Graduate runner Bethany DeLoof added a New England title and a third-place finish at A-10s to her already impressive resume last month. PHOTO CREDIT: Melissa Marchese | Staff Photographer
University of Rhode Island Women’s middle distance runner Bethany DeLoof has had a successful five-year career as a student-athlete at the school.
This season, she has excelled on the track, recording five-Top 5 finishes across three events. Her most notable victory came at the New England Championships in early February, where she won the 500 meters with a time of 1:14.89. For DeLoof, this achievement was one that meant a lot to her.
“It feels really good, that was really exciting,” she said. “I’ve been a champion on relay teams before, but never in an individual event. It is really cool to get that individual title and have that forever.”
But now looking back at how the preseason started for her, it was more of a difficult time for herself as she dealt with issues before becoming a champion.
“I had a rough preseason, I got sick, I had COVID and kind of a little different things that were adding up and I wasn’t having a great preseason,” DeLoof said. “I think I’m finally starting to get back from those little issues that I had and get back into where I need to be physical fitness wise and mentally.”
Away from the track, the Strongsville, Ohio native is a marine biology major and the program is a big reason why she came to Rhode Island.
“I was looking at all marine [biology] schools and chose here because they got a really good marine bio program,” DeLoof said. “The marine bio program was the main focus and then the track program was like the cherry on top.”
Assistant coach John Melnick praised her for being a standout student-athlete and also a role model for others.
“She exemplifies what you want to see,” Melnick said. “Quiet, a role model but if a person wants to get better that’s who they need to follow.”
Track and field was something that DeLoof fell in love with after she decided to try it early in her childhood DeLoof grew up playing soccer, but with a desire to try something new, she gave track and field a try.
“Growing up, I did soccer and then I switched to track because I wanted to try something new and from when I started it, I kind of fell in love with it,” DeLoof said. “I think it’s a cool sport, you have your individual side of it where you have your individual goals and then you have relays with your team supporting you”
Over the course of the last five seasons, Melnick has worked with DeLoof and has been impressed with the progression she has made during her career.
“She’s worked hard,” Melnick said. “She has worked hard for everything she’s got and keeps getting better and she is one of the toughest people I’ve had the privilege of working with,” John said. “To me it is one of the easier jobs because she’s on top of everything. It makes my life easier because she’s where she’s supposed to be when she needs to be.”
DeLoof is hoping to close out her collegiate career with a bang when she races in what could be her final indoor meet of year career this weekend at the ECAC Championship in Boston.