Contact: Clark Teuscher, Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302
(written by Emily Zadny, Student Sports Information Assistant)

Feb. 20, 2017 - You might have seen Tori Capoziello with her legs splattered with mud after a cross country race or in a full out sprint to the finish line on the track. To the average spectator, it seems as though she was born to run, though her love for the sport came with some reluctance.  

"My best friend in elementary school wanted to do cross country and told me I should, too, but honestly, I did not want to do it—I did not like running," said Capoziello. "I had been a dancer for 11 years and tried other sports but I have no hand eye coordination. I played soccer for a while, but I would just run up and down the field. Maybe I enjoyed running and didn't even know it!" 

Now a senior on the women's track and field team at North Central College, getting her to stop is going to be much more difficult.  

"Running gives you the opportunity to challenge yourself everyday and constantly see improvement," she said. "I was slow when I first started—I mean REALLY slow. But between my sophomore and senior years of high school, I dropped six minutes in a three-mile run. In the two years I have run cross country at North Central, I dropped two minutes off of my 6K (3.7-mile) time. Running has allowed me to do things I never thought I could do." 

As she approached the end of her senior year of high school, Capoziello began considering running at the collegiate level. Her coach, a North Central alum, encouraged her to continue running and visit campus. The appeal of a quaint campus set in the heart of downtown Naperville, as well as an established and high-energy athletic program, had the Schaumburg native hooked. 

But her college athletic career did not start as she had planned. Persistent illness inhibited her training and a fractured knee only delayed the process once she recovered. The slow process of building herself back up physically and mentally for the track season seemed even slower after learning she had compartment syndrome in her calf, a painful condition caused by pressure built up in the muscles.  

"The first two years were a lot of stopping and starting and that was mentally tough to see all the hard work put in the year before be gone," said Capoziello. "When you're injured so often, you have an appreciation for being healthy and being able to run, so ever since then, I make sure to always put everything into my training." 

Capoziello had surgery the fall of her sophomore year, pushing her back another full year and keeping her from her passion. It wasn't only her physical injury at this point that plagued her; the mental toll it was taking on her body was just as trying. 

"Physically, I have clearly had my challenges, but mentally...those mental barriers are the worst," she said with a sigh. "You can be in the greatest shape of your life and be crazy good, but if you have those mental barriers, you will not perform. It does take time and training to get over your own insecurities but I have gotten to the point of when I get on the line, I know that this is where I am and I'm going to give it all I've got."   

It wasn't until her junior year that she finally had the chance to compete. That season, she established a new North Central varsity record for 600 meters (1:40.16) and ran 2:18.54 for 800 meters and 5:22.47 for one mile indoors. She placed first in distance medley relay and third in 800 and 4-by-400-meter relay at College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) Indoor Championships.  

This year, she is looking to finish her college career stronger than ever. In cross country, she placed 18th at CCIW Championships, earning Second Team All-CCIW honors, and finished 40th at Midwest Region Championships. She was named an Academic All-CCIW selection and the CCIW Jack Swartz Academic All-Conference selection.  

Indoors, she holds the fastest time on the team in the 800-meter run (2:20.29) and the mile (5:14.07).  

As a senior, Capoziello has embraced her role as captain, working just as hard on the track to better herself as well as those around her. 

"The biggest thing for me about being a leader is not only setting an example with what you do and say but also lifting up your teammates. I want my teammates to feel confident in their abilities, whether that's at practice or at a meet," she said. "Every single woman on that team is strong and for some, it is hard to see right away but as a leader, I try to get people to see what they are capable of." 

The women's team is in good hands with Capoziello as a leader. A speech communication major, she works just as hard off the track as the marketing and social media manager for Chicago Buzz Marketing. What started as an internship and recently turned into a job gives her the opportunity to work with non-profit organizations to help them build their marketing and social media base. She helps organizations such as a vegan café, tattoo artist, and recently helped organize the Bark for Life 5K Run and Walk for the American Cancer Society, a twist on the traditional 5K experience that allowed participants to bring their animals. 

She hopes that her experience with Chicago Buzz Marketing will help her find a job with a non-profit organization, particularly an environmental group, following graduation in June.  

Capoziello, striking a careful balance between school, athletics, and work, knows the demands of being a college athlete and helps her teammates stay on track both physically and mentally.   

"It's difficult, but I am one of those people who is attached to their planner, so I try to manage my time as well as I can," she said with a laugh. "You just have to decide where to put your energy, especially during mid terms and finals! 

"One thing I've learned is making sure you pay attention to your body and how you are feeling," she said. "Sometimes you have to sacrifice things because you need sleep or recovery and you have to understand that that's okay." 

Part of the balance, she explains, is finding time to unwind. In her free time, Capoziello enjoys reading, going on outdoor adventures with friends, and watching Quentin Tarantino movies. She also enjoys travelling and hopes to have some time—and money—to do so after graduation. 

For now, June is still a ways away and her main focus is finishing the indoor track and field season and begin preparing for outdoors. She celebrated Senior Night with her teammates after last weekend's Cardinal Classic at Al B. Carius track, but has her sights set on running at the Division III Indoor National Championship and running on her home track one last time. 

"I'd like to qualify for Nationals," said Capoziello with a smile. "If it doesn't happen indoors, I will give it my all outdoors. I want to experience that level of competition, but I also am okay if it doesn't happen; as long as I give it everything I have, I cant be disappointed." 

Capoziello and the Cardinals have only two meets left before hosting the national championship, starting with the CCIW Championships, hosted by Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington this weekend.