By Rob Potter
GRAHAMSVILLE — Tri-Valley Central School senior Courtney Roosa will continue her athletic career this fall at Siena College.
Last week, Roosa signed a letter of intent to attend Siena College, a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I school.
She will receive a two-thirds scholarship to attend Siena, which is in Loudonville just north of Albany.
Roosa will compete for the Saints’ cross country team and the women’s indoor and outdoor track and field teams, which have club status.
“We are very proud of Courtney,” T-V Coach Missy Iatauro said. “She has used her talent to earn a scholarship to a college she is really looking forward to attending.”
Iatauro noted that several other T-V track and field athletes who have graduated in the past few years are now competing at NCAA Division II and III institutions. Among them are Max Fiedler, Michael Kaplan, Ryan Loughney and Sean Messenger.
Roosa was 18th in the nation in the steeplechase last year. In February, she won the girls’ Class B 1,500 and 3,000-meter runs at the Section IX indoor track and field meet and qualified to compete in the 3,000 at the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) indoor track meet in March.
“I visited Siena and I loved it,” Roosa said. “It’s right outside Albany and it’s a nice area.”
She also considered two other NCAA Division I schools, Lafayette and Binghamton University, but quickly decided on Siena.
Roosa, who has already declared her major of psychology and said her career goal is to become a psychiatrist, enjoyed meeting Siena Cross Country Head Coach Jim Boyles and members of the team.
“I like Coach Boyles, he’s really sincere,” Roosa commented.
At this point, Roosa said she will be focusing on the steeplechase for the Siena squad.
This spring, Roosa is competing in the steeplechase, 1,500 and 3,000-meter runs for T-V. She is also a member of the Lady Bears’ 1,600-meter and 3,200-meter relay teams.
When she was in the seventh grade, Roosa ran for the Lady Bears’ modified cross country team.
Once that season ended, however, she was called up to the varsity indoor track team and has been a member of the Lady Bears’ varsity cross country, indoor track and outdoor track teams ever since.
She placed sixth in Division II in the steeplechase at last spring’s NYSPHSAA meet.
“I want to do even better this year,” Roosa said.
With her college decision already made, Roosa can focus on improving her times this spring.
“A lot of my teammates haven’t decided where they are going to college yet,” she commented. “It feels good that I know where I’ll be running in college.
“But it’s kind of sad that this is my last high school track season,” she added.
And graduating from T-V means Roosa will be leaving Coaches Joe and Missy Iatauro.
“They do so, so much for our teams,” she said of the veteran cross country and track and field coaches. “Their lives revolve around running. They just help us so much.”
One of Roosa’s biggest supporters throughout her scholastic running career has been her mother, Michele.
“She’s very happy for me,” Courtney said. “She’s pleased that I am going to Siena.”