University of Georgia Athletics
Catching Up With Georgia's Julianne Toto
April 25, 2007 | Track & Field
This weekend, Toto and 29 of her teammates will be competing in their final regular season meet of the year at the Drake Relays in Des Moines, Iowa (April 27-28). Here's what Toto, who was a state champion pole vaulter as a high school senior in Red Bank, N.J., had to say when georgiadogs.com recently caught up with her:
On what made her choose to come to the University of Georgia:
"Although I initially started to look around schools in the Northeast (around my New Jersey home), I met Coach (Wayne) Norton and the UGA track team when they came to a meet at the New York City Armory. Everyone was very friendly and I have to admit that I loved the red and black. The thought of warm weather all year was really appealing to me. After I took a visit to UGA, I loved the campus, the school spirit and the athletic program's organization. It felt like home right away."
On what the difference was at the Spec Towns meet and how she sees herself improving during the last meets of the season:
"This has been a trying year for me up to this point. I had some trouble adjusting to college training and have had two new coaches in the past two years. A lack of confidence was really holding me back. Lately, Coach (Shawn) Wilbourn and I have finally started to work well together and things have been falling into place. I started seeing a sports psychologist to help me with some competition strategies. I feel like I've adjusted to competing in college, and I'm excited to improve at the last couple of meets this season!"
On what the addition of Wilbourn, who joined the Bulldogs before the 2007 indoor season, has meant to this program and what she thinks he brings to the pole vaulters:
A lot of coaches are confused about the right ways to train pole vaulters, but he knows what he is doing. All the vaulters have learned so much and improved dramatically in speed, strength and conditioning. As a former athlete, he understands which exercises help and which do not. I feel like I am in the best shape of my life, and it is apparent in my vaulting. Coach also spends time each week recruiting, so he is really looking out for the future of the program."
On her your favorite part of being a student-athlete at Georgia:
"Probably being able to live in East Campus Village and have my own bedroom and bathroom!"
On her plans following graduation and whether or not she wants to stay in this area or move back closer to home?
I didn't think this would ever happen, but I will probably live in the South after graduation. I don't know if I can face cold winters ever again! I don't think I'll ever want to stop pole vaulting, so I hope to do that after graduation as well. I'm majoring in psychology, so I might even stay at UGA for grad school."