"I was a 300m hurdler in high school, and the longest distance I ran on the track was the 800m as a part of our 4x800 team and I used to think the 800m was long. But now I actually want to try longer distances!" From Sylvania, Ohio, Janelle Noe was an all-state standout in high school. A four-time letterwinner in cross country and track, she would set the school 5k record at Sylvania Northview with a time of 17:42 and earn the Ohio DI cross country individual runner-up title her senior year. Following her prep career, Janelle chose the University of Toledo to continue her studies and compete for the Rockets. Upon completion of her time at UT, she earned a degree in Exercise Science/Pre Physical Therapy, a MAC conference championship and 1500m record, All-American honors, and a place on the starting line in the finals at the NCAA Championships.
"I am a burn survivor as of January 2016, where I suffered 2nd, 3rd, and 3rd degree deep burns on about 50% of my body." Janelle's story and accomplishments as a student-athlete stand firmly as a meritous career, however, when considering the turn her journey took while a sophomore at Toledo, it is all the more incredible. Just two years after her burn injuries, Janelle made it to DI NCAA finals after running a 6-second PR (4:10) in the 1500m pre-lims, and placed 11th in finals, becoming a 2nd-Team All-American.
"Being a burn survivor, I have to deal with a lot of differences both on and off the track because of my scarring from my burns. I think being someone who has been successful in both school and athletics after a traumatic event allows me to give a unique perspective to life." When Janelle decides to hang up her spikes after a career on the track, she would like to get involved in either Physical Therapy or Occupational Therapy by becoming a PTA or OTA, or find a new passion in a completely different field of either Social Media or Photography/Digital Design.
