Carissa Iannone - Women's Track and Field

Carissa Iannone is a captain for the 2012-13 Carnegie Mellon women's track and field team. Iannone is a senior thrower, majoring in biomedical and chemical engineering and a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Council.

These last four years have been a whirlwind that I could never have predicted.  While in high school, I imagined going to college somewhere closer to home in New England, but after being accepted into and visiting Carnegie Mellon University, everything fell into place.  I applied to CMU for its engineering program, but I chose to enroll because of the countless opportunities offered.  I can remember the excitement during my first couple of weeks at CMU and the first track meeting I went to in the fall.

Being a member of the track and field team has been a fulfilling experience.  It’s been great being able to travel throughout the country to compete as a part of the University Athletic Association; however, my favorite part about the team is the people.  We have a support system on and off the track despite often being segregated by our event groups.  Carnegie Mellon academics can be stressful without participating in athletics, but when you are surrounded by other driven student-athletes you can push through it.  I cannot imagine my collegiate career without throwing.

In addition, there is a sense of camaraderie among the athletes at Carnegie Mellon; the stands are often filled with our teams cheering each other on.  I am proud to be a Tartan and cannot wait for my final UAA conference championships in New York this weekend!