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June 26, 2009

BELLINGHAM, Wash. -

by Colleen Toomey, Western Front sports reporter

Finding the time to attend class, finish homework, eat, exercise and even sleep is a daunting task at times. Throw in three seasons of varsity track and field, a few school records and a stellar grade point average, and you have the collegiate life of Western Washington University junior long-distance runner Jordan Welling.

Welling, who arrived at Western in fall 2007 as a transfer from Northern Arizona University, was recently named to the College Sports Information Directors of America/ESPN The Magazine First-Team College Division District 8 Academic All-Star team for men's track and field. His teammates also named him Most Valuable Player for Western's track and field team.

The Burlington High School graduate, who competes in two sports, has maintained a 3.55 grade point average through the seasons as he works toward a degree in manufacturing and supply chain management and a minor in physics.

Welling said being a student athlete is a different lifestyle, and his time fills up quickly with practices or runs every day. Obtaining even five hours of sleep is not always possible, he said. Still, he said academics and athletes can intertwine.

"They balance each other out. When I run, I have time to think about classes, but running is also a de-stressor from classes," Welling said.

The most difficult decisions for student athletes, Welling said, happen during the weekend when athletes have to pass up socializing with peers in order to train or rest, especially around the time of big track meets or meets that coincide with finals week.

On April 17, Welling broke the Western men's 10,000-meter record with a time of 30 minutes, 2.33 seconds at the Mt. San Antonio College Relays in Walnut, Calif. surpassing an 18-year-old school record by 10 seconds. Less than a month later, he set a new 5,000-meter record with a time of 14:16:90 at the University of Oregon Twilight Track and Field Meet on May 9 in Eugene, Ore.

Last month Welling, along with eight other Western track and field athletes, competed in the NCAA Division II Championships. He ran in both the men's 5,000 and the 10,000. He placed 12th in the 10,000 with a time of 31:24:50.

Western senior teammate and fellow long distance runner Tony Tomsich said Welling's strong work ethic is one of his best qualities as a student athlete.

"He makes sure he does everything right," Tomsich said. "He puts a lot of time into things. People see the time he puts in and he's always fun to run with."

Welling said Pee Wee Halsell, Western track and field head coach, makes academics a priority.

"Pee Wee has a really open office," Welling said. "He'll stop and check in on how you're doing."

Ultimately, Halsell said it is really the athletes' responsibility to be disciplined and maintain grades.

"When we're traveling we have downtime," Halsell said. "They [the track team] do homework. They can bring a laptop, or we can get one for them to check out."

Welling said another source of academic support is the diversity of prospective majors on the track team. Teammates are open to helping each other study when one is struggling in a subject where another is excelling, he said.

Welling said the relationship between his studies and running is something he hopes to continue after graduation. Welling will look to complete a master's degree in business administration while running somewhere professionally that provides the same atmosphere as Bellingham.

One place he said he sees himself working would be at an athletic apparel company, such as a running shoe manufacturer. He said he chose his major because of his interest in both business and physics.

"It seems to be science-based and I was considering a science major. It deals with the front lines of production and communication. It's the only one of the business majors contributes to science," Welling said.

For now, Welling said his sights are set on the upcoming cross country season, as well as track, where he hopes to improve upon past successes and finish in the top four nationally for cross country with Western's team. During the summer off-season, Welling runs approximately 100 miles per week in Bellingham.

The mild summer weather provides favorable conditions for outdoor training. His favorite places to run, he said, are Galbraith Mountain and Lake Padden, though he spends much of his time running near Whatcom Falls.

Come spring of next year, Welling said he wants to return to the NCAA Division II National Championship for both the 5,000 and 10,000 and this time find a place on the podium.

"He's very capable. He's come a long way," Halsell said. "I still see him going further."