Getting To Know Twanisha "TeeTee" Terry

Freshman sprinter Twanisha "TeeTee" Terry has already become a dominant force for the women's Track & Field team in just her first few meets as a Trojan. The two-time Pac-12 Track Athlete of the Week put on a show against UCLA in the annual USC-UCLA Dual Meet, helping the team sweep the Bruins by placing second in the 200m dash with a time of 23.09 (+1.0) and running a leg on the winning 4x100m relay team with a meet-record time of 43.14. She earned her way into the USC record books at the Mt. SAC Relays by winning the 100m invitational with a PR of 10.99 that set the school and freshman record and is the top wind-legal time in the country this season. She also helped to set a school record in the 4x100m with a time of 42.57, the second fastest time in the country this season. This sprinting star has a bright future ahead of her and you can learn more about why she chose USC, her sports hero and her personal goals for this season below.

Q: What inspired your decision to come to USC?

TT: Head coach Caryl Smith Gilbert and the head coach of my high school are very close and another coach from my high school trained under Coach Caryl, so I had heard a lot about Coach Caryl through them. I actually met Coach Caryl at Florida Relays which inspired me to look more into USC and I saw Kendall Ellis and Deanna Hill were part of the program, who are both from Florida, and were star athletes coming out of high school.

Q: What's been the transition been like in your first year as a student-athlete?

TT: The transition has been very easy, it wasn't as hard as people made it seem. I'm very good at time management so I've learned how to balance track and academics. Also, the transition from high school track to college track wasn't hard. I've just had to get used to a couple different things. College track is a lot more technical and there are more rules and you have to worry about NCAA violations, so I've had to learn some of the basics and rules of college athletics.

Q: Growing up did you play any other sports and how did that affect your decision to become a sprinter?

TT: No, I never played any other sports, just track and field. I actually got into o track when I was a kid. I used to walk home from elementary school and we used to always walk by a park where they were doing track and field. One day we decided to go try out. I was just looking for something to do, but I made JO's (Junior Olympics) my first year, so I stuck with it and I've been running track ever since.

Q: What did it mean to you to compete in the Power 5 Trailblazer Challenge that honored the five female Track & Field coaches in the Power 5 conferences?

TT: The Trailblazer meet was very good. That was when I PR'd, I ran a 10.97 even though it was wind-aided. I think the idea that Coach Caryl and her husband came up with was very great to see the top 5 schools there that are led by women for both the men's and women's track and field. So, I think it was a great idea, it was a great meet and I look forward to it in the future.

Q: What lessons have you learned from some of your older teammates?

TT: They've taught me how some of the classes run in college, making sure I go to professors' office hours, making sure not to wait until the last minute to do things, and also showing me how to get help when I need it, no matter how stupid or small a thing I think it might be. They've also taught me to remain humble in everything I do and to help out my peers when they need help.

Q: How did your coaches help you prepare have such a strong start to the season in your first year at USC?

TT: Coach Caryl is very good at what she does. Coming in to this year my PR was 11.3, but Coach Caryl helped me with some technical things that I didn't even know would make a difference in my race such as my block start. Running races through zones also helped me out a lot because in high school I used to just get out and run, I never focused much on the little things. Here, Coach Caryl takes the time out to make sure I perfect those little things that add up in the end.

Q: You were named Pac-12 athlete of the week twice already this season. What does it mean to you to win that award in such a competitive track conference?

TT: It means a lot considering it is such a competitive conference. I never doubt my ability, but I was shocked to see myself win it two times. The first time I got it I didn't even know, people were congratulating me and I was like 'What are you talking about?' It was a good feeling, my family back home is very proud and I make sure to keep them updated with everything I do.

Q: What are some personal athletic goals that you're setting for yourself for the rest of this season?

TT: For the rest of the outdoor season, I plan to improve more in the 200m. The 100m is my favorite race, but the 200m is something I can do as well. At some point, I would like to set the freshman record which is 22.84 that was set in 2011. That's one of my main goals, not only to set the record in the 200m, but to lower it as well. Also, even though I already have the school and freshman record for the 100m, my goal is to lower that one as well, and also to make it to nationals and come out a national champion.

Q: You've said that Carmelita Jeter is your sports hero. What qualities do you admire in her?

TT: Her favorite race, if I'm not mistaken, was the 100m. Right now, she's the fastest woman alive with a 10.64, so with our favorite race being the same, I tend to watch her videos for certain techniques such as low heels and driving out the blocks. In high school, I always looked up to her, I even got socks made with her picture on them and called myself Carmelita Jr. I've looked up to her for a long time. She was also a part of the USA 4x100 that set the record which is one of my favorite relays.

Q: Do you have any pre-meet rituals?

TT: I don't think I really have any rituals, I maybe listen to certain songs. I like to walk around with different shades on each meet that my teammates seem to find funny, but other than that I don't really have any rituals.

Players Mentioned

Kendall Ellis

Deanna Hill