(Taken from Covenant Athletics)
Faces of Xavier: Eliot Kaufmann '14
Eliot Kaufmann ’14 graduated from Xavier in June 2014 and currently attends Covenant College in Lookout Mountain, Georgia. We first featured Eliot in Faces of Xavier when he was a freshman in 2010, when he won and set a Xavier course record at the freshman CHSAA Cross-Country Intersectional Championships. At Xavier, Eliot exceled academically and athletically, routinely attaining honors both in the classroom and on the track. Continuing what he began at Xavier, Eliot runs for Covenant College, and he has been named Rookie and Runner of the Week for the Division III USA South conference numerous times and most notably, has been declared USA South Runner of the Year. These are incredible accolades for any collegiate runner, let alone a freshman. We had the chance to catch up with Eliot recently, during which he had the opportunity to reflect on his time at Xavier and Covenant, his time running for both programs, and his transition from high school to collegiate athletics.
How have you managed the transition between running for Xavier and running for Covenant, as well as transitioning from Xavier to Covenant?
My transition to college running has been a fairly seamless one. The coaching here is actually pretty similar to the coaching I received from Mr. Dormer at Xavier. Of course, Covenant is on a mountain, so our day-to-day runs are quite a bit hillier.
How has Xavier prepared you for success in college, both in terms of academics and athletics? We saw from the Covenant Athletics website that you would like to pursue writing.
Xavier prepared me for college academics and athletics by teaching me an essential set of specific skills to help me with writing, as well as the value of hard work. I owe a huge debt of gratitude to my English teachers at Xavier who instilled in me a love for literature and a desire to refine my own abilities as a writer.
What do you most enjoy about running for Covenant?
I most enjoy the fact that I am competing at the collegiate level. Every race carries a new and fresh intensity that I did not expect to find. I also have a wealth of beautiful and scenic trails to run on at Covenant, something I did not have at Xavier.
What do you most enjoy and miss about Xavier?
I most enjoyed and currently miss the camaraderie I felt at Xavier. The relationships I developed were deep and authentic - I miss them and cherish them. Xavier’s culture has a great balance between intensity and fun.
You were recently named the USA South Runner of the Year. First and foremost, congratulations. How does it feel to receive such an honor so early in your collegiate career?
“I am humbled to have received such an honor so early in my career. I have been blessed with good coaching and good health, as well as a supportive team environment that is conducive to improvement.
What’s next for Eliot Kaufmann?
From here, I hope to win the conference meet on Saturday and then hopefully compete well at Regionals.
--------------------
The Advancement Staff is confident that Eliot will continue to succeed tremendously at Covenant, so look forward to future coverage of Eliot and his accomplishments!