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James Madison University | Official Athletics Site
Hall of Fame Spotlight: Cross Country's Pete Weilenmann
1/19/2017 9:41:00 AM | Hall of Fame
James Madison will welcome its newest class into the Athletics Hall of Fame on Saturday, January 28th. Tickets for the event are on sale now at JMUSports.com. As we approach induction day, JMUSports.com will feature members of the new class each week.
This week's article highlights former cross country standout Pete Weilenmann.
A five-time NCAA qualifier in men's cross country and track & field, Pete Weilenmann is undoubtedly one of the top runners in JMU program history. He is the JMU record holder in the outdoor 1500-meter and indoor 3000-meter runs.
Weilenmann won the CAA individual cross country championship three times from 1987 through 1989 and was a three-time CAA Athlete of the Year during his career at JMU (1986-1990). His 23:38 time as a sophomore is the best five-mile time in CAA Championship history and was followed by 24:11 in 1988 and 25:15 in 1989.
Weilenmann helped lead the Dukes to a runner-up finish in CAA Cross Country in 1987. He was an NCAA qualifier in cross country in 1988, 1989 and 1990, as well as in the 1900 indoor 300-meter and 1990 outdoor 500-meter. He went on to participate in the 1991 US Olympic Festival in the 1500-meter run.
Q&A With Pete
1. When you think about your time as a student-athlete at JMU, what highlights or memories stand out?Â
I think it was less about the rituals and more about being around teammates every day, working together to get better and having fun doing it. Trips to Mr. Gatti's all-you-can-eat pizza nights, traveling the east coast and playing foosbal in my apartment. And I think this included being around athletes from other sports in the athletic facilities (training room, weight room, etc.) and around campus. We were all JMU athletes trying to get better and compete hard. Â
4. What kept you motivated on a daily basis as a student-athlete?
I enjoyed the competition. I knew that the work needed to be put into be competitive. And the more competitive I became, the more fun I had. I know that I probably missed some of the daily life at JMU but I think sports gave me unique opportunities to travel and meet athletes from other schools.Â
5. What was the most embarrassing moment for you as a student-athlete?
I remember after my first win at JMU, jogging back to campus and throwing up right in front of the football field near some tailgaters. Ugh!
6. If you could go back in time to your time here at JMU as a student-athlete, would you do anything differently?
I had many stress fractures over my time at JMU. If I could go back, I would use the knowledge I have now about nutrition, strength development and recovery techniques to help prevent those injuries.Â
7. How would you compare being a student-athlete in your time vs. today?
I think in some ways it is similar. You still have to practice hard and have good time management. Today though, technology probably helps you keep up with schoolwork. But you also have the added responsibility of managing social media and being careful about what you say and do online.Â
8. How well have you stayed connected to JMU since your time as a student-athlete?Â
Not that well. I always donated money to my academic programs, but the cutting of men's track and cross country was difficult to watch from afar. Over the last few years I have started following JMU thanks to some fellow alums and the Duke Club office. This Hall of Fame experience has also reconnected me with some former track athletes.Â
9. What was your greatest achievement individually and as a team during your time at JMU?
IÂ think looking back, I am most proud of the fact that I had three wins and a second-place finish at my four cross country conference championships. It showed that I was a good runner and did well for our team over the long term. As a team, we had many good meets and competitions. I'm not sure any stood out as we never won a team championship. But I think we all worked hard and had fun in the competition.
10. What are you doing today in your professional career?
I earned an Ed.D. in special education and have worked as a teacher, special education coordinator and, currently, as an assessment specialist for Arlington Public Schools.Â
This week's article highlights former cross country standout Pete Weilenmann.
A five-time NCAA qualifier in men's cross country and track & field, Pete Weilenmann is undoubtedly one of the top runners in JMU program history. He is the JMU record holder in the outdoor 1500-meter and indoor 3000-meter runs.
Weilenmann won the CAA individual cross country championship three times from 1987 through 1989 and was a three-time CAA Athlete of the Year during his career at JMU (1986-1990). His 23:38 time as a sophomore is the best five-mile time in CAA Championship history and was followed by 24:11 in 1988 and 25:15 in 1989.
Weilenmann helped lead the Dukes to a runner-up finish in CAA Cross Country in 1987. He was an NCAA qualifier in cross country in 1988, 1989 and 1990, as well as in the 1900 indoor 300-meter and 1990 outdoor 500-meter. He went on to participate in the 1991 US Olympic Festival in the 1500-meter run.
Q&A With Pete
1. When you think about your time as a student-athlete at JMU, what highlights or memories stand out?Â
- CAA cross country and track championship victories. I remember the strategy for almost every one.
- Qualifying for the indoor 3,000 NCAA championships my redshirt senior year. I didn't expect to qualify but ran a great race and did.
- Penn Relays my redshirt senior year, probably the best day of my collegiate career. I had great splits and personal bests.
- Running the JMU school record in the 1500. That was my favorite race.
- I was honored that a woman I never met endowed a $125,000 track scholarship to JMU in my honor.
- While my top career memory was finishing 28th (top US runner) at the 1995 World Half Marathon Championship (my first JMU Cross Country win) – At JMU (home meet)– in Fall 96 is still one of my top all time running memories. My parents were there, I was on home turf and the coaches let me, in my second collegiate cross country race, go in the second half of the race against some good runners. It worked out well. It was a huge race for me mentally and gave me the confidence that I could compete at the DI level.
- The JMU student body. I always found them welcoming – I rarely sat alone at a meal, always could find study partners and always could hang out and enjoy life.
- My classes were challenging and interesting. I developed many good relationships with the teachers in both the Education and Psychology departments.
- I really enjoyed the beauty of the campus and the surrounding area.
- As I got older, many of my academic achievements blurred with my athletic ones. Working with staff on my Rhodes Scholarship application and flying to Chicago to interview with the NCAA as a Walter Byers Scholarship finalist taught me a lot about myself, the staff and JMU and the other elite scholar athletes in Chicago.
I think it was less about the rituals and more about being around teammates every day, working together to get better and having fun doing it. Trips to Mr. Gatti's all-you-can-eat pizza nights, traveling the east coast and playing foosbal in my apartment. And I think this included being around athletes from other sports in the athletic facilities (training room, weight room, etc.) and around campus. We were all JMU athletes trying to get better and compete hard. Â
4. What kept you motivated on a daily basis as a student-athlete?
I enjoyed the competition. I knew that the work needed to be put into be competitive. And the more competitive I became, the more fun I had. I know that I probably missed some of the daily life at JMU but I think sports gave me unique opportunities to travel and meet athletes from other schools.Â
5. What was the most embarrassing moment for you as a student-athlete?
I remember after my first win at JMU, jogging back to campus and throwing up right in front of the football field near some tailgaters. Ugh!
6. If you could go back in time to your time here at JMU as a student-athlete, would you do anything differently?
I had many stress fractures over my time at JMU. If I could go back, I would use the knowledge I have now about nutrition, strength development and recovery techniques to help prevent those injuries.Â
7. How would you compare being a student-athlete in your time vs. today?
I think in some ways it is similar. You still have to practice hard and have good time management. Today though, technology probably helps you keep up with schoolwork. But you also have the added responsibility of managing social media and being careful about what you say and do online.Â
8. How well have you stayed connected to JMU since your time as a student-athlete?Â
Not that well. I always donated money to my academic programs, but the cutting of men's track and cross country was difficult to watch from afar. Over the last few years I have started following JMU thanks to some fellow alums and the Duke Club office. This Hall of Fame experience has also reconnected me with some former track athletes.Â
9. What was your greatest achievement individually and as a team during your time at JMU?
IÂ think looking back, I am most proud of the fact that I had three wins and a second-place finish at my four cross country conference championships. It showed that I was a good runner and did well for our team over the long term. As a team, we had many good meets and competitions. I'm not sure any stood out as we never won a team championship. But I think we all worked hard and had fun in the competition.
10. What are you doing today in your professional career?
I earned an Ed.D. in special education and have worked as a teacher, special education coordinator and, currently, as an assessment specialist for Arlington Public Schools.Â
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