Running and Academics Lead to Success for Hickey

Running and Academics Lead to Success for Hickey
By Ashley Bock

Janelle Hickey is someone who has not wasted any time in her four years at Merrimack College. In just four short years, this student-athlete has managed to complete all of the requirements for a psychology major, as well as a double minor in both criminology and communications. The thing that makes Janelle Hickey stand out above other students is the fact that she has done all of this while running 50 miles per week.

Hickey, the senior captain of the Merrimack women’s cross country team is about to begin her final season in a Merrimack uniform. Although the cross-country team’s last season ended in November at the NCAA Regional Championship, the team still competes in a spring off-season of track and field.

For Hickey, her last season at Merrimack is a different type of situation than she had ever imagined. Jackie Chase, Hickey’s co-captain and only fellow senior team member graduated a semester early, not returning for the final spring track season. Although the two seniors finished a powerful fall cross country season together, Chase will not be there for Hickey’s final season on the track. “It is going to be so much different being the only senior,” says Hickey. “My favorite moment was when Jackie joined the cross country team our sophomore year and became my other half.”

Although Hickey is sad about no longer having her companion to race by her side, she is excited for the last bit of time she has with her team. “We really came together this fall as a team, worked very well together, and just had a really competitive season. This spring is going to be great.”

Hickey, who had a standout fall season herself, lowering her 5K race times by over three minutes throughout the course of the season, only has great things to look forward to this spring. “It is going to be a lot of fun. This fall got extremely competitive with different girls fighting for different spots each week. I’m glad it’s now the unofficial season because it’s not quite as serious and competitive. We can still race well but have more fun.”

Hickey is undecided as to what she will be doing next year. She has had a great deal of experience in the psychology field for her major, working at a day program for patients with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia last semester. This semester she has had an internship at a residence home for adolescent girls, and these experiences have led her to possibly want to try even more within the field of psychology.

Her original plans were to go straight to graduate school and get a master’s degree in mental health counseling after graduation. She has applied to schools such as Assumption College, University of Massachusetts Boston, and the University of Indianapolis. Although she has been accepted into some of these programs, Hickey is not completely sure where she will be next year.

The one thing she does know about the future is the way the Merrimack women’s cross country team will be looking, “We have some dynamite freshmen who only have room to grow, and the girls coming up to be upperclassmen are still going to be awesome. They will be good for a while.”

Hickey and the cross country team start their spring track season Saturday at the Tufts University Snowflake Classic.


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