Sammy Bockoven arrived on campus this past fall as a graduate transfer from Villanova. While she was only able to race in one meet for the track & field team prior to the cancellation of the outdoor season, she had quickly established herself as a reliable leader and performer for the Cougars, following a strong season with the women's cross country team in the fall.
In her lone meet of the 2020 outdoor season, Bockoven raced in the 1500 meters at the Beach Opener on March 7. She finished 10th out of 37 competitors with a time of 4:49.20.
In the fall, Bockoven was a crucial piece of the cross country team. She made her Azusa Pacific debut on September 7, 2019, when she raced in the Biola Invitational. That day, she ran the 5k in a time of 18:33.42, finishing in eighth place. In her second race as a Cougar, she had a career day and another top-10 finish. She ran the 6k at the Cougar Challenge in a time of 21:17.0, which was the fastest time of her collegiate career. Her performance gave her a third-place finish to lead the way for the Cougars. At the PacWest Cross Country Championships, Bockoven placed 12th out of 96 runners in the 6k.
Bockoven closes out a decorated collegiate career over the past five years. This season, she was named the PacWest Women's Cross Country Newcomer of the Year for her performance as a Cougar. While at Villanova, she collected numerous honors, including All-American status in indoor competition, four Big East Championships (indoor: 4x800 Meter Relay (2017 & 2019), Distance Medley Relay (2019) … outdoor: 4x800 Meter Relay (2018)), 11 All-Big East Selections, two-time USTFCCCA All-Academic Team honoree, and a four-time Big East All-Academic honoree.
She is currently pursuing a master's degree in public health, with an emphasis in international health and emergency response.
Coach Jack Hoyt on Bockoven: "Sammy added a lot to our team in a short period of time after transferring this year from Villanova. She was critical to the cross country team in keeping a runner for the Cougars up front in every race."
Coach Preston Grey on Bockoven: "Sammy quickly became a value and trusted leader on our team. She was really able to draw on her experience at Villanova. Her teammates loved her and she gave her heart and soul to the program."
