Questions for Whitney Ashley, the 2012 NCAA women's discus champ.
How does it feel to win a place in the Aztec record books as one of only four national track and field champs in SDSU history?
I cannot begin to describe how excited I get when I think about this accomplishment—not only for me, but also for San Diego State. It has been quite some time since SDSU has had the opportunity to announce an NCAA champion, and for that person to be me still leaves me speechless.
See the complete fall 2012 issue of 360 Magazine
It must be inspiring to have an Olympian as head coach. What has Shelia Burrell taught you? Coach Burrell has taught me to adapt and take responsibility for my actions. She taught me that nobody has control over my life but me. I struggled with the changes in event coaching these past two seasons, but she would never let me quit. And this year, I had the best season of my life.
What was your favorite class at SDSU? Media Law & Ethics with Professor Martin Kruming. The course was extremely difficult, but eye opening. We sat in on real court cases, learned the dynamics of court decisions and gained a deeper insight into how juries are formed.
Who on campus has been most influential in your life? She doesn’t reside on campus, but the most influential person in my life is my mom. I am stubborn when it comes to change, but she always seems to catch me before I reach the edge. We are nothing alike—we usually disagree—and that’s the beauty of our relationship.
What do you do for fun? When I get a chance to relax, I love to pamper myself. I’ll get a massage and a pedicure. I also love going to the movies. I try not to lose sight of the little things.
To read more about Ashley, visit sdsualumni.org/discuschamp