Student-athlete overcomes hurdles

If Lacey Triplett could return to the beginning of her college career, she wouldn’t change anything.

“I’ve loved Lenoir-Rhyne since the first day I stepped on campus for my tour,” Triplett said.

A 2018 graduate of Wilkes Central High School, Triplett wanted to follow in the footsteps of her older brother, Dustin, who pole vaulted at Western Carolina. It just so happened that God had different plans for Triplett to be a student-athlete at Lenoir-Rhyne but under the same head coach, Danny Williamson, who also coached her brother.

An instructional studies student, Triplett intends to graduate with her bachelor’s degree in May 2022. With an extra year of eligibility, she plans to start her master’s degree in teaching. She has already completed some graduate credits through the dual-enrollment Bridges to Dreams program.

During spring 2021, Triplett finished fifth in the javelin throw with a 36.15m at the Liberty Twilight Qualifier. In two events, she also added a strong performance at the South Atlantic Conference. She finished second in the pole vault with a final jump of 3.07m and third in the javelin with a hurl of 35.90m.

Despite her exceptional performance last season, Triplett ended her season with concern.

“With the pain, I knew there was something wrong,” Triplett said. “They did an MRI on my shoulder and said my tendon was about to snap.”

Last summer, Triplett had to undergo shoulder surgery to repair her bicep tendon and multiple tears on her rotator cuff and a bone spur. Triplett didn’t let that surgery alter her plans as a student-athlete and worked through the adversity.

This spring, she’s running the 400-meter hurdles and competing in the multi-events, throwing javelin and excelling at the pole vault, which she earned a bronze at the SAC Indoor Championships at JDL Fast Track in February.

In addition, U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announced that Triplett earned all-region honors in the pole vault event for the 2022 NCAA Division II indoor track and field season. Triplett also finished third in the women’s javelin throw at the Weems Baskin Invitational this past weekend. She will also be taking the mat April 6-10 to compete for a national championship in Dayton Beach, Florida, with the Lenoir-Rhyne Spirit Team.

As a first-generation student, Triplett said Lenoir-Rhyne has provided the foundation for her future success and holds the university in high regard.

“I knew I belonged the moment I visited LR, and I instantly felt like I was home,” she said. “The welcome spirit of everyone that I’ve met has been amazing. I love the class sizes and how my professors and advisor have interacted with me. LR will always hold a special place in my heart.”