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Health & Fitness

October Athlete of the Month: Jen Santucci

At Marian High School, the Santucci family is synonymous with spunk, talent, and Mustang Pride. It comes as no surprise then, that Jennifer, the youngest of three Marian attendees, was nominated as October’s Female Athlete of the Month.  The award comes at the heels of Jen’s election as Marian High School Homecoming Queen, an honor she shares with her older brother, Andrew.

Jen is the captain of the cross country team, mirroring her captaincies in both winter track and lacrosse. She began her athletic career exclusively focused on lacrosse in the fifth grade, and did not begin running until her freshman Fall at Marian, when she joined Andrew as a member of the school’s cross country team. At a 5k race in early October Jen clocked a new personal best: an impressive 26:09. During the Winter, Jen dominates as a thrower, specializing in the shot put. She spends the Spring season with her sister, Maria, who serves as the assistant coach for the Marian Girls Lacrosse Team.

As iterated in the aforementioned summary, Jen’s family is extremely important to her. She has always pla yed sports with her older sister and brother, and they, along with her parents, remain her biggest fans. She came to Marian primarily because of the positive reviews given to her by her siblings. The “small environment” allows for “everyone to know everyone”, a trait Jen values highly. She describes herself as “very Marian spirited”, an assertion easily confirmed during this year’s homecoming week, at which she sported no less than five custom-made puffy painted Marian pride tees. Jen also claims that her favorite thing to eat is “Marian cafeteria food”, available to her more often than others, as her mom, Carol, works in the Caf at the school. Jen also enjoys the relationship she shares with her teachers, all of whom are her favorite. She is currently enrolled in a contemporary issues class primarily because “Mr. Johnson teaches it and I wanted to have him again”. Jen’s passion for the school and her classmates is palpable, making her election as Homecoming Queen extraordinarily fitting.

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The small community at Marian is something Jen wishes to maintain throughout her lifetime. Ideally, she would like to “always live in the country”, in a place where her cherished cowboy boots are thoroughly appreciated. A passionate country music fan, Jen spent a majority of her summer attending various concerts with friends and family. Ideally, she would like to go to college in New Hampshire or Maine. Her only requirement?: “It just can’t be in a city”. Jen wants to eventually live in “some Wyoming-esque place in the middle of nowhere” working outdoors, perhaps in construction management.

When she’s not playing sports or humming Miranda Lambert songs, Jen likes snowmobiling and water skiing. She also frequently attends antique truck shows with her dad, recently gifting him a trip to one such show in Pennsylvania for Father’s Day. As Thanksgiving--her favorite holiday—approaches, Jen is attempting to “get everything done” and embrace all of the perks of senior year. Her success in and out of the classroom, in combination with her contagious enthusiasm makes Jen a fantastic example of a Marian Mustang.

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Check out the Cross Country team at their upcoming League Meet this Thursday!

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