When Lejla Malijevic moved to Evanston from Montenegro as a sophomore, she made an immediate impact on the girls’ track and field team. She competed in many different events, including various running races, the shot put, discus, and her favorite, the long jump. Next year, she looks to make a similar impact at Illinois State University, a division 1 school in Normal, Illinois.
“I went on a visit, and I was really interested in the program overall. I think Illinois State is a really nice program where I can become a better athlete,” said Malijevic.
Her future at Illinois State is clear, but it wasn’t always the obvious choice.
“I thought that the recruiting process was fun and nice, meeting all the different coaches, but it was also stressful, because I was waiting for a decision, and I didn’t know which would be the best offer and the best place for me,” stated Malijevic.
At Illinois State, Malijevic will be majoring in psychology with a minor in marketing. She looks forward to meeting new people, especially the international students, as she moved from Europe just three years ago. For track, she is simply excited to get to work with the team.
“I can’t wait to start practicing with them,” expressed Malijevic. “I think it’s going to be really challenging, but also a really good place to reach my potential.”
Like many of the best athletes, Malijevic understands the importance of a great coach. For many track athletes, a coach makes an impact primarily through the drills they select and the motivation they inspire in the athlete. For Malijevic, Coach Fenton “Fenny” Gunter did more than just coach track.
“Coach Fenny was very helpful. He helped introduce me to all the teammates and made the transition super easy,” said Malijevic.
Making it to the state finals is a goal shared by athletes in all kinds of sports all across the country. Malijevic and her teammates earned their way to state, and it is one of her favorite memories from her high school career.
“It was really fun to spend time with the distance runners, and also the sprinters, and people who do field events. It was awesome being all together,” remarked Malijevic.
Malijevic is ready to continue her journey at Illinois State University, but she will miss her teammates and teachers at Evanston.
