Castaic’s Meagan Humphries is a long way from home at the University of Illinois.
But for the Coyotes’ alum, Illinois is finally starting to feel like home after she broke the women’s track and field Big Ten Indoor championships and school record in her pentathlon win in late February, becoming a Big Ten champion.
“After transferring from Texas, my season at Illinois had been a little rough so far up until the meet,” Humphries said in an interview with The Signal. “So, I’m still kind of going through a transition period of getting used to the events. On top of that, I had some lingering issues from Texas that I was working through. So, my season really hadn’t been going all that well up until the conference meet.”
Prior to graduating from Castaic High School in 2024, Humphries committed to the University of Texas and planned on being a Longhorn for the entirety of her collegiate career.
But after a season in Texas, Humphries said she was feeling anxiety during her time in Austin and felt like a new environment was what she needed to succeed.
“I had a lot of lingering anxiety from my experience in Texas,” she said. “So, being able to overcome that at the meet, I think helped me recognize what I’m capable of because I had a lot of self-doubt after leaving that environment.”
In the Big Ten indoor championships, Humphries recorded 4,459 points to receive the gold medal at the event and set a new personal best in the 60-meter hurdles, high jump, shot put, long jump and 800 meters.
Humphries set the meet and school record with her 4,459 total and became the fifth-ever individual champion in school history.
“The Illinois team and this new environment has been so much better for me personally,” she said. “People have been so supportive, and I’ve had a lot of people helping me work through this anxiety. So, I think being able to overcome at the end for me, I think is almost like a gateway or a breakthrough for me.”
With her current point total, Humphries is the national leader going into the Division 1 NCAA indoor Championships, set to be held from March 13-14 at the Randall Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
With the success of the meet in late February, Humphries is excited about what nationals has to offer. And with the opportunity to represent not only Castaic High School but also the Santa Clarita Valley at the national level, she’s ready to make her community proud.
“My biggest thing is I really want to make people proud, especially the people that have supported me all throughout those years,” she said. “’I’m very glad that I can represent the Santa Clarita Valley and just put a spotlight on a place that’s done so much for me.”
