Jillian Sullivan will put away her track shoes and look to pick up a stethoscope with her nursing degree.

Last Lap Around The Track

Sullivan, Rogers Leave Long Legacies With Their UConn Careers

By: Marc Gauthier

Posted: 5/6/07

Two weeks ago at the UConn Select Invite, two athletes stepped onto the Sherman Family-Sports Complex for what would be the final home meet of their collegiate careers.

All-American Jillian Sullivan approached the start-line and awaited the gun shot that would set her free in the 3,000-meter steeplechase.

Co-captain Jen Rogers stared down the runway into the sand-filled pit and took a minute to gain complete composure before she would defy gravity in the long jump.

They were two completely different events, with one unified result - victory - and for these two seniors, victory is something quite familiar.

After their four-year tenure at UConn, Sullivan leaves as the first cross country All-American in program history, while Rogers takes with her countless first-place finishes in multiple jumping and running events. But when it comes down to it, after all the success, there is something much greater that these two athletes will leave behind.

"They're more significant to this team than I could possibly explain," said cross-country and track assistant coach Kim McGreevy. "Their leadership, not only by performance, but also their ability to be consistent above and beyond, and to be honored as two of the best student-athletes; it has just been special to coach them."

"Together, they're probably two of the best leaders we've ever had in regards to the team," said head coach Bill Morgan. "You put that together with outstanding academics, and top that off with tremendous performers on the athletic field and you have a total package of the student athlete at UConn. The fact that we have two of them as seniors leading our team speaks volumes of their work development, and they've been two of the finest young ladies I've had the fortune of mentoring."

Much like the variation in both athletes' events, the pair has traveled two different paths to get to where they are now. But they share memories of the times they had once they got there.

Sullivan's story mimics that of a Hollywood movie. As a freshman she earned a spot on the cross country and track teams as a walk-on athlete, only to go on and become the most successful cross country athlete UConn has ever seen. Rogers, on the other hand, was recruited by UConn to travel over 3,000 miles from her home in British Columbia.

"Jillian just happened to be on the team as a walk-on and turns out to be the first cross country All-American and captain of the track teams," Morgan said. "Jen, being from British Columbia - a long way from home - was not always the most talented, but was certainly the powerhouse of the team, demonstrating it everyday, in every rep; she had a tremendous work ethic. It just goes to show if you have trust, faith and believe in working everyday you can achieve great things."

As if their success on the track wasn't enough to fill a résumé, Sullivan and Rogers have been recognized by multiple sources, including the Big East, as outstanding student athletes.

"They are the epitome of what you would expect as an outstanding student athlete," Morgan said. "It's a testament to them that everyone around them recognizes what they've done. They've created a great name for themselves, and they'll be two of the greatest ambassadors that this program has seen."

Their success on and off the field will leave some very big shoes to fill.

"The coaching staff relies on them to lead the team," McGreevy said. "We can point to them every single day and know that they're doing a great job, whether it's just leading the team in stretches, in the work-out or in the locker room. They leave behind a legacy; a legacy of expectations and standards that we will expect from our captains."

Sullivan and Roger's leadership on the track team has left an impact on their younger teammates, setting standards for the up-and-coming captains to live up to.

"I would definitely say they've helped me out a lot," said junior co-captain Tamara Highsmith. "A lot of times this year, they would step forward more and I would learn from them. They prepared me for next year; to be good to the team. They always have a positive message for the team."

With the championship portion of the season underway, both women are more worried about competing to win than competing in their last collegiate meets.

"I really didn't think about [it being my last home meet] until [the day before] meet," Sullivan said. "I wasn't focused on competing in my last race at home."

"I don't want to leave anything behind," Rogers said. "I want to put everything on the line and put my best efforts forward. Really, I don't want to regret anything."

Sullivan's plans after graduation include working for two years with her nursing degree and then going back to graduate school. Rogers, on the other hand, is planning to graduate with a nutritional sciences degree and is coming back to UConn for graduate school.

"With it being senior year and both being captains, they're definitely deserving of [everything]," Highsmith said.

For next year's captains, Rogers leaves this message: "Just lead the team and be open with them. Make sure they know that they can come to you if they have any questions. Share your experiences and don't shy away from any part of the team. Be as involved as you can and lead by example."