Look for this UNA student ambassador + cross-country runner on TV one day

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Sophomore cross-country runner Mary Anna Trimble is a “legacy Lion” at the University of North Alabama, academically and athletically. Her parents, Scott and Leigh Anna, were both athletes for the school while pursuing their studies to become educators.

While it seems only natural that she laced up her running shoes and followed familial footsteps at UNA, Mary Anna is hitting her stride her own way. While the Shoals area has always been home, staying for these new chapters in life was all her choice, as will be how she carries the legacy forward.

Read on to learn how Mary Anna balances school, sports and social time, staying the course toward her future.

Meet Mary Anna

👀 WATCH: Mary Anna Trimble shares about her time so far as a UNA athlete, student and ambassador.

A family of athletes setting the pace

Sports are in Mary Anna’s DNA. Her mother played basketball at UNA, while her dad ran cross country there. He then accepted the job as head coach of the cross country team just before Mary Anna was born and stayed on for 14 seasons.

Meanwhile, she didn’t get into running until middle school, around age 11 or 12. By high school, she was winning awards. When the time arrived to choose a college, she had several options.

Mary Anna says she didn’t consider UNA at first because she grew up around it, and she envisioned moving away for school. She toured two other campuses, where she felt “something was missing.”

Why choose UNA?

“Mom and dad were really adamant about me touring UNA and just giving it a chance, and I absolutely loved it—the campus, the environment and the people here are so kind and welcoming, all the time. They’re always there to help. It felt like the right fit for me to come here and to run here, too, and I am just so grateful for the opportunity to do both.”
_{Mary Anna Trimble}

For her undergraduate studies, she’s chosen marketing as her major with a minor in communications and plans to pursue a master’s degree. This year, she became a student ambassador for the Sanders College of Business and Technology, representing the school at college fairs and giving tours.

While familiar with the discipline and endurance of cross-country running, she says she’s learning through her classes how to align those principles with the creativity and dynamics of marketing and communications, especially amid rapidly evolving technology.

Long-term goal? Land a dream job in sports marketing communications with a big player like ESPN.

Resilience, spirit + what’s next

Her coach, Connor Callahan, arrived at UNA from Ohio when Mary Anna entered as a freshman. He says he admired her dedication to rebounding from a couple of injuries and also learned he could count on her to provide feedback to him while uplifting the team culture.

“The best thing about her is how passionate she is about the sport and her teammates. She cares about them and wants the best for them. That comes from her parents instilling that in her, and it’s been fun to be around her, because she is a light. She is following in her parents’ footsteps, but also making her own path.”
_{UNA Cross Country Coach Connor Callahan}.

In addition to her new path as an ambassador for her college, Mary Anna will join her teammates as part of another new journey next year, when cross country expands into a full track and field program. Callahan says the athletes’ race schedules will pick up dramatically, with fewer breaks. Mary Anna says they’re ready for it.

“We’ll be able to compete in our conference in track, which means a huge deal to the team. We’ve been wanting this for years, so we’re very thankful to have that opportunity now.”
_{Mary Anna Trimble}

Curious about charting your own course with UNA like Mary Anna? Learn about all that the Sanders College of Business and Technology has to offer.

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