Student Athlete Spotlight: NC State’s longest jumper

CASLEE SIMS | Staff Writer

Who would’ve thought a former teacher in Junior High school English teacher would be a reason why Alexis Perry has became a very decorated hurdles and long jump champion on many different circuits.

A junior on N.C. State’s Track and Field team, Perry has accomplished outstanding feats including being a regular on All-ACC teams and medalling at many other competitions, stringing together a very impressive career.

Before clearing hurdles and extending her jumps, Perry lists her mother as one of her biggest motivational factors. “My mother most definitely is my biggest fan and biggest motivator and is always there to pick me up “.

Perry was a winner at the prestigious Penn Relays this past year in the long jump; she says it’s her favorite site she has competed at.

“It’s such a big meet because of all the professionals, the crowds that come to see the races and the people I’ve had to race against there.”

Though she’s an All-ACC performer both on the track and in the classroom and a holder of a plethora of school records, it is her gold medal at the 2013 Junior Pan-American Games that has made Perry the proudest. She’s also a two-time silver medalist at the USA Junior Championships in the 100m hurdles and the long jump.

“I won, so that was definitely a great moment because I had the USA uniform on and I was representing my country.”

An ACL replacement surgery along with a concussion, all suffered in high school, tried to slow Perry’s progress as an athlete, but to her, it was all a blessing in disguise.

“I was unsure about my potential in track, but it all seemed to work out because my career got better from there”.

So what is race day like for Alexis?

“I tend to think about a lot of different things, who I’m competing against, the race itself and thinking about everything I’ve done in practice to help me accomplish my goals”, Perry says. Like most athletes she follows a strict race day regimen that includes laying her uniform out “all the way down to the socks and the particular shoes”, and making sure that she eats Chicken minis to fuel her before a race.

A big part of her arrival here at NC State was due to her coach, Chris Coleman. Her and Coleman developed a close relationship while she was in high school.

“He was really the deciding factor”, Perry says. “I just got that feeling that I didn’t get at other schools”.

Other than performing on the track and in the classroom, Perry dedicates her time to being a Peer Mentor, a member of the Kappa Omicron chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and a member of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee where she helps deal with legislative changes in the NCAA that affects her, her teammates and opponents as athletes.