by Michelle Molodynia —

Mia Jessica Ross is Louisville’s own Aussie runner. Born and raised in Longford, Victoria Australia, Ross is a freshman runner recruited to compete for the track and cross country teams. As excited as she is to run collegiately in the United States, the transition was far from an easy one.

Mia grew up with a supportive mom who encouraged her to participate in any sport that caught her eye. Mia has always been an athlete.  After swimming and gymnastics she finally felt a calling to running.

“As a runner, I really want to be here for the long run,” Ross said. “I love competing and personal bests are an amazing feeling, but my main focus is to stay fit, healthy, injury free, happy and slowly keep chipping away one year at a time.”

After deciding where she wanted to attend university, Mia began the application process, which, to her surprise, was complicated.

“Thinking everything was official back in March was a huge mistake,” she said. “We soon realized that the NCAA is very strict towards its guidelines and what should have been an easy process turned into months and months of hard work. Everything takes time and it was time that I needed most.”

The NCAA soon informed her some of the classes she took over in Australia were only seen as electives in the United States, thus making her ineligible.

She quickly had to take three mandatory classes in a period of six weeks. This meant that she had 12 exams and over 200 assignments to complete before resubmitting her paperwork.

Finally, after completing all the credits needed, Mia resubmitted her papers to the NCAA and was accepted. “I eventually received my Visa, booked my flight for the next day and I was off,” she said. “One long, painful, rushed process.”

Three flights later, totaling a gruesome 20 hours in air, Ross landed in Louisville. Upon arrival, five weeks late into the semester, Ross needed to jump right into her studies and athletic training.

“My first day after I arrived was a huge rush because I had to get registered here at U of L,” she said.

It has now been seven weeks in America and Ross has begun to adapt. One of the main changes is the food.  “It’s a huge change, coming from a healthy eating family it has been really hard to eat correctly. There are some options on campus but it’s a struggle to find appropriate meals to refuel an athlete’s body,” Ross explained.

Despite all the chaos, Ross had to go through in order to arrive here, she always has a smile on her face.