How Andy Trouard '13 found track & field late in his high school career and took himself to the pinnacle of the sport
From the pool and the pitch to the track, how did Andy Trouard '13 hit the ground running?
It isn't every day that you see an athlete progress through a program to win an NCAA National Championship.
What makes it even more unlikely is when that athlete doesn't find his sport until late in his high school career.
This is the case for Northern Arizona University's Andy Trouard, who is a two-time NCAA Cross Country National Champion as well as the nation's best in the 3000-meter after claiming the title at the 2018 NCAA National Indoor meet in March.
The redshirt-senior will get another shot at a championship as he heads to the NCAA Outdoor National Championships to compete in the finals of the men's 5,000-meter race that takes place on Friday at 7:25 p.m. MST at the historic University of Oregon's Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.
So how did a former high school swimmer and soccer player reach the pinnacle of collegiate track and field?
PATH TO THE TRACK AND NAU
If you would have asked Trouard when he was a high school freshman, running is something that did not even cross his mind. A two-sport athlete at Salpointe Catholic High in Tucson, Ariz. in swimming and soccer, Trouard excelled at both sports winning multiple state titles in each.
He earned a Division II boys soccer state championship and placed second in the 50 freestyle at the Arizona state meet as a junior in addition to swimming legs on two state-title winning relay teams.
But it was during a switch between the soccer/swimming and his usual off-season in which Trouard's friends helped give him a push towards his career on the track.
"What got me started was my friend's group in high school," Trouard said. "Right after soccer ended they all started getting ready for track so that kind of just turned into my thing that I was going to do to hang out more with them."
Hanging out wasn't just all he would do as Trouard went on to win his first race running a 4:35 in a 1600-meters event. His second race was even better as he clocked a 4:21, collecting another victory.
Safe to say, Trouard felt like he found something.
After a breakout season on the track his junior year, Trouard made the switch to running full-time as he started to look at in-state running programs. He hung up his soccer cleats and exchanged them for spikes for the fall of his senior year as he joined the cross country team.
He wouldn't look back.
"I was doing well and that always helps a ton," Trouard said. "I just started running. I really enjoyed the training aspect and being able to push myself and just competing one-on-one against others as individuals. Unlike team sports at times, in track you have control over what you are going to do."
Now that he found his calling, Trouard turned his attention to finding a program that would work for him. Heading into his senior year, his mind was all on track and he found a home at Northern Arizona.
"It was close to home. I didn't know much about running or the different programs across the nation when I was looking at schools," Trouard reflected on his school search. "It was kind of just between a couple in-state schools and NAU had the best team which made my decision pretty easy in the end."
CROSS COUNTRY SUCCESS LEADING TO THE TRACK
By now it is no secret that Northern Arizona has won back-to-back NCAA National Championships in cross country, a squad that Trouard has been a strong part of.
He earned two All-American honors to help NAU win consecutive titles with finishes of 35th in 2017 and 37th in 2016.
"It was a surreal experience looking back on it," Trouard said. "We had the whole team just really going for it and really supportive of each other the whole season. It makes me smile every time I think about it and it wasn't just because of winning. The whole season and the build-up to nationals, winning it was perfect."
It's not like the program was just handed those titles either as the team put in hard work throughout the off-season. Having to show up and train with two of the best distance runners in the country in teammates Tyler Day and Matt Baxter sure does help as well.
"You know that you're going to be held accountable every day at training. You can't come out to a workout in a bad mood or not wanting to work hard because you'll get dropped," Trouard reflected "You'll get spit out the back. I think it's the best thing about this team is to have so many people who are that dedicated and not only do you want to compete with but also be around. I've really appreciated the team aspect we have here."
With such strong cross country seasons, especially this past year, Trouard knew that success was coming on the track.
And it was coming in a hurry.
"All through cross-country, I was running the highest mileage I ever had, the best workouts I have ever participated in and I was really feeling great as far as training goes," Trouard said. "I knew I was in for a big one. Workouts were starting to come easy and my mind was in the right place. It was just a matter of time before I got racing and clocked a good one."
WINNING THE INDIVIDUAL NATIONAL TITLE AT INDOORS
That training and hard work led Trouard to qualify for the NCAA Indoor National Championships in both the 3,000-meter and 5,000-meter events.
"I really wanted to focus on the 5K more but for whatever reason, maybe it was just the nerves of being at indoor nationals for the first time or the travel but whatever it was, I didn't quite get the result in the 5K that I wanted to," Trouard said.
While it might not have been what he wanted the result was just a fifth-place finish earning Trouard another All-American honor. While most would have been satisfied Trouard knew he could get more out of himself. He just needed to set his mind right again.
"But after that first race my conscience was clear, my stress was gone and I could just go into the 3K and race to the best of my ability without really having to worry about anything," Trouard said. "It was really nice, as I had my dad and my brother there and got to hang out with them the night before the 3K. It was fun and relaxing and then I was just able to go out there and compete."
Compete he did as Trouard held off one of the best distance runners in the history of the NCAA in Syracuse's Justyn Knight. Despite multiple attempts by the Orange standout, Trouard would not allow him to pass and outkicked him down the backstretch to secure the first individual national championship at NAU since 2010.
"You got 16 guys all having a personal record within a couple seconds of each other so it doesn't really matter the pace you take it out at," Trouard said. "Everyone is going to be there with one, two, three laps to go. It was going to be crowded. I got to the front and found a pace that was as comfortable as could be without being too slow and from there I knew I just had to hold people off."
"It was kind of one of those things where I was at the lead and I was so focused on what I had to do in the moment that I got to two laps to go where I realized wow I could do this," Trouard added. "It hit me, this is so possible for me and adrenaline just took over from there. Once I realized I gapped him and broke away time kind of stopped."
RUNNING FOR THE FINAL TIME AS A LUMBERJACK THIS WEEKEND
Trouad competes in the 5,000-meter at outdoor nationals on Friday, the last race for his storied NAU career.
"I got one race left in an NAU uniform. It's going to be a big one," Trouard said. "There are some amazing athletes that I have to race against in an incredibly stacked 5K. I know I'm in the best shape of my life so I'm going to get out there and compete and try to have a little fun too. I know I can hang with the top guys so I'm going to see if I have a little extra in the end to get that win."
Win or not, just the success on the track is not how Director of Cross Country and Track and Field Michael Smith is going to view him.
"Andy obviously has some amazing accolades across track and cross country," Smith said. "A lot of people will remember him for that but what I'll choose to know him for is a guy who loves NAU Track and Field. He always wants to hold himself and his teammates accountable to the high bar that has been set before us."
"He starts off each practice with a smile and greets me and lets me know that practice is the best part of his day," Smith added. "He wants to make everyone around him better. That's how I'll choose to remember Andy. He's been a great leader and a fantastic member of what this NAU program is all about."
Trouard too wants to make sure he leaves his mark on the program other than just winning titles. He sees the special bond and program that NAU has developed.
"The group of guys we have on these team are the best group of guys I've ever been able to be around," Trouard said. "Just the way we treat and push each other and all that. Cross we run as a team but track is more individual and we're still out there on the track in a paceline, holding on, hammering each other into the ground, all that fun stuff. If I could leave anything on this program it's for the guys to keep that mentality. Keep that closeness within the team."
No matter how Friday goes, one thing is for certain. This isn't going to be the last time we see of Andy Trouard on the track.
Even if it did take him a little longer than most to find his calling.
"Keep running as long as I can," Trouard said when asked about his future. "I'm in love with the sport so I'm going to look towards my options and see if I can keep going with this."
Read more.
Photo from Arizona Daily Star.
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What makes it even more unlikely is when that athlete doesn't find his sport until late in his high school career.
This is the case for Northern Arizona University's Andy Trouard, who is a two-time NCAA Cross Country National Champion as well as the nation's best in the 3000-meter after claiming the title at the 2018 NCAA National Indoor meet in March.
The redshirt-senior will get another shot at a championship as he heads to the NCAA Outdoor National Championships to compete in the finals of the men's 5,000-meter race that takes place on Friday at 7:25 p.m. MST at the historic University of Oregon's Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.
So how did a former high school swimmer and soccer player reach the pinnacle of collegiate track and field?
PATH TO THE TRACK AND NAU
If you would have asked Trouard when he was a high school freshman, running is something that did not even cross his mind. A two-sport athlete at Salpointe Catholic High in Tucson, Ariz. in swimming and soccer, Trouard excelled at both sports winning multiple state titles in each.
He earned a Division II boys soccer state championship and placed second in the 50 freestyle at the Arizona state meet as a junior in addition to swimming legs on two state-title winning relay teams.
But it was during a switch between the soccer/swimming and his usual off-season in which Trouard's friends helped give him a push towards his career on the track.
"What got me started was my friend's group in high school," Trouard said. "Right after soccer ended they all started getting ready for track so that kind of just turned into my thing that I was going to do to hang out more with them."
Hanging out wasn't just all he would do as Trouard went on to win his first race running a 4:35 in a 1600-meters event. His second race was even better as he clocked a 4:21, collecting another victory.
Safe to say, Trouard felt like he found something.
After a breakout season on the track his junior year, Trouard made the switch to running full-time as he started to look at in-state running programs. He hung up his soccer cleats and exchanged them for spikes for the fall of his senior year as he joined the cross country team.
He wouldn't look back.
"I was doing well and that always helps a ton," Trouard said. "I just started running. I really enjoyed the training aspect and being able to push myself and just competing one-on-one against others as individuals. Unlike team sports at times, in track you have control over what you are going to do."
Now that he found his calling, Trouard turned his attention to finding a program that would work for him. Heading into his senior year, his mind was all on track and he found a home at Northern Arizona.
"It was close to home. I didn't know much about running or the different programs across the nation when I was looking at schools," Trouard reflected on his school search. "It was kind of just between a couple in-state schools and NAU had the best team which made my decision pretty easy in the end."
CROSS COUNTRY SUCCESS LEADING TO THE TRACK
By now it is no secret that Northern Arizona has won back-to-back NCAA National Championships in cross country, a squad that Trouard has been a strong part of.
He earned two All-American honors to help NAU win consecutive titles with finishes of 35th in 2017 and 37th in 2016.
"It was a surreal experience looking back on it," Trouard said. "We had the whole team just really going for it and really supportive of each other the whole season. It makes me smile every time I think about it and it wasn't just because of winning. The whole season and the build-up to nationals, winning it was perfect."
It's not like the program was just handed those titles either as the team put in hard work throughout the off-season. Having to show up and train with two of the best distance runners in the country in teammates Tyler Day and Matt Baxter sure does help as well.
"You know that you're going to be held accountable every day at training. You can't come out to a workout in a bad mood or not wanting to work hard because you'll get dropped," Trouard reflected "You'll get spit out the back. I think it's the best thing about this team is to have so many people who are that dedicated and not only do you want to compete with but also be around. I've really appreciated the team aspect we have here."
With such strong cross country seasons, especially this past year, Trouard knew that success was coming on the track.
And it was coming in a hurry.
"All through cross-country, I was running the highest mileage I ever had, the best workouts I have ever participated in and I was really feeling great as far as training goes," Trouard said. "I knew I was in for a big one. Workouts were starting to come easy and my mind was in the right place. It was just a matter of time before I got racing and clocked a good one."
WINNING THE INDIVIDUAL NATIONAL TITLE AT INDOORS
That training and hard work led Trouard to qualify for the NCAA Indoor National Championships in both the 3,000-meter and 5,000-meter events.
"I really wanted to focus on the 5K more but for whatever reason, maybe it was just the nerves of being at indoor nationals for the first time or the travel but whatever it was, I didn't quite get the result in the 5K that I wanted to," Trouard said.
While it might not have been what he wanted the result was just a fifth-place finish earning Trouard another All-American honor. While most would have been satisfied Trouard knew he could get more out of himself. He just needed to set his mind right again.
"But after that first race my conscience was clear, my stress was gone and I could just go into the 3K and race to the best of my ability without really having to worry about anything," Trouard said. "It was really nice, as I had my dad and my brother there and got to hang out with them the night before the 3K. It was fun and relaxing and then I was just able to go out there and compete."
Compete he did as Trouard held off one of the best distance runners in the history of the NCAA in Syracuse's Justyn Knight. Despite multiple attempts by the Orange standout, Trouard would not allow him to pass and outkicked him down the backstretch to secure the first individual national championship at NAU since 2010.
"You got 16 guys all having a personal record within a couple seconds of each other so it doesn't really matter the pace you take it out at," Trouard said. "Everyone is going to be there with one, two, three laps to go. It was going to be crowded. I got to the front and found a pace that was as comfortable as could be without being too slow and from there I knew I just had to hold people off."
"It was kind of one of those things where I was at the lead and I was so focused on what I had to do in the moment that I got to two laps to go where I realized wow I could do this," Trouard added. "It hit me, this is so possible for me and adrenaline just took over from there. Once I realized I gapped him and broke away time kind of stopped."
RUNNING FOR THE FINAL TIME AS A LUMBERJACK THIS WEEKEND
Trouad competes in the 5,000-meter at outdoor nationals on Friday, the last race for his storied NAU career.
"I got one race left in an NAU uniform. It's going to be a big one," Trouard said. "There are some amazing athletes that I have to race against in an incredibly stacked 5K. I know I'm in the best shape of my life so I'm going to get out there and compete and try to have a little fun too. I know I can hang with the top guys so I'm going to see if I have a little extra in the end to get that win."
Win or not, just the success on the track is not how Director of Cross Country and Track and Field Michael Smith is going to view him.
"Andy obviously has some amazing accolades across track and cross country," Smith said. "A lot of people will remember him for that but what I'll choose to know him for is a guy who loves NAU Track and Field. He always wants to hold himself and his teammates accountable to the high bar that has been set before us."
"He starts off each practice with a smile and greets me and lets me know that practice is the best part of his day," Smith added. "He wants to make everyone around him better. That's how I'll choose to remember Andy. He's been a great leader and a fantastic member of what this NAU program is all about."
Trouard too wants to make sure he leaves his mark on the program other than just winning titles. He sees the special bond and program that NAU has developed.
"The group of guys we have on these team are the best group of guys I've ever been able to be around," Trouard said. "Just the way we treat and push each other and all that. Cross we run as a team but track is more individual and we're still out there on the track in a paceline, holding on, hammering each other into the ground, all that fun stuff. If I could leave anything on this program it's for the guys to keep that mentality. Keep that closeness within the team."
No matter how Friday goes, one thing is for certain. This isn't going to be the last time we see of Andy Trouard on the track.
Even if it did take him a little longer than most to find his calling.
"Keep running as long as I can," Trouard said when asked about his future. "I'm in love with the sport so I'm going to look towards my options and see if I can keep going with this."
Read more.
Photo from Arizona Daily Star.
Salpointe Catholic High School
1545 E. Copper St.,
Tucson, AZ 85719
(520) 327-6581
Attendance: (520) 327-1990
Tucson, AZ 85719
(520) 327-6581
Attendance: (520) 327-1990
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