As members of one of the most well-regarded programs in the nation, Chico State's women's track and field athletes are often achieving honors on and off the track. It is rare that one received an honor quite like the one MacKenzie Deeter has, however.
 
On March 1, Deeter received the 37^th annual Lieutenant Robert Merton Rawlins Merit Award. The third year 400-meter hurdles specialist was honored for her work in the classroom, community, and on the track.
 
The prestigious award is based on three main factors:
 
·         Seriousness of intent to obtain an education and to increase personal knowledge
·         Ability to pursue a successful life in any chosen capacity
·         Evidence of scholarship, extracurricular activities, and outstanding professionally-related and academic accomplishments
 
According to June Covington, the professor who nominated Deeter, the hurdler demonstrated herself as a candidate for the award right away.
 
On the first day of class, the lecturer for Survey of Management (MGMT 303) wanted to get a sense of the level of student engagement, so she asked for a student to volunteer to lead the class using a PowerPoint she prepared.
 
Deeter looked around, saw no one volunteering, and decided to step up. She is the first student to do so since Covington began using the activity in 2007.
 
"I had no idea no one else would do that, but I was comfortable stepping into it," Deeter said.
 
From there, Deeter continued to impress Covington with her poise.
 
"She's self-confident, but not overbearing and doesn't have to prove anything," Covington said. "She's just a natural leader."

 

Covington also credited Deeter's impressive resume and involvement in the community as reasons why she nominated her.
 
On top of being a California Collegiate Athletic Association All-Academic Award recipient, Deeter is also the vice president of Chico State's Sustainable Consultants of Office Practices (SCOOP), studied abroad in Bordeaux, France, works as a city lifeguard over the summer, and is certified to recognize and prevent human trafficking.
 
As vice president of SCOOP, she evaluates the sustainability of on-campus offices.
 
Deeter's passion for sustainability stems from her hometown, Santa Cruz, where she was the regional director of a local park and created a volunteer recycling collection system at Soquel High School.
 
Although her involvement in so many things other than her sport might scare some head coaches, Chico State women's track and field leader Robert Nooney welcomes it.
 
"We love our students to get involved," Nooney said. "A lot of athletic programs might discourage their student-athletes from studying abroad, joining Greek life, or doing certain majors. We're sort of a yes program. We want them to try and see if they can manage it themselves because that's what it's going to be like when you get out of here."
 
During Deeter's senior year at Soquel High School, she reached out to Nooney to ask about a possible spot on the team.
 
Unfortunately, according to Nooney, her times in the 800 meters weren't at the necessary level. He did see other essential qualities in Deeter, such as taking initiative to follow up, which demonstrated her desire to be a Wildcat. He agreed to give her a spot on the condition she develop into a 400-meter hurdler.
 
Nooney initially hoped Deeter would redshirt, but she was determined to graduate in four years. So, after running with sprints group the semester prior, she made the switch to hurdles in spring of 2017.
 
A few weeks later, she debuted in the event at the Wildcat Invitational. She crossed the finish line in 1:10.44, which was good for sixth place. Fast forward two years and two months later: Deeter clocked a personal-record time of 1:07.98 at this year's CCAA Track and Field Championships.
 
"She's been a product of hard work and relentless practice and mindset." said assistant coach John Brunk. "It's a brand-new event for her and to be doing it at the college level it can be scary. Her athletic resume was zero in hurdles."

 
Brunk, a former Chico State student-athlete, also won the Rawlins award in 2013.
 
He does not coach Deeter directly, but says her presence is easy to detect.
 
"Everyone knows Kenzie Deeter and everyone wants to hang out with Kenzie Deeter because she's so outgoing and fun and she embodies our mission at Chico State track and field with positivity and excellence," Brunk said.
 
 According to Deeter, the team's family atmosphere makes it easy to stay positive.
 
"I feel the support every day from them and I think people actually genuinely care for each other," Deeter said. "You're not just a number... People say it's a family and I really want to continue contributing to that because it's part of the success of the team."
 
Despite shaving nearly three seconds off her time in only two years of hurdling, Deeter placed 11th at the CCAA Track and Field Championships.
 
Nooney says the level of competition in the 400-meter hurdles as risen dramatically over the last couple years, which has made the event one of the most difficult to place in.
 
However, Deeter's 11th place finish does not mean she's not winning.
 
"You can define winning in many ways," Nooney said. "Yes, one way is to win conference championships or be an all-American, but another way is to get out college ready for the next step. She's getting the most out of this experience. She's increasing the value of her time here and it's going to pay off."
 
MacKenzie Deeter is determined to face every challenge life throws at her, or the world, head on. And she's equally determined to figure out a way to clear them, each time more powerfully than the last.
 
That is the Wildcat Way.