Madeline Falcone has always been running, but now the music performance and English writing junior is running with the ‘Pack.

Falcone attended Virginia Commonwealth University for two years before she decided to transfer to Loyola in 2008.

At VCU, she had one teacher she looked up to; and after Director of Orchestral Studies Jean Montez transferred to Loyola, Falcone followed. “(After Montez) transferred here and I looked at the school and fell in love with the city … I love it here,” she said.

She started running in middle school, and her parents encouraged her to continue doing it. She tried volleyball, but decided to concentrate solely on cross country.

Falcone said her rookie season with the ‘Pack was enjoyable.

“I had no idea what to expect going into it, but I had a lot of fun,” she said.

Falcone placed fourth in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference cross country championships. This result qualified her to compete in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics meet on Nov. 22 in Kenosha, Wis. But Falcone didn’t run.

“I qualified, but on the same weekend I was a finalist at a great music competition (at Loyola) and I had a great chance of winning the music competition, so it was tough,” she said.

Falcone also likes what the new cross-country coach, Andy Canegitta, has done with the team this year.

“I wasn’t here for the last coach, but from what I’ve heard it’s a big change,” Falcone said. “He made it worthwhile for us to wake up at 6:30 in the morning and go to practice. Coach Canegitta knows what he is doing and has built unity on the team.”

Falcone said the team generates a family atmosphere, where team members help each other.  

“We’re all friends with each other,”  she said. “No one has any problems with anyone.
“We all pushed each other (to do well).”

Falcone said the lessons cross country has taught her will help her reach her goals while she is at Loyola.

“I just want to keep running. I’ve learned a lot and it has helped me with music and writing,” she said. “There is a point in everything you want to do when you just want to stop and you think you can’t keep going. I have learned that you can always keep going and keep grinding. So the endurance I’ve learned from cross country is the biggest thing.”

Michael Dewey can be reached at [email protected].