Sitting out a year with an injury sparks Woodruff to excellence

Having to sit out her entire freshman season with an injury was just the motivation Brooke Woodruff needed to become one of the top middle-distance runners that Southeast Missouri State University has produced -- even though she's only a sophomore.

Woodruff suffered a foot stress fracture early during her first year at Southeast, so she redshirted to preserve a season of eligibility. But while her foot was healing, she worked out in the old Parker Pool regularly in order to not lose too much ground with her training.

"I met her at the pool three times a week so she could stay in shape," Southeast coach Joey Haines said. "I kept telling her don't worry, some day it will be worth it, you'll be special."

It was worth it -- and Woodruff is a special runner, having already won three Ohio Valley Conference 800-meter titles (two indoor and one outdoor) and recently breaking the school record twice within one week. First, she ran 2:07.74 at Mississippi State to qualify for the NCAA regional meet. Then she clocked 2:07.06 at the Kansas Relays.

"I remember working in that pool all the time. It was frustrating, being a freshman and not being able to compete," Woodruff said. "But it definitely made me stronger. It got me motivated to work harder."

According to Haines, Woodruff -- majoring in dietetics -- is special off as well as on the track.

"Not only is she a tremendous athlete, but she's a super person, a 3.85 student," Haines said. "She really has a lot going for her."

As a senior at Francis Howell North High School in St. Charles, Woodruff placed third in the 800 at the state meet while anchoring the 4x800 relay team that won a state title.

Then, after not being able to compete during her first year at Southeast, Woodruff quickly made up for lost time in her redshirt freshman season last year, winning OVC indoor and outdoor titles in the 800 while running legs on several relay teams that placed high. In addition, she qualified for the NCAA regionals last year during the outdoor season.

"It was nice to come back like that after not being able to compete for a year," said Woodruff, who helped speed her return to form by running cross country and placing 11th at the OVC meet to make all-conference.

After winning her third OVC 800 title in as many attempts during this season's indoor campaign, Woodruff would love to make it four in a row at the outdoor conference meet. And the thought of going eight-for-eight in her specialty at the OVC championships has already crossed her mind.

"I don't want to get too far ahead of things," she said, laughing. "But hopefully I'll be able to do it again this year, and it would be great to win every one in my whole career."

Qualifying for regionals again was special, she said, as was breaking the school record with a performance that was about two seconds faster than her previous personal best.

"The school record was a goal this year," she said. "I really wanted to do it indoors, but I got that finally. I was really surprised I got a PR by like two seconds."

Haines figures Woodruff will have a chance to perform well enough at regionals to qualify for the national meet, and Woodruff said, "I hope so, if not this year than at least before I graduate."

But while the outgoing Woodruff acknowledged that individual accomplishments are great, she is just as excited when the Otahkians do well as a group. She was elated when Southeast's women were recently ranked 19th nationally by USA Track and Field, and she would like nothing better than for the Otahkians -- who rolled to the OVC indoor title -- to also capture the league's outdoor crown.

"That's everybody's goal and we're all working hard to do it," she said.