When Chloe Senefeld stepped into the block hurdles at a JV meet, it wasn’t after years of training; it was a last-minute decision. She was encouraged by her coaches to take a chance on something new, and she did. That moment went on to open the door to a path of recruitment from Big Ten schools and her commitment to the University of Iowa.
“I just picked up hurdling last May at the very end of the season. I haven’t even been doing it for a year yet,” Senefeld said. “For years, I have had multiple coaches and trainers tell me I should try hurdles. I finally decided to talk to my high school coach about it last season, and she decided to enter me into a JV meet, and that’s where it all started.”
Senior Chloe Senefeld switched to hurdles at the end of her junior year, and at first, it seemed impossible to catch up with the other athletes. But even with her lack of experience, she never doubted her ability to compete in the Big Ten. Her determination and drive helped her become an 11-time IHSAA state medalist and a four-time All-American.
“I live for track,” Senefeld said. “I sacrifice so many things for this sport and truly put so much time and effort into it. People don’t realize how much of my life revolves around [track].”
By prioritizing sleep, proper nutrition, and never missing a training day, Senefeld’s dedication to the sport never falters. If her team doesn’t have practice, she stays motivated to train on her own. Even during breaks when she travels to the beach, she wakes up early to run 300-meter repeats to stay active and focused on her goals. But even with her medals and recognition, she sometimes finds herself stuck in her own head, feeling pressure to succeed and not let others down.
“I feel like because of everything that I’ve accomplished, people have high expectations for me. I can find it hard to get out of my own head sometimes.”
Even while balancing the demands of school and track, Senefeld has a strong support system to keep her grounded.
“My mom always tells me that I could get last place and she’d still be proud,” she said.
Her family and friends have supported her throughout her entire high school career, including her recruitment from Big Ten schools, which began in August of her senior year. Despite the challenges and pressure, she persevered, and it paid off.
“This was extremely exciting for me. Getting those first texts from colleges just made me so happy, and I felt as though everything I had worked for was finally paying off.”
Senefeld has been involved in track since fourth grade, and even though she didn’t take it seriously at first, she stuck with it. During her freshman year, she neglected her eating and sleeping habits and didn’t fully understand the importance of preparation, but now she has learned from those mistakes. When choosing a college to continue her hurdling career, she made sure to research not just the school, but the athletes and team environment as well.
“I wanted a school where I could create some lifelong relationships with my teammates and ultimately have a ton of fun throughout my collegiate years,” Senefeld said. “I also wanted very knowledgeable coaches with great personalities. I didn’t want to go to a school where I would dread going to practice every day.”
That standard led her to the University of Iowa, a program known for its hurdlers, where she announced her commitment on Instagram on October 30, 2025.
“I also researched the current Iowa girls track statistics, and all of them dropped seconds off their time throughout their years at Iowa,” Senefeld said. “The girls also couldn’t tell me enough about how wonderful the coaches were, not just in their knowledge of the sport, but in how much they truly cared for their athletes as people and not just numbers on a roster.”
For Senefeld, what mattered most was finding a sense of community within her team and her school. Looking back on her journey, she hopes others can learn from the risks she took.
“I would tell underclassmen who potentially want to compete in college to reach out to a ton of schools sooner rather than later,” Senefeld said. “It really doesn’t hurt anything to DM, email, or text college coaches. The worst thing that can happen is they just don’t respond, and that’s perfectly fine. I had numerous schools not respond to me and that’s just how it is.”
From a last-minute decision at a JV meet to committing to a Big Ten program, Senefeld’s story proves that the biggest opportunities come from taking a chance and straying from your comfort zone.
