennedy, has especially helped Coyer develop her running career, she said.
The two meet twice every week for private practices. Coyer has had a limited amount of time this semester with 12-hour work shifts at the hospital two days a week. However, she always finds time to run after her work.
“Laura is one of these athletes that works hard at everything she does,” Kennedy said. “She really inspires the rest of the girls; she’s is a role model for everyone on the team. She sets the tone for everybody else I train.”
Coyer admits that, even on breaks, she runs 50 miles a week. Her dedication to the sport does not go unnoticed by her teammates.
“Being a student-athlete, you’re under a lot of pressure,” Verzal said. “For her to be a straight-A student and a top runner is a huge success. I’m going to have to learn to balance that kind of load in a few years. She’s really a role model for me in that.”
For Coyer, the most difficult part of running is finding a balance between school and athletics. She said student-athletes ultimately have to sacrifice more than non-athletes, but that the hard work is worth it to her.
“Sometimes I get kind of bummed if I can’t do something with my friends, go to a big event or whatever,” Coyer said. “But all and all, the pros outweigh the cons.”
Coyer said competing in a Division I sport has not only helped her develop time management skills, but has also prepared her for the real world.
While the senior draws inspiration from her coaches, family and teammates, Coyer said that her competitive desire to succeed is also motivation to do well.
“I think I’m just naturally a very competitive person,” Coyer said. “When I put my mind to something, I put everything that I have into doing well.”
The track and field team travels to Fayetteville, Ark., on Saturday, April 19, for the John McDonnell Invitational. Coyer will look to break her own records in both the 1,500-meter and 400-meter races.
