CROSS RIVER, N.Y. - Winning a state title in cross country had long been a dream for Sloan Wasserman. But when the far turn opened to reveal the finish line ahead of her, the John Jay senior knew first place wasn’t secure yet.
“I didn’t really know how far behind she was,” Wasserman said. “But at the straightaway I was sprinting and running for my life.”
Ten seconds later, she crossed the line as a state champion. The first sound she registered wasn’t footsteps—it was silence, followed by the sight of her parents. “I didn’t hear anything, but I saw my mom and dad,” she said. “And we hugged.”
Wasserman’s running career began in a far simpler moment: sitting still. When COVID shut down the world, she struggled with the switch to virtual everything. “Zoom soccer just wasn’t cutting it,” she joked.
Her mother, a marathon runner, nudged her toward the local loop. “My mom signed me up for a couple of races, and I did pretty well,” Wasserman said. That was all it took. When school returned, she joined track as an eighth grader and quickly showed natural talent.
As a freshman, she made varsity soccer, but balancing club soccer, schoolwork, and spring track became too much. “My soccer team was getting better, practices were long, and I had no time for school,” she said. “So my parents and I finally made the decision my sophomore year.”
The choice paid off. After finishing second at states last year, Wasserman stayed patient during this year’s race, matching strides with her top competitor through Queensbury’s early stretches.
“My coach gave me the thumbs up,” she said. “I went, I never looked back, and ran as fast as I could.”
She wasn’t alone at the top. Teammates Maya Serai and Emma Barniv both placed in the top 20, helping John Jay clinch the team state championship.
“The recognition was so cute,” Wasserman added. “We went around to all the schools, and everyone was cheering.”
There’s no time for a long rest. Spring track awaits, and so does unfinished business: she placed second in both the 3,000 meters and steeplechase last year. Wasserman knows the path forward. “At the end of the day, it’s just consistency and working hard,” she said.
After high school, she’ll bring that mindset to Boston College. “Great academics, great training,” the future Eagle said. “I’m really excited.”
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