University Southern California Trojans
Getting To Know Marjourie Lopez
October 25, 2023 | Track & Field
The first edition of the "2023-24 Getting To Know" series introducing the newcomers of the USC Track & Field program highlights freshman Marjourie Lopez. She is a graduate of Shadow Hills High in Indio, Calif. and won the CIF-Southern Section Division II 3200m title as a senior. This first-generation student-athlete invites us to learn more about her personal and athletic journey alongside her newfound excitement with the L.A. area.
Q: What events do you do and what other events might you do now that you're here at USC?
ML: My favorite was the 3200m in high school, but now my coach wants me to try the steeplechase, the 5k and hopefully 10k.
Q: Have you ever done the steeplechase?
ML: No, never. My high school coach never thought I could do hurdles.
Q: Are you a little nervous?
ML: I think it'll be fun, actually
Q: Have you ever wanted to try it before?
ML: Yeah, I have wanted to try it just because I love the event. Hopefully it'll be a fun experience.
Q: What do you do like to get yourself pumped up?
ML: I love to listen to music. Guitar music is my favorite. I listen to a lot of reggaeton and Bad Bunny… and hip hop, like Drake or Travis Scott.
Q: What inspired you to get into track? Was it the only sport you did growing up?
ML: Growing up I enjoyed soccer because my Grandpa loves playing it. I always tried new things like volleyball, so volleyball and soccer before. My friends convinced me to join track just because I wanted to do an extracurricular activity after school. My friends were all doing track and field, so I was like, why not try my freshman year… but COVID happened, so I didn't start actually running until junior year.
Q: You started running late technically for someone who wants to run D-I. Have you always thought about running in college or was it just that you realized that you are good at it?
ML: It was my senior year when I realized I was kind of good at it. That's when colleges started to reach out. I was shocked. My junior year I thought that I could get into a D-III school at most. I loved running. It was like my passion, but I didn't think I was good enough. Then Coach [Jebreh] Harris started reaching out to me and I was like, "Oh, I would love to go to USC." I'm actually first generation. I wanted to go to college and I wanted to get into a good one, and running helped with that.
Q: Would you say your family has a lot to do with the reason why you're running, whether it's actually doing the sport itself, or doing it to help further your family's success and the future?
ML: I think I would say to further my family's successes, just because my parents have always been my biggest fans, but I definitely feel like my parents have impacted the way I see running. My parents know nothing about running. It's funny, just because my mom's family runs marathons. My mom would always tell me "Oh, you can have endurance if you want to play soccer. Maybe it's genetics?" But then I started running and I don't think genetics had a ton do with it. I was just running distance and that's what I love doing. I love running mileage. I really would love to do a marathon later on. So yeah, it's just to further my parents' successes, because it's my passion.
Q: Right. What other schools were looking at you outside of USC?
ML: UC Berkeley, and Irvine. Just the California schools.
Q: Berkeley is known as a good school, too, so what made you choose here over Berkeley?
ML: I chose USC because I felt like the connections in the future were going to benefit me the most. Like my dad actually did. He does granite and marble for businesses. He did the granite here in the football field. He took a picture and asked me, "Do you know what the school is?" And I was like, "No way, that's USC!" But I think just knowing that the academics and connections can take you far. You can make so many future connections here that can benefit you in the future. I feel more set being here because I know if I need help with anything, I can count on my teammates. And I love the LA area.
Q: What are some of the biggest differences you've noticed between being a student-athlete in high school and being a student-athlete in college?
ML: I think the biggest difference is I feel more energized in college, despite a lot of schoolwork. I feel like in high school, everything was crushed into one just because you had morning practice and you would have school and then afternoon practice. I feel like you would dread the end of the day, but you would kind of look forward to practicing with your teammates. Here in college there are less meets during the season, so your body has enough time to recover. I feel like here, they prioritize the well-being of their students, not only athletically, but academically as well. USC has a bunch of libraries where you can go get your work in, and I felt like when you're in college, you just have more energy throughout the day. It's more spaced out.
Q: What do you like to do outside of track?
ML: I love hanging out with my family and my friends. I love going to the beach with them. I love trying new places to get coffee and stuff like that.
Q: Is there anything now that you're in L.A. that you've wanted to try more of or you just want to go with an experience?
ML: I feel like the movie theaters here are much more extraordinary. Oh, and the Griffith Observatory and Top Golf are some things I've been wanting to do.
Q: When you look back on your track career, what's one experience or accomplishment that really stands out to you?
ML: Something that meant a lot to me was going to States with my team for the first time in school history. I think in cross country, a team means so much more to you. I feel like in cross country, you all matter. You're a pack. The score is based on that. So to me it would be that, and then I was the first girl in school history to medal at States. Yeah, so it was overall the first time for everything. I would also say that the ride to Mammoth for training camp was fun. The van ride up there was so fun. It was like six hours with your teammates and it was just a ton of fun.
Q: Now that you're here, are there any particular goals that you have for yourself, whether it's personal, academic or athletic?
ML: My personal goals would just to keep going with my career. I want to become a physician assistant. I don't know if I could, but probably setting the freshman record. I think just keep competing and seeing where it goes… making it to the NCAA Championships is definitely a goal as well.
Q: What events do you do and what other events might you do now that you're here at USC?
ML: My favorite was the 3200m in high school, but now my coach wants me to try the steeplechase, the 5k and hopefully 10k.
Q: Have you ever done the steeplechase?
ML: No, never. My high school coach never thought I could do hurdles.
Q: Are you a little nervous?
ML: I think it'll be fun, actually
Q: Have you ever wanted to try it before?
ML: Yeah, I have wanted to try it just because I love the event. Hopefully it'll be a fun experience.
Q: What do you do like to get yourself pumped up?
ML: I love to listen to music. Guitar music is my favorite. I listen to a lot of reggaeton and Bad Bunny… and hip hop, like Drake or Travis Scott.
Q: What inspired you to get into track? Was it the only sport you did growing up?
ML: Growing up I enjoyed soccer because my Grandpa loves playing it. I always tried new things like volleyball, so volleyball and soccer before. My friends convinced me to join track just because I wanted to do an extracurricular activity after school. My friends were all doing track and field, so I was like, why not try my freshman year… but COVID happened, so I didn't start actually running until junior year.
Q: You started running late technically for someone who wants to run D-I. Have you always thought about running in college or was it just that you realized that you are good at it?
ML: It was my senior year when I realized I was kind of good at it. That's when colleges started to reach out. I was shocked. My junior year I thought that I could get into a D-III school at most. I loved running. It was like my passion, but I didn't think I was good enough. Then Coach [Jebreh] Harris started reaching out to me and I was like, "Oh, I would love to go to USC." I'm actually first generation. I wanted to go to college and I wanted to get into a good one, and running helped with that.
Q: Would you say your family has a lot to do with the reason why you're running, whether it's actually doing the sport itself, or doing it to help further your family's success and the future?
ML: I think I would say to further my family's successes, just because my parents have always been my biggest fans, but I definitely feel like my parents have impacted the way I see running. My parents know nothing about running. It's funny, just because my mom's family runs marathons. My mom would always tell me "Oh, you can have endurance if you want to play soccer. Maybe it's genetics?" But then I started running and I don't think genetics had a ton do with it. I was just running distance and that's what I love doing. I love running mileage. I really would love to do a marathon later on. So yeah, it's just to further my parents' successes, because it's my passion.
Q: Right. What other schools were looking at you outside of USC?
ML: UC Berkeley, and Irvine. Just the California schools.
Q: Berkeley is known as a good school, too, so what made you choose here over Berkeley?
ML: I chose USC because I felt like the connections in the future were going to benefit me the most. Like my dad actually did. He does granite and marble for businesses. He did the granite here in the football field. He took a picture and asked me, "Do you know what the school is?" And I was like, "No way, that's USC!" But I think just knowing that the academics and connections can take you far. You can make so many future connections here that can benefit you in the future. I feel more set being here because I know if I need help with anything, I can count on my teammates. And I love the LA area.
Q: What are some of the biggest differences you've noticed between being a student-athlete in high school and being a student-athlete in college?
ML: I think the biggest difference is I feel more energized in college, despite a lot of schoolwork. I feel like in high school, everything was crushed into one just because you had morning practice and you would have school and then afternoon practice. I feel like you would dread the end of the day, but you would kind of look forward to practicing with your teammates. Here in college there are less meets during the season, so your body has enough time to recover. I feel like here, they prioritize the well-being of their students, not only athletically, but academically as well. USC has a bunch of libraries where you can go get your work in, and I felt like when you're in college, you just have more energy throughout the day. It's more spaced out.
Q: What do you like to do outside of track?
ML: I love hanging out with my family and my friends. I love going to the beach with them. I love trying new places to get coffee and stuff like that.
Q: Is there anything now that you're in L.A. that you've wanted to try more of or you just want to go with an experience?
ML: I feel like the movie theaters here are much more extraordinary. Oh, and the Griffith Observatory and Top Golf are some things I've been wanting to do.
Q: When you look back on your track career, what's one experience or accomplishment that really stands out to you?
ML: Something that meant a lot to me was going to States with my team for the first time in school history. I think in cross country, a team means so much more to you. I feel like in cross country, you all matter. You're a pack. The score is based on that. So to me it would be that, and then I was the first girl in school history to medal at States. Yeah, so it was overall the first time for everything. I would also say that the ride to Mammoth for training camp was fun. The van ride up there was so fun. It was like six hours with your teammates and it was just a ton of fun.
Q: Now that you're here, are there any particular goals that you have for yourself, whether it's personal, academic or athletic?
ML: My personal goals would just to keep going with my career. I want to become a physician assistant. I don't know if I could, but probably setting the freshman record. I think just keep competing and seeing where it goes… making it to the NCAA Championships is definitely a goal as well.
Wednesday, June 17
Sunday, May 17
Thursday, May 14
Saturday, March 28
