Written by Katherine Clatterbuck
After years of late-night practices, early morning wake up calls, and lots of sweat, our 2021 senior athletes exhibit the qualities of excellent Maroons. Waiting patiently for information about the upcoming season, our seniors, like all Roanoke athletes, are working hard to prepare for the chance to perform once more. Our 2021 seniors are continuing their strong dedication to their beloved sport without the promise of performance, highlighting the quality of athletes we have at Roanoke College.
Allison Barthol is a member of the women’s Cross Country team and middle-distance runner for the women’s Track and Field team at Roanoke College. Before her runs, Barthol goes for pasta with ground turkey meat sauce, with her signature warm-up song, “Came Here for Love” by Sigala and Ella Eyre. Preceded at Roanoke by her older sister, Barthol felt welcomed by the team and coaches before making her decision to run for the school. When asked why she chose Roanoke, Barthol commented, “I was really impressed with the new indoor track in Cregger. Running around Salem area with the mountains is also really pretty”. After overcoming freshman year injuries, Barthol captured 5th place in the outdoor 800m, setting her personal record, at the Outdoor Track and Field ODAC Championships during her sophomore year. This accomplishment stands out as a highlight for Barthol in her Roanoke College career.
A starting guard for the Women’s Basketball team, Kristina Harrel has played over 2,000 game minutes during her time at Roanoke. She was drawn to Roanoke after visiting and seeing the beautiful Cregger arena and the welcoming feeling of the team. Before games, Harrel listens to “6 Foot 7 Foot” by Lil Wayne and enjoys some fruit snacks or goldfish. When speaking of her greatest accomplishment while at Roanoke, Harrel highlighted the team’s semi-finals placement in the ODAC tournament the past two years, specifically their win over Emory & Henry in 2019. We wish the best for the team in their upcoming season, as Harrel further stated, “Our goal is to win it all this year”.
Allison Barthol and Kristina Harrel are two of the strong and determined members of Roanoke’s Class of 2021. Our athletes continue to work hard every day during this unprecedented time, a difficult task we recognize and appreciate our athletes for. We wish them both the best this year with their academic and athletic endeavors.
