Cazzola Featured By ‘NCAA On Campus’
Five-time national champion Christy Cazzola (Sr. • Kaukauna) is the subject of the latest “NCAA On Campus” feature.
The NCAA brought film crews to UW-Oshkosh and followed Cazzola through her typical day, which includes practice, class, work and parenting. This nine-minute documentary features interviews with Cazzola, teammate McKenzie Kelly, former cross country and track & field coach Deb Vercauteren, current cross country and track & field coach Drew Ludtke and professor Susan Kirkham.
“I really enjoyed having Christy on my team because she brought a different perspective,” Vercauteren said. “She was a little older, she had two children and therefore had to have excellent time-management skills.”
In the video, UW-Oshkosh cornerback Tim Filter (Sr. • New Berlin) provides an introduction to the University while reminding viewers of his team’s 13-1 football season.
Cazzola describes why she took time off before college and after her freshman year to create a family. Since returning, the 27-year-old won four individual national titles in track and one in cross country.
Cazzola was pregnant when she ran to a 37th-place finish at the 2008 NCAA Division III Cross Country Championship.
“Someday I’ll be able to tell my daughter that she’s already run a national meet, so she doesn’t have to be nervous about competing,” Cazzola said.
Cazzola took first place at the NCAA Division III Cross Country Championship on Nov. 17 with a 6,000-meter time of 20:53. It was her third All-America finish in cross country.