Landri Wilcox has had a phenomenal career at Cookeville High School.
And she'll be staying close to home for her college career.
Wilcox signed with the University of Tennessee during the early signing period, and caught up with us about why she chose the Vols and how excited she is to stay in-state.
Check out her Q&A with us right here - and stay tuned for more recruiting coverage over the next couple of weeks as we keep you up to date on where Tennessee athletes are heading during the early signing period!
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Why was Tennessee the best choice for you?
I chose UT for a number of reasons. First, I really liked the team environment. Everyone was so kind and friendly on Zoom calls and helped me with any questions I had. It was disappointing not to be able to take an official visit, but luckily there are quite a few people on their team that I've already met during high school, so I don't feel like I'm doing into something super unknown. Another huge aspect in my choice was the great academics at UT. I'm planning on majoring in chemistry, so I'm excited to be a part of the great science department at Tennessee. Additionally, Coach Foster and Coach Sullivan were very influential in my decision. They provided me with so much information about their program and coaching styles; plus, their enthusiasm about helping their athletes be the best possible versions of themselves was very exciting to me. Finally, the training facilities and resources of an athletic program in the SEC are hard to beat!
How did you like the coaches?
Like I said earlier, all my conversations with the coaches made my decision that much easier. Coach Foster and Sullivan did everything they could to provide me with the most accurate view of UTK since recuuiting has been on hold for a while now. Coach Foster even drove all over campus to give me a tour over Zoom! It was very clear that they coach with a long-term, sustainable mindset, which is so important to me. I can't wait to run for them next year!!
How excited are you to run for your in-state team?
Being able to represent Tennessee is a really cool opportunity! There's definitely a lot of state pride that will go into wearing the Orange and White next year. Plus, my uncle is an alumnus, so he was very happy with my choice for sure.
What impressed you the most with your virtual visit to UT?
Because of COVID-19, I wasn't able to take any official visits. However, since I live in Cookeville, I've been to Knoxville often and been around campus a fair amount. The area that I'm most familiar with is the track because of high school meets held there. I would say that's the most impressive part to me. Not only because it's an awesome track, but also because of how close everything is. The athletic dorms are really close to the academic building, track and training center, which is going to be so convenient next year.
What are your goals for the outdoor season?
I'm really excited for this upcoming season, especially because of the pandemic. I missed out on competing this past spring, and with the potential for vaccines in the near future, I am hopeful that we can all compete again like we did pre-COVID. Since I didn't have a junior track season, I'm definitely looking to get some new PRs and see how much I can improve upon my marks from freshman and sophomore year. It's a great time to be a female distance runner in Tennessee, with so many talented girls across the state! I'm looking forward to racing against some impressive competition and looking for a podium finish at the state meet.
Do you have any plans to compete this indoor season?
I know there are a few meets being talked about, and I would love to go to some. I don't have any definite plans right now since everything is all so up in the air, but I am looking to nail down a schedule once the meet calendar is more clear.
What other schools did you visit or consider?
My short list as I got really close to my decision consisted of Furman, Vanderbilt, Florida State and Tennessee. All of them had a lot of positive aspects but in the end, UTK felt like the best fit for me.
