Emma Odle has brought so much to the cross-country program over her past five years on the team. Odle has won many titles and has come out on top throughout her years on the team, with her most recent title placing third overall on the women’s side in the Luther Invite on Sept. 14. 

Odle was not sure if she was going to come back for her fifth year. She had one year of COVID eligibility left, which was able to give her another year of eligibility. Ultimately, she decided at the last minute to run with her team for one final season. 

“I have all these big goals and I want to chase them,” Odle said. “I enjoy competing so much.”

Being a part of the team has helped Odle stay committed to running and achieve goals that she did not think were possible, like qualifying for nationals. 

Odle may not have taken her fifth year if it had not been for the team community. The team and coaches have motivated her to never give up, even during tough times. She credits the team for helping her grow and develop as a person, not just an athlete. 

“My coach really helped me get out of these tough moments where I really could not train at all,” Odle said. “Coach returning and [the] underclassmen really motivated me.”

Odle’s consistent success and dedication to the sport have served as a strong example for her teammates, especially for the First-Years. She has become a role model for the rest of the team to look up to. 

“She’s very fast, and so it is cool to have someone to look up to,” cross-country’s First-Year of the week Marie Weber said. “She is humble and gets along with everyone on the team. It doesn’t matter if you’re a freshman or sophomore. She just gets along with everyone, including the guys and the coaches, so it’s very cool to see that and have someone like that.”

Odle has no one thing that she wants the team to take away from her accomplishments. She wants to encourage her teammates to have fun and enjoy the experience of being on the team. The message that she wants to share is to not worry about things like time and results but rather prioritize the joy and fun of running. 

“I am here to encourage [my teammates],” Odle said. “Don’t worry about time or anything. Run to have fun. If you’re not having fun, then why be on the team?”

Her accomplishments have definitely not gone unnoticed by her teammates. They are the ones who keep her motivated to keep running. Having teammates like that is crucial for athletes’ mindsets and is special to some.. 

“It makes me really happy to see that she has been able to achieve a lot of success,” junior Ellie Defarno said. Defarno has run with Odle since her first year on the cross-country team and has been there throughout her successes. “[She shows] the importance of hard work and she’s very dedicated. It shows what you can achieve with that.”

Odle plans to achieve much more within her last couple of races as an Augustana Viking. She states that her goals for the end of the season are to become an All-American and to break the school record for the 6k. 

After the season ends, Odle plans to keep running. She reflects a strong love for the sport that will seemingly never die. 

“Of course, after the season ends, I’ll probably continue running,” Odle said. “That is what brings me joy.”