Micaela DeGenero takes home the title of the indoor mile with a time of 4:33.92 in Birmingham, Alabama. This is the second year in a row that Colorado has taken the title to become the National Champion.
Micaela is a senior distance runner from Granville, Ohio. She ran for cross country with the Michigan Wolverines first. A former member of the Big Ten Cross Country Championship Team in 2018, where she was emerging as one of the best cross country athletes in the nation. In 2020 DeGenero made the All-Pac 12 Second-Team but that all looks to be changing this season.
Her’s is a story for the ages. Coming into the race on Saturday it didn’t look to be a winner’s start. However, DeGenero rose from the ashes from last place to first place. Such an inspirational story of how to fight and overcome to become a National Champion. It is something all young Buff fans can look up to, and aspire to.
Micaela came alive in the last 420 meters, she found a second wind and took advantage of the other 10 girls in the pack. After her move the field was not able to catch her energy or her speed, it was too much to overcome. She went into first place, and that’s where she stayed.
"My high school coach always said, 'If you make a move, you have to slam the door.'"
— Fast Women (@fast_women) March 13, 2022
CU's Micaela DeGenero slams the door on the competition w/ a big move with 400m to go, and pulls off a surprise victory in the #NCAATF Indoor mile, running 4:33.92. Sinta Vissa is 2nd in 4:35.40 pic.twitter.com/HMJa13lCiC
Colorado is now making a bit of a name for itself in the mile event. No team in NCAA history has won the title back-to-back for the mile. Big congratulations to to Micaela and all her family back home in Ohio, for all of her success for the Buffs. Buff Nation could not be prouder.