This week's guest on the WAC Podcast is Tarleton State sprinter Victoria Cameron. She tied her own WAC record in the 100 meter dash at the Texas Relays in Austin last week with a time of 11.01. That was also the fastest time in the NCAA and second-best in the entire world this season. Kendra Sheehan visited with Cameron and discussed her remarkable journey from a soccer-focused athlete to a record-breaking track star at Tarleton State, highlighting her unexpected success in the 100m dash. Her resilience through challenges, and her dedication to her hometown university. This podcast explores themes of personal growth, the impact of supportive coaching, and the importance of family and community in her athletic achievements. She has a unique approach to track meets as a blend of sport and personal expression, showcasing her signature pigtails and fashion choices.

Making a Splash in Austin

Victoria Cameron didn't expect to see her name at the top of the national leaderboard. When she crossed the finish line at the Texas Relays and turned to look at the scoreboard, she saw a number that made her stop in her tracks. "When I turned around and looked at the clock, I saw a 10.99," she said. "I'm thinking, oh my gosh, no way that just happened. The clock went back to 11.01. I'm tying a personal best as one of my senior openers—it's absolutely crazy."

It wasn't just the time that made the moment so special. The weather was cold, the conditions weren't ideal, and even her coach wasn't sure if she would run. "We weren't even sure if I was going to run," Cameron said. "He didn't even know when I was gonna run until I started actually walking to the tent because it was cold and raining off and on. Everything was out of shock."

Despite the chaos, Cameron delivered a performance that put Tarleton State on the national stage. "It was one of those days where everything just clicked," she said. "All the emotions really hit you, and then you're just filled with excitement. But at the end of the day, I try to calm down and remember there's someone who is so much higher and so much better than me than any record could possibly get."

From Soccer to the Starting Blocks

Cameron's path to becoming one of the fastest women in the NCAA wasn't a straight line. In fact, track wasn't even her first love. "Funny story, I actually didn't plan on running track in college," she said. "I was set on playing soccer. I actually committed to Tarleton just for soccer. I rejected other schools saying absolutely not, I'm not gonna run track, that is not on my mind."

That all changed during her senior year of high school. "I kind of hit that mental point where I was like, I don't want this to end," she said. "I sat down with the soccer coaches and said I would love to run track and field. I sat down with the track coaches and kind of just joined the track team maybe three weeks before my freshman year of school even started. I kind of just joined on a fling, and it's been doing great for me ever since."

Balancing two sports wasn't easy, especially after a major injury. "My freshman year, I had that season-ending injury—kind of blew my entire knee out," she said. "I was dead set to come back into track season my freshman year. I came back, competed, I believe, six months out of surgery."

Even after coming back from injury, soccer remained a big part of her life. "I was focused on it, then the main focus then was, you know what, I'm committed here for soccer, I'm gonna play soccer," she said. "So I did my sophomore year of soccer season, but then really just that being in season from July all the way to August the very next year, in a competitive season, it really took a big toll on me."

Eventually, she had to make a tough decision. "It's just that really hard conversation, especially when your coaches wanted you to come back and play soccer, but I just had to make the best decision that was for me physically," she said. "I miss it a lot, but if I'm gonna be honest, I can live without it."

Finding Her Stride

Cameron's rise in track and field didn't happen overnight. It took patience, trust, and a lot of hard work. "Especially after whole knee surgery, I was shocked," she said. "My freshman times, they're nothing to brag about, really. But then we actually had that coaching change. I've had three different head coaches when I was two years into Tarleton, and I've had three different sprint coaches as well. That takes a lot on you mentally."

The turning point came when she found stability within the program. "The coaches that we have now have stayed, and a big part of sharing the same faith as you plays a big role in it, honestly," she said. "If faith is a big part in your life, then you want it to be in every aspect of your life, and what better way if you're an athlete than your coach?"

Trust became the foundation of her success. "I trust what my coach does for me, I trust the workout, he trusts me when I communicate how my body is feeling," she said. "What really clicked to shave off time, especially that conference 60, was just finally fixing that block start, and it took a lot of trust."

Fixing her start wasn't easy. "That block start took maybe eight months to fix, and finally it's just come together," she said. "It takes a lot of patience to fix it. Step by step, you can't fix ten things at one time. You gotta focus on one thing. Just when it finally clicks, your head with what your body is doing—it's just one thing at a time."

Mental Strength and Team Culture

For Cameron, success on the track is as much mental as it is physical. "It's really just being happy where you are," she said. "I think it's very sad that at other schools, there'll be athletes at very big schools and they're just not happy where they are. Before you can perform physically on the track, you have to be OK mentally."

She credits the culture at Tarleton State for keeping her grounded. "Track and field is such a mental sport," she said. "It's an extremely unforgiving sport, where if you don't perform to the best of your ability, especially if you're a bigger known nickname, your athletes may—your own teammates may second guess you, the media may second guess you. Having that good support system of good teammates who are always around you, having good coaches who are always reminding you, hey, this is part of the plan, you got this."

That support extends to her teammates, who have become like family. "Lokesh is also very strong in his faith," she said of teammate Lokesh Sathyanathan, the NCAA men's indoor champion in the long jump. "He is a very positive person. He is extremely kind. JayBrion (Jones) is also very fun, quiet kid. He gets along with everyone, and then Lauren (Roy), she's obviously one of my best friends. She is an insane athlete. They're just all, all of them are just super fun to be around."

Family Ties and Hometown Pride

Staying close to home has been a blessing for Cameron. "My family loves it, all honesty," she said. "They get to come out. My mom actually works here at Tarleton, so I get to see her quite a bit. Just being able to be with my family, especially after meets, is something that not many people get to actually do."

That support system has fueled her drive to represent her hometown. "It brings recognition to my high school," she said. "Little kids who are also from Stephenville really look forward to it as well. It brings me a lot of joy, and I love to be a good role model for them."

Her goals for the season are simple but ambitious. "Really just hitting that 12th mark would be amazing," she said. "It would bring a lot of recognition to Tarleton. I really love Tarleton. I see many things saying that, oh, she's gonna transfer, she's gonna transfer—absolutely not. I can't stress enough how happy I am here."

Signature Style and Race-Day Rituals

Cameron's confidence isn't just reflected in her times—it's also seen in her style. "Most of my best races were in pigtails," she said. "I think it's becoming more a signature rather than a superstition. Obviously the bows, the hair—I love having bows. I don't say it a lot, but I treat my track meets as if they're a bit of a fashion show."

Her pre-race routine is just as unique. "I have very minor superstitions," she said. "I have a very specific warm up, I have very specific music that I listen to. I have a very specific way of getting into my blocks as well, and then very specific foods that I actually eat before my race. One of them is a packet of honey that I like to eat 30 minutes before I run."

For Cameron, track and field is more than a sport—it's an expression of who she is. "Track and field is a sport where I can dress up, have fun, do my makeup," she said. "Where soccer I just never really got to, but here, I can definitely do that."

With her faith, family, and team behind her, Victoria Cameron is proving that homegrown talent can shine on the biggest stage. "I just love bringing recognition to this school," she said. "I'm super grateful for it all, and I know that my family is super proud of me. They show it quite a bit—I just absolutely love it."