Running Home | Weather Forecast | What is Redwood Empire
Track All-Time | Cross Country All-Time
Schedule | Archives | Links
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK - Julie Nacouzi - Montgomery, junior, cross country
Eric Branch
PRESS DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER
Published: Tuesday, September 22, 2009
WHAT SHE DID:
Nacouzi finished second at the Viking Opener in the fifth-fastest time in the race's 21-year history at the
two-mile Spring Lake course. Nacouzi finished in 11 minutes, 22 seconds, 13 seconds behind Casa Grande star
Jacque Taylor. She ranks behind Taylor and Empire legends Julia Stamps, Sara Bei and Amber Trotter on the
all-time list. “She's naturally talented and she loves to compete,” Montgomery coach Val Sell said. “She's
the complete package.”
SETTING HER OWN PACE:
As a freshman and sophomore, Nacouzi followed the lead of Montgomery star Celeste Berg. “At the state meet
last year, I asked Julie what her plan was,” Sell said. “She said, ‘Oh, I'll just look for Celeste.' That was
her benchmark.” The plan worked decently. Nacouzi finished a respectable 46th at state as a sophomore. But
with Berg graduated and Nacouzi on her own, she's discovered a new level of success. At the Ed Sias Invitational
earlier this month, she had the fastest time of 634 finishers and third-fastest time in the two-mile race's
25-year history. Her time was also 1:50 faster than what she ran at the meet as a freshman. “This year I can no
longer depend on Celeste,” Nacouzi said. “My pacer is myself.”
SEVEN IS ENOUGH:
Nacouzi, who has a 4.3 GPA, is the third-oldest of seven children, four girls and three boys. The youngest,
Rami, is 4. The oldest, Melanie, is 18 and is a sophomore at Stanford.
Get home delivery of The Press Democrat -- the North Bay's news source.