Illinois Wesleyan senior Clare O'Donnell (Lemont, Ill., Providence Catholic HS) was selected as the 2014 "Freshman of the Year" in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin as she placed 12th in the conference championship meet. athat year she was also named as the IWU team's "Best Newcomer" as she was the Titans' low scoring runner in two meets.
This season she has been Illinois Wesleyan's low finisher in two meets and recently placed 16th in the CCIW championship event.
Majoring in psychology with a business minor at Illinois Wesleyan, Clare is the daughter of Bernie and Beth O'Donnell and her brother (Bernie) is on the IWU cross country and track teams.
Why you chose to attend Illinois Wesleyan: I wanted to continue my running career but also receive an excellent education!
IWU class you’re most qualified to teach: I don’t have a degree yet so I don’t think it would be a great idea to let me teach anything other than the Jogging gym class. I’m an excellent jogger
The hardest challenge about being a Division III student-athlete is: Eating the same Jimmy John's sandwich after every track meet ... I mean, come on let's mix it up a bit sometimes.
Worst grade in a class you ever got – what and when? I’ve gotten a B in all but 2 math classes I’ve taken since third grade.
I’m deathly afraid of ... : Being kidnapped
Worst habit: Researching serial killers instead of doing homework and feeding the fear stated above
Most expensive traffic ticket: Tickets are for people who get caught
Language I’d like to learn: Sign Language
The longest I could survive without my cell phone: I once went a week without my phone at running camp so I think I could go a week again but I don’t really want to
One word your mother or father would use to describe you: I like to think they would say "best daughter ever" ... but more likely "stubborn"
Favorite sports figure: Alexi Pappas, track, film, and bun extraordinaire
My greatest moment in sports was: Either my grade school soccer coach telling me I only made the team because I was fast or winning the CCIW Conference Freshman Award after being sidelined for most of the season. Both were big moments for me.
The best player I ever faced was: My mind when it tells me to stop
Worst dresser on my team: Our coach Lisa Becharas
Thing that’s been in my fridge the longest: Unsure…I usually have to restock the fridge weekly
Person I’m dying to have dinner with: Emma Watson. She just seems like an all around genuine person.
Favorite food: Thai food!
Vegetable I won’t eat: Mushrooms
Pepsi or Coke? I’m more of a Diet Squirt kind of girl
Favorite TV shows: “How to Get Away With Murder” and “Law and Order: SVU”
Favorite musical group: Jillian Cole. No contest. I challenge you to find someone better.
Favorite movie: “Legally Blonde”
If a movie were made of my life, I would like the following person to play me: If Reese Witherspoon could pull off red hair then absolutely her .. but if not, Emma Stone
If my life were on TV as a reality show, I’d call it: “Fake It till you Make It- A Lifestyle”
The person in history I would most like to meet is: My parents in college
My dream job would be: A food critic
Place I’d most like to live: Anywhere on the East Coast
If you come back in another life, what would you like to return as: An Olympic-level athlete
Two things that are tops on my “bucket list”: Travel through Europe and see the Olympics
My possession that would fetch the most on eBay: My extensive collection of used running shoes (with my autograph obviously)
Who is the luckiest person in the world? Any one who knows me probably
What I miss most about being in the third grade: Field trips and jump rope
