The Daily Cardinal warms up and cools down with Wisconsin all-American heptathlete Andrea Geurtsen. Geurtsen is a fifth-year senior originally from Uppsala, Sweden.
What are the goals that you and the team have?
Yeah, I do want to win a National Title, but the coaches have just decided that I'll red shirt this year. The coaches want me back next year to have a really great year and that's what I want too. I can be at the national level next year, and that's what I want.
You have that potential as well, right? You set a UW team record for the heptathlon and qualified the past two years for the NCAA Outdoor Track Tournament, before your injury, correct?
That's right I set the team record and qualified for nationals. I am not quite back to the form I can be at for nationals. That's my goal, and I can achieve it next year.
How has the team done this year?
I think the team has done well this year; everyone seems to be on the upswing'the polevaulters, especially, have developed. We don't have aims to win the National Title this year, which is not to say we don't have a strong team. We have a very strong team, if we could all \click"" at the same time.
Is there one favorite for the national title this year?
I don't think so. I think that there are three or four very strong contenders, similar to last year, and whichever team comes out the strongest on that day will win. There is not one team that could win it on any day.
Originally you are from Sweden. Is there any particular reason why you chose Wisconsin for college?
I had a bunch of random schools recruiting me. I had not decided right away that Wisconsin was the school. I had offers from Stanford and Northern Arizona. I decided here, and if I did not like it after one year, I could go home.
Now, I am here and want to finish up here. Susan [Seaton] coached at Northern Arizona, and I had talked with athletes from out there who were from Europe.
Susan knows how European athletes train and compete all year round versus only during the scholastic year in America. Knowing she was here definitely helped me make up my mind, because I knew she would know how to coach me.
Do you have any pre-race rituals?
No, not really, I make sure to have a good meal and get enough sleep. Some people certainly have rituals, but I do not.
You are a fifth-year senior, so hopefully you have decided a major?
Yes, I will be graduating next year, with a degree in theater. Originally I was an art major and then I took an intro to acting class and really liked it.
What got you interested in something like acting?
When I was much younger I would take singing classes and I really enjoyed it. I just was always so busy with sports and school that I never had a chance to continue with it until now.
