Cal State Bakersfield Hurdler Julia Stein began running in sixth grade thanks to a grade school seeing her skill. By high school she had specialized in hurdles. As in any sport, there are always fierce competitors. One of these competitors is her teammate Riley Slayton.  

Stein couldn’t emphasize enough how great Slayton is as a training partner and how much they push each other. Another plus Stein explains is the ability to not only practice with the person who pushes you the hardest, but also to practice such a high of a level. As for Stein’s goals for this season; to hit a few more personal records and make it to finals at Conference which is being held in Davis, CA May 13th and 14th. 

Originally from Germany I asked Stein what made her choose CSUB’s program and she had a few criteria that she looked for when picking a school. With Bakersfield being in a warmer region, it was definitely a plus. However, she mainly wanted the program to already have the hurdle event and for there to be hurdlers on the team that share similar times to her so they could push and excel together. And lastly the coaching staff was a very important part of the decision with Stein exclaiming, “Gaeta, he’s amazing.”