Renee O’Brien, University of Massachusetts Boston’s senior high jumper, along with many others, were able to put the Beacons on the map by leaving the Little East/NE Alliance Championship Meet with hardware in many different events. O’Brien and sophomore sprinter Hulerie McGuffie led the way as they each ran away with gold medals.
O’Brien, a native of Stoneham, Mass., was very optimistic about the recent events and the gold medal she was able to take home in the high jump.
“I’m very proud of myself that I was able to win the event, after being tired from running back and forth… I have been waiting for the gold ever since I started competing here. It feels really good to know that all of my hard work has finally paid off and I can finally call myself a Little East Conference Champ,” said O’Brien. She added, “I am excited and determined to defend my title during the upcoming outdoor season.” 
O’Brien recorded a high jump of 5-03.00 feet en route to her gold medal in both the Little East and New England Alliance Championships.
This is not unfamiliar territory for O’Brien, as she has been recognized and rewarded for her individual achievements in past seasons. Last February, she picked up a silver medal in the high jump with a 5-02.00 foot jump in the LEC/NE Alliance Indoor Championship. She was also recognized as the Little East Conference Indoor Field Athlete of the week of Jan. 21 and on March 4, 2013.
With all these achievements under her belt, O’Brien still aims higher and refuses complacency. Prior to this year’s Championship Meet, her last two resulted in silver medals. A gold medal could not have come at a better time as her senior season winds down.
Although most track awards are individual achievements, O’Brien often credits her teammates for her motivation and inspiration to stay hungry.
O’Brien said: “I met a great group of people whom I will be friends with for many years. I could not ask for better coaches or teammates to run with. Of all of the support our team has on campus, the majority of it definitely comes from each other. I have been so lucky to compete with such a great team of girls. No matter what event, all the girls work so hard every day.”
O’Brien was on a three-year track hiatus while attending Suffolk University, where they did not have a team. She was a member of her Stoneham High School track team, where her high jumping talent had first been discovered.
“I never really thought about doing it until my friend, who was on the team, convinced me to. It was actually funny because during tryouts, I was too petrified of the high jump to try it. About two weeks went by and my coach finally forced me to jump. I ended up jumping higher than our team’s best jumper at the time on my first try; after that I pretty much secured my spot with the jumpers,” added O’Brien.
O’Brien stresses that the family atmosphere is what kept her around, and wishes she had started sooner. But due to her hiatus and late arrival on campus, she has a limited amount of time to leave her mark and hopes to achieve more this coming spring season in outdoor track.