Monday Alumni Profile: Michelle Cascio

3/1/2021 3:47:00 PM

By: Norman Yacko

Every Monday, TCNJ Athletics will check in with an alum from one of its programs. Today, it's Michelle Cascio, a 2015 graduate of the TCNJ women's track and field team. The Washington Twp., N.J. native graduated with a degree in health and exercise science with a minor in psychology. Cascio remains the Lions' program record holder in the outdoor 200-meters and earned All-America honors as a member of the indoor 4x400 relay team in in 2015.

In a paragraph or two, talk about what you've done since you've left TCNJ:

Right after graduating from TCNJ, I started working as a high school health & physical education teacher in New Jersey. Over the next four years, I would teach all grade levels from Pre-K to 12. I love that I was able to get a feel for teaching each grade level so early in my career. I was also coaching boys and girls high school track & field for a few years.
Last summer I moved to Florida to take a high school health & phys. ed. teaching position in Orlando. Currently I am teaching grades 9-12. I absolutely love living in Orlando. There is so much to do, and I am really enjoying the year-round warm weather!

What has been your favorite professional experience?

Definitely being a high school track coach. Not only was it rewarding, but I enjoyed being back around the sport so much that it truly didn't even feel like work to me. I think I got more nervous watching my athletes compete than I ever got for myself!

Do you stay in contact with any of your old teammates or coaches?

I am still in contact with a lot of old teammates whether it's through text or even apps like Snapchat or Instagram. As teammates, you train together, eat together, travel together, celebrate victories together, and suffer through defeats together. My teammates were a major part of my life so I think it's important to stay connected.
I also stay in contact with Coach Lindsey. What makes him such a great coach is that he cares about his athletes and their well-being outside of the sport as well. A testament to that is even though I have been out of the program for quite a few years now, Coach still checks in on me. I consider Coach Lindsey to be a great friend of mine. He is still someone I feel I could talk to about anything.

What is one thing you miss most about playing sports at TCNJ?

I miss the actual competition most. I absolutely loved racing and leaving everything out on the track. The thrill of competition, especially at a big meet, is such an adrenaline rush. Performing your best, scoring points for your team, breaking a record are things that all athletes strive for because of that feeling.

What do you miss most about being a student at TCNJ, either academically or socially?

I miss being in such close proximity to friends. Because TCNJ is a smaller school, if you lived either on- or off -campus, you were never too far from anyone you wanted to hang out with. I definitely took that for granted while I was a student.

What is your favorite memory as a TCNJ athlete either in competition, in practice, traveling or socially?

My favorite memory is from Indoor NCAA Championships my senior year when my 4x400 relay team placed 7th overall to become All-Americans. Track is mainly an individual sport, so I think achieving something with a team is so special. Working together and depending on one another to each perform our best created such a strong bond between us. Being able to celebrate and share that honor with my teammates is something I will never forget.

Is there anything your coaches said during your playing career that still sticks with you now?

I would often get frustrated at meets if I wasn't running exactly the times I was aiming for. Coach Lindsey would remind me that as long as I was putting in the work at practice, the results would come. He was right and looking back, I know my success was a product of the effort I gave at each practice. I love track because it is a sport where you get out of it exactly what you put into it. Coach Lindsey definitely instilled a great work ethic in me, which is a skill that has carried into life after college athletics.

What would you say to a student-athlete who is considering attending TCNJ?

This is funny because I have actually coached a few current student-athletes at TCNJ. I told them that in my experience, TCNJ allows for a healthy balance between academics, athletics and a social life. A lot of other colleges don't allow you that luxury. I also felt like I was always surrounded by people who wanted to see me succeed, whether that was my professors, coaches or teammates.

Do you have any advice for current TCNJ student-athletes?

I know you probably hear this all the time, but college goes by so fast, enjoy every moment! In college sports it's common for an athlete to look forward to the big competitions towards the end of the season like the NJAC or the NCAA Championships. But it's important not to rush the season and take time to enjoy the little things like smaller-scale competitions, having a meal with your teammates, or even the early morning practices. You'll think back on those moments just as much.

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