Q: Where are you from?
Zakk Hess: I'm from a very small town near the south east end of Lake Ontario called Rose, New York.
Q: How long have you been competing?
ZH: I wasn't your traditional runner in high school. I actually played soccer. My first XC season wasn't until I got here to Fredonia my freshman year. Thus I've been running XC for 4 years, indoor track for 6 years and outdoor for 7 years.
Q: What attracted you to Fredonia?
ZH: I was a procrastinator and looked to visit colleges way too late in the game (April) my senior year. I went on one other visit other than my visit to Fredonia. When I got here I noticed it was a beautiful campus, the members of the team I met were great, a 5 time national champion had just graduated and the dining hall had a build your own ice cream bar! I was sold within the first hour of my visit.
Q: What are you studying?
ZH: I'm a Geology major with a minor in Geographic Information Systems and I'm considering adding a minor in Web Programming.
Q: Explain your experience as a Blue Devil?
ZH: My experience as a blue devil has been very interesting and unique. An experience that can't be put into a few sentences. To sum it up being a Blue Devil has become a huge part of making me who I am today. The circumstances I’ve been faced with have made me stronger both physically and mentally. It's made me grow up and I’ve learned so much from being a part of this program. I'll never forget these four years, that's for sure.
Q: What are your athletic and academic goals?
ZH: I set pretty high goals for myself, especially academically and athletically. My goals are to continue to raise my cumulative GPA by maintaining a semester GPA of 3.8-4.0 for my remaining semesters. As far as athletics, I would love to be an All American. That's my ultimate goal. Along the way I’d like to break 4:10 in the mile, take down a school record or two (5k), contribute to team successes and continue to improve.
Q: What are your future plans?
ZH: I have two seasons of eligibility for a 5th year so I’ll be back in Fredonia next year. After that, I’m not so sure. I'll pursue attending graduate school and see what happens. Ideally I’d like to go to grad school in the Boston area and run for a club team there, but it's too far away for me to really have any concrete idea.
Q: What is your favorite song?
ZH: Brazil by Gerard Smith. He's the man!
To see Zakk’s progression through the years, click HERE.