TCC starts to build cross country team with first signing

Jeanna Prisco and coach Gary Droze celebrate her recent signing as TCC’s first cross country athlete.
Photo courtesy TCC athletics

By Robyn Murrell
Outlook writer

No matter how this cross country season goes, Jeanna Prisco will always have a place in the athletics history books at Tallahassee Community College.

 
Prisco is the first runner to sign on as a member of the Eagles’ first- year cross country team coached by Gary Droze. Prisco is a former runner at Wakulla High School and Droze expects her presence to help with his recruiting efforts.

 
She is just as excited for others to follow suit, especially runners from the Big Bend who are on the fence about their decision to run for a college team.

 
“I want other girls to know my background story, knowing that I have been a runner for a very long time,” she said. “I was hoping with me signing and knowing that I haven’t been running very long it would promote more local and out of area girls to come out and try it.”

 
Droze couldn’t be happier that Prisco is taking the lead in recruiting.

 
“She was very excited about being involved with a new program at TCC,” he said. “We have already had 5 others express strong interest, so I am optimistic about fielding a full team very soon.” said Gary Droze.

 
While Prisco’s has a limited running resume, making the adjustment to the next level shouldn’t be difficult, Droze said.

 
“The Community College race distance is the same as for high school – 5 kilometers – the transition to college running should be pretty smooth for Jeanna,” said Droze. “She is already comfortable with running longer distance, so it is just a matter of working gradually at faster paces.”

 
Prisco has set some personal goals for the season, which start in September.

 
“In the first season I’ll like to work on my time, I want to push myself to become a better runner,” she said. “I feel like for me to get more confident in my running and feel good about my running is all in my time.”

 
The launching of women’s cross country marks the first time in 20 years that TCC has added a new program.

 
“This marks another stepcloser to the sport becoming a reality at TCC,” said athletic director Rob Chaney. “We have a coach, now we’re beginning to assemble our team – and we’ll be ready to compete come August.”