Senior Emily Wedlake has never been one to shy away from a challenge. Whether it’s pounding out early morning miles or pushing through the final stretch of a grueling race, Wedlake has built her high school career on determination and discipline. Now, her hard work has paid off, and Wedlake has committed to the University of Massachusetts (UMass) Amherst to continue her athletic and academic journey. There, she will compete on both the track & field and cross country teams at the Division I level.
According to Wedlake, she has known she wanted to pursue athletics at the collegiate level for a long time. Her parents were both collegiate runners at Providence College where her brother, WA alumnus Adam Wedlake, currently attends and runs for the team.
Growing up, Wedlake ran in road races such as the Littleton Road Race. In middle school, she joined a club team where she was able to develop her abilities further, and she later joined the cross country and track teams at Westford Academy.
“It became pretty apparent as soon as I ran in that club, [that running] became something I looked forward to doing [in college],” Wedlake said.
After taking a careful look at other colleges, Wedlake decided UMass Amherst was the best fit for various reasons. According to Wedlake, she enjoyed meeting and running with the UMass distance running group which included the girls on the cross country and track & field teams.
In addition to the team, UMass Amherst’s well-regarded academics impressed Wedlake and contributed to her decision, as academics are something she prioritizes. Wedlake plans to major in sports management at the Isenberg School of Management which will incorporate her interest in business.
“[Wedlake has] had plenty of experience in that [her] mom and dad were collegiate runners, and then her brother went through the experience,” cross country coach Phil Archambault said. “So she would ask me here and there [about where to go], but I said, ‘it’s a matter of how you feel with the coach, are you going to be able to go out and do your runs and not be sitting there wishing you were somewhere else?'”
The commitment processes for cross country and track differ from other sports. With there being no showcases or identification camps, recruitment coaches closely examine race times and reach out to athletes to determine whether or not they would they would be a worthwhile recruit.
“The key times that made me stand out were my [cross country] 5k times [18:11], as well as my track 2 mile time [10:41] and track mile time [4:58],” Wedlake said. “These track times were run in the state meets at the end of my junior year, which was definitely a crucial piece of my recruiting process.”
According to Wedlake, her coaches, teammates, and family have all had a positive impact on her running career, as they are always pushing her to be her best and cheering her on at every meet.
“My coaches have also made a huge impact on my success, always finding the workout that works best for me and compromising their own schedules to accommodate mine,” Wedlake said. “None of my times would be as fast as they are today if they weren’t there to help me.”
Archambault has been coaching Wedlake since freshman year, and he has been able to see her progression as well.
“She’s fantastic, probably one of the hardest workers I’ve ever met, and that focus shows itself every practice,” Archambault said.
Moreover, since Wedlake is a cross country and track captain, she has also had a hand in impacting her fellow teammates and pushing them to be the best they can be.
“I appreciate how she’s always putting her teammates first and encouraging everyone to do their best,” junior cross country runner Abby Carnevale said.
Wedlake has expressed excitement to start the next chapter of her life, and she is ready to continue her running journey in college.
“I felt like a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders [once I committed] in brackets, because it was a long time coming,” Wedlake said. “It was great to be able to have the fall be free again and be able to run for myself rather than aiming for specific times that coaches wanted.”
