Leila Swenson

Height:
5-2
Class:
Freshman
High School:
Bella Vista HS
Hometown:
Orangevale, CA

2022-23 -- Cross Country: Did not compete in any invitational meets ... placed eighth in the UC Riverside Invitational open division race.

Prep -- A seven-time first-team Capital Valley Conference selection in track and four-time All-Conference honoree in cross country at Bella Vista High (Fair Oaks, CA) … finished 21st at 2021 CIF Division II State Cross Country Championships … helped Bella Vista capture the 2021 conference title in cross country by placing first at the CVC Finals with a personal-best 5K time of 17:45.5 … fifth at CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division II meet … 2022 CIF SJS Division II champion in 1,600-meter with a personal best of 5:00.25, helping Bella Vista win the team title … also the sectional champion in the 3,200-meter, running a personal best of 10:55.53 in 2022 … third in 1,600 and seventh in 3,200 at CIF SJS Masters Finals as senior … part of 2019 SJS Division II title-winning team in track ... two-year team captain … scholar-athlete … received Seal of Biliteracy and Golden Seal Merit Diploma … member of French Honors Society, Link Crew and Interact Club at Bella Vista.

Personal -- Born in Fengyuen, Taiwan … daughter of Samuel and Erica Swenson … majoring in aerospace engineering with hopes of working for NASA, SpaceX or equivalent in the future … has three sisters … made an unofficial visit to Sacramento State, but chose Cal Poly because “I love the area, the team and the academic opportunities it provides” … high school coach, Tom Laythe, had biggest impact on life as an athlete because “he always encouraged me to push myself and believed in my capabilities when I didn’t believe in myself. He taught me to be patient with myself and trust the process, and always strive to be better. He died from COVID-19 in 2021 and I miss him a lot. I will never forget his support and love for me.”