Web exclusive: UT notebook

By DAVID NORRIE, Times Correspondent
Published October 4, 2007

Since the time she was little, Laura Woznicki always had somebody to try and keep pace with. She took up running with her father, Joe, and at the age of 8, entered her first race, a 5K.

The road soon became her passion, and with dad leading the way, their runs became more and more frequent. Each year she looked forward to competing in the Red Ribbon Mile in Lakeland and though she dabbled a bit in softball, tennis and volleyball, there was no overcoming her love of cross country.

Lucky for her, the Kathleen High cross country coach knew how to push her. After all, it was that same man who had been running a stride ahead of her for most of her life. Joe Woznicki coached his daughter and helped her set school records in the 800, 1,600, 3,200 and 5K. She also was class valedictorian.

By the time she joined the team at the University of Tampa as a freshman, passing her dad was no longer a challenge, but her spot on the depth chart had her playing catch up all over again.

"When she came in here, she was like our fifth girl," said Spartans coach Jarrett Slaven. "She came into a team that was really solid and had to learn the ropes all over again."

The transition was a challenge.

"I was the No. 1 runner in my area (Lakeland) and then I found out I wasn't No. 1 anymore," she said. "But I've always had to work hard for anything I did, so I just took a little from what my dad taught me, and then Coach Slaven, plus the girls on the team, were great role models."

Woznicki finished 11th at the Sunshine State Conference Championships as a freshman and fifth the following season, earning first-team all-SSC honors. A year ago she established herself as the team leader and one of the top cross country athletes, not only in the conference, but in the entire state.

Heading into her senior season, she is the one setting the pace and looks for inspiration from within to stay ahead of the pack. That goal? To become an All-American.

In the offseason, her training consisted of logging 80 miles per week. She entered at least one 5K race every month. And of course there was still time to run with dad on the weekends.

The dividends began to pay off early this season with Wonzicki placing third overall at the Gator Invitational (17:44.01) in Gainesville and the Florida State Invitational (18:05.64) in Tallahassee while pacing the Spartans to a second-place team finish in both races.

"It's just a combination of maturity and experience," Slaven says of his top runner. "She's driven, dedicated and focused and when you take her to a race, you can see her mind work to get her body ready.

"At Florida and Tallahassee, running against Division I competition, she doesn't fear anybody, she's ready to run. And I think the other girls on our team, the younger ones, are feeding off of that and ready to follow her."

The times the Spartans are running collectively are, in Slaven's terms, "on par or better" with those of his team three years ago when Tampa ranked No. 8 in the nation.

As for Woznicki, this senior academic season is shaping up as her toughest semester, organic chemistry, statistics and microbiology on the docket for completing a exercise physiology degree. She is carrying a 3.71 grade point average and compares the mental toughness of running to that in the classroom.

"I set my goals high in class and in cross country," Woznicki said. "I still find time to enjoy myself, well, a little, but after this semester, it gets a lot easier."

The Spartans' next race is Satruday in Orlando at the Disney Classic.

MEN'S SOCCER: Kevin Sierra's penalty kick in the 52nd minute, which resulted from a hand ball, was the deciding goal as UT rallied with four unanswered goals to upset No. 1 Lynn at home on Saturday.

Sierra, a senior, feared he might go all four years without defeating the Knights, but said "we knew we had it in us." Tampa battled back from 2-0 down on goals from Clevon George and Carlos Mora to tie. Sierra's was the difference and Ricardo Cardoso's goal in the 85th minute sealed the win.

Tampa improves to 6-3 overall, but more importantly to 2-1 in the SSC.

WOMEN'S SOCCER: Goalkeeper Shannon Aitken posted her fourth consecutive shutout Saturday as the No. 5 Spartans defeated Lynn 3-0, improving to 8-1-1 (2-0 SSC). Shelby Kuni, Courtney Evans and Marissa Bernard each scored for Tampa.

[Last modified October 3, 2007, 19:46:58]