Get to Know Your Raiders: Lyndsay Barna

Junior Lyndsay Barna has made her mark on the women’s track & field team both on the track and in the field.

A four-time PSAC placewinner, Barna runs hurdles and competes in the long jump. At the PSAC Indoor Championships during her first season at Shippensburg, the Waymart native placed fifth in the long jump and sixth in the 60-meter hurdles. Last February, she placed eighth in the 60 hurdles at the same meet before placing eighth in the 100-meter hurdles at the PSAC Outdoor Championships.

A communication/journalism major, Barna has earned three PSAC qualifying standards so far this season after finishing third in the 60 hurdles and fifth in the long jump at the Bison Open & Multi last weekend.

Barna will compete at the John Covert Classic hosted by Lehigh University this Saturday. Shippensburg track & field will also send a squad to compete at the New Balance Collegiate Invitational at the Armory in New York City on Friday and Saturday.

Get to know Lyndsay Barna...

What is your favorite pre-meet ritual?

Having a team pasta dinner the night before the meet and just being able to spend time with teammates outside of practice.

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

I love our stadium. Not only is it the nicest out of all of the other PSAC schools but it is one of the nicest stadiums in Division II.

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

Dr. [Ted] Carlin’s Electronic Media Basic Production class. He really is the best professor and made it easy to learn how to run the equipment for our broadcasting studio. He is also a great mentor.

If you weren't majoring in communication/journalism, what would your major be?

The other major I also wanted to do was exercise science because I wanted to be an athletic trainer like my older brother, Kyle. It has always been a passion of mine…that’s what made me decide to do the coaching minor.

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

My favorite day of the week is usually Sundays. I love relaxing and watching NFL football all day.

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

Slippery Rock and East Stroudsburg are our biggest competition, especially when everything is on the line for the PSAC Championship. It makes it very exciting when the championship comes down to the last race.

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

They would probably say that I’m always smiling, a hard worker and dedicated in the weight room.

Which individual athletic accomplishment are you most proud of?

I was blessed in high school to be able to achieve two track & field state medals and a gold medal in gymnastics.

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

The hardest is trying to concentrate on your studies while traveling to meets. It’s hard when we travel for a few days at a time. Luckily for track, we usually don’t miss a lot of classes, unlike other sports that have games during the week.

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

To learn how to manage my time and also have some down time. After having a very busy week and having a lot of work to do, it helps when I can finally catch my breath and relax for a few hours instead of constantly working because no one wants to wear themself out.

What piece of advice stays with you at all times?

 “The sky’s the limit.” There is always room for improvement. I have followed that motto throughout high school and it still stays with me today.

If you could talk to children who are just beginning to show an interest in jumping or hurdling, what would you tell them they should focus on?

Do not get frustrated. Hurdling and jumping have so much technique involved and you will never get it right off the bat. It honestly takes years of practice to finally get it right. Stay patient.

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

To show what leadership and sportsmanship is all about. Ship track and field is just one BIG family.