Get to Know Your Raiders: Brian Quintrell

Brian Quintrell has excelled in the classroom and as a reliable runner for the Shippensburg University men's cross country team.

A Lansdale native, Brian was the Raiders’ fourth runner this past weekend at the Gettysburg Invitational, finishing 41^st with a 26:50 in the annual 8K race. Quintrell’s finish helped the Raiders finish third overall.

Brian transferred to Shippensburg after spending his freshman year eight hours from home at East Carolina University.

But Brian, whose parents both graduated from Shippensburg, decided not to transfer to SU because of his family’s lineage, but rather because of the multiple times he competed at Seth Grove Stadium in the PIAA state track & field meet in high school.

Head coach Steve Spence had a spot for him, and three years later, Quintrell is one of just two seniors on the team and prepared to graduate with a history degree and a minor in business.

Get to know Brian Quintrell…

What is your favorite pre-game ritual?

Before this year I would get extremely nervous before big races and I would listen to music to pump me up. This year I realized that there is nothing to be nervous about and that Coach [Steve] Spence has put us in the best position possible to race well when we toe the line. This year I usually just hang around with the guys and we joke around and have fun.
 

What part of Shippensburg, either the campus or the town, do you most enjoy?

My favorite part of the campus has got to be the quad, particularly sitting in those red and blue chairs during this time of year. You get to people-watch while also enjoying the great fall weather.

What is the best class you've taken at Shippensburg?

My favorite class I have taken at Ship would have to be Political Science 141, Intro to International Politics with Dr. Sachleben. I genuinely looked forward to going to that class and I learned a lot.
 

If you weren't majoring in history, what would your major be?

Either finance or management. 

What is your favorite day of the week, and why?

Friday by far. Generally on Fridays, practice consists of either a pre-meet (a short run before a meet the next day) or a workout. If we have a meet, I look forward to competing; however, if we do not have a meet, then I look forward to relaxing, getting some homework done and watching college football.
 

Which are your favorite PSAC schools to compete against, and why?

We never face any PSAC schools head to head so it is hard to say. Despite this, I have enjoyed competing against Lock Haven the past few years I have been here. They always have a great team and we have become somewhat close with some of the guys on their team so it is always fun to compete against them.

If we asked your teammates to say a few words about you, what do you think they would say?

I think they would most likely say that I am sarcastic and that I love to joke around but also that I am a hard worker and know when to get serious.
 

Which individual athletic accomplishment are you most proud of?

I would say being part of the 2010 cross country team that scored 24 points and won Shippensburg’s first PSAC men’s title. It was unbelievable to watch the team’s hard work come to light in one absolutely dominating performance.
 

What's the most difficult part of being a student-athlete?

The most difficult part is juggling the academic, athletic, and social aspects of college. 

What’s the most important thing you’ve learned being a student-athlete?

The most important thing I have learned in my time here is how exactly to manage those three aspects – the academic, athletic, and social side of college – and knowing when to put a little bit more emphasis on one or the other at certain times of the year. For example, in cross country we are coming into our championship part of the season with PSACs, regionals and nationals. This makes it difficult to manage the school work while doing the little, extra things as an athlete that will set me up in the best way possible for success in my next race.

What piece of advice stays with you at all times?

My high school coach always said, “If better is possible, good is not enough.” This means push yourself to the best you can be and don’t be satisfied with being only good or average--work to be great.
 

If you could talk to children who are just beginning to show an interest in cross country and/or track, what would you tell them they should focus on? 

Have fun with the sport. Learn to really enjoy running. Running is not just a collegiate sport, it is a lifetime sport.

What legacy do you hope to leave behind for future athletes at Shippensburg?

I hope that I can just continue the long legacy of great student athletics that have come through the cross country program under Coach Spence. I want to show that it is possible to excel in both the classroom and on the cross country course.