Cary Athlete of the Week: Carly Loeffel

Coming into this year, no Cary-Grove girls track member had ever won a state title.

That all changed this past Saturday as senior Carly Loeffel jumped 5-8 at the Class 3A state meet at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston to win the event by two inches and is this week’s athlete of the week. Loeffel said that words couldn’t fully explain her feelings after the victory.

“I was definitely speechless,” Loeffel said. “I had been keeping track of the other girls and when I realized I was the only one to clear the height, I just smiled. I was so excited.”

Loeffel added that it was a bit of a shock to her that she was the first to win an individual state title.

“It surprises me because Cary-Grove is so well-known for their sports but it is definitely something to be proud of because it took a lot of hard work to do,” Loeffel said.

Loeffel has committed to the University of Notre Dame for next year and said that her new coaches for next season were there to watch last weekend.

“As soon as I finished, he came over and talked to me and on the way home, he texted me that ‘we’re going to jump so high next year‘,” Loeffel said. “It’s just so exciting. I had a great career in high school and I know this isn’t the end for me. Everything is going to keep getting better. I‘m going to get bigger and faster and stronger. I just know that the sky is the limit for me.”