Meet the Organizers

Race Director

Natalie Smith <natalibs@usc.edu >

Year: Sophomore

Major/Minor: B.A. Human Performance; Organizational Leadership & Management Minor.

Hometown: Santa Clarita, CA

Reason for Joining the Team: Why do one when you can do three awesome things!

Greatest Triathlon-Related Accomplishment: Running the Nike Human Race with the team, I ran my fastest 10K time ever!

Favorite Team Memory (or lack thereof): Team Retreat freshman year! Best workouts ever, best partytime ever!

Preferred Pre-Race Jams: The World

Catch Phrase: "We're pretty much done. All we have to do is do it."

Assistant Race Director

Michelle Sirois <sirois@usc.edu >

Year: Junior

Major/Minor: Industrial and Systems Engineering

Hometown: Boston, MA

Reason for Joining the Team: I wanted to keep up with running in college and join a club that would make me one of the coolest kids on campus. Killed two birds with one stone by joining USC Tri.

Greatest Triathlon-Related Accomplishment: Wildflower Half-Ironman May 2010, training for (and hopefully making it through...) Silverman full ironman November 2010, Nationals in the Great Lubbock Monsoon of 2010, avoiding hospitalization at every team social so far, women's team record for the beer mile.

Favorite Team Memory (or lack thereof): Sasha and Evan falling asleep at TTT"GS"PDS, the post-bike accident team camaraderie in the hospital this fall, the ride to Silverman last fall, not sleeping for 3 days before Fight On! 2010 and driving Parag's car around the course half-asleep... too many good memories with tri team!

Preferred Pre-Race Jams: "Bicycle Race" by Queen

Catch Phrase: "Swimming is my third favorite."

Swim Coordinator

Karon Walsh <karonwal@gmail.com >

Year: Junior

Major/Minor: Economics with a Cinema Minor and Marketing Minor, I do it all.

Hometown: Winnetka, IL (not as in farmville Illinois, more like down-the-street- from-Chicago Illinois if you catch my drift)

Reason for Joining the Team: Because there is no better feeling of accomplishment than when you finish a triathlon :-)

Greatest Triathlon-Related Accomplishment: Finishing a race in 40 degree weather without feeling in my feet or hands. I gave myself a pat on the back for finishing that one, and that experience was certainly trying, but totally worth it. Live and learn.

Favorite Team Memory (or lack thereof): Cyber-spooning. You kind of had to be there.

Preferred Pre-Race Jams: It depends...anything from Cascada to Slipknot as long as it either has a beat or is LOUD and unnecessarily intimidating.

Catch Phrase: "Guys, I GOT THIS."

Bike Coordinator

Natalie Hwang <nataliph@usc.edu >

Year: Senior

Major/Minor: Civil Engineering

Hometown: San Francisco, CA

Reason for Joining the Team: I liked the team atmosphere i had in high school and wanted to meet people to motivate me to work out.

Greatest Triathlon-Related Accomplishment: A strong race at Nationals my first year having just gotten over bronchitis.

Favorite Team Memory (or lack thereof): Retreat breakfast after the open water swim. We had multiple griddles and frying pans going with people pigging out everywhere you looked.

Volunteer Coordinator

Joey Ricci <josephmr@usc.edu >

Year: Senior

Major/Minor: IRGB

Hometown: Seattle, WA

Reason for Joining the Team: As I departed from the final base camp en route to the Everest summit, I stopped for a moment to soak in the breath-taking panorama. My 6 year old eyes could hardly believe that something so coldly beautiful could exist. The difficult and arduous climb continued, relentlessly pushing my physical limits. All of the sudden, a thunderous explosion rocked my ear drums. I looked up to see the side of the mountain crashing down towards me. My sherpa guide Lakhpa grabbed my hand and looked at me in the face with his piercing blue eyes. "Little one, there is only enough rope for one of us to descend into the crevasse for safety. As I cut you loose, I have but one request: You must attend the University of Southern California and lead their triathlon team as Vice President. Tis your destiny." A single tear dripped down his face as he cut the rope and I plummeted to safety. I will never forget Lakhpa. And now, here I am.

Greatest Triathlon-Related Accomplishment: The amount of guacamole I have eaten at team events.

Favorite Team Memory (or lack thereof): Nationals 09.

Preferred Pre-Race Jams: Gregorian monk chants.

Catch Phrase: "Si Se Puede."

Sponsorship

Jackie Tobin <jtobin@usc.edu >

Year: Senior

Major/Minor: Psychology/Two Dimensional Art

Hometown: Marshfield, MA

Reason for Joining the Team: I joined the team because I made a list of things I want to do in my
life with the elementary school students I work with and doing a triathlon was on it. I figured I should do all the physically active stuff while I can still walk.

Greatest Triathlon-Related Accomplishment: Being the fastest girl at two USC Triathlon races. Don't ask which ones they were.

Favorite Team Memory (or lack thereof): The first annual Extravaganza.

Preferred Pre-Race Jams: Most often Lil' Wayne.

Catch Phrase: "I hate my bike, lets go for a run instead."

Marketing & Philanthropy

Rachel Will <rwill@usc.edu >

Year: Junior

Major/Minor: Public Relations/Marketing

Hometown: Orange, CA

Reason for Joining the Team: To continue training with a team of motivated (but masochistic) individuals and try something new.

Greatest Triathlon-Related Accomplishment: Nationals, 2010.

Favorite Team Memory (or lack thereof): Triathlonendoftheyearextravaganza, my brain child and example of my shining commitment to team socialization.

Preferred Pre-Race Jams: Biggie, Tupac or Justin Guarini. Basically any great postmortem record of this generation.

Catch Phrase: "Meow."