The word passion is defined as a strong or extravagant fondness, enthusiasm, or desire for anything. It is something you will recognize in every student-athlete at Presbyterian College and it is demonstrated every day through their actions on the court or on the playing field.

In the case of senior Mellette Johnson, her passion is running. Johnson, a native of Florence, South Carolina, is one of the top runners on the Presbyterian College women's cross country team. A walk-on who decided to join the team spring of her freshman year, she has proven herself to be an essential part of the team's growth and success as they make the transition into Division I. ?

Her passion for running was influenced by her mother, an avid runner, and Johnson says running is something she has simply always done and, most importantly, enjoys doing. Johnson came to PC with only one year of cross country experience from her senior year in high school and she had no intention of running in college.? She says she decided to join the team because she wanted the opportunity to get involved athletically, find a way to really challenge herself, and give back to the school she loves so much. "I wanted to use my love for running to support the school," Johnson said, and support she did. With a personal record of 21:28, set at the home course during the 2009 Blue Hose Invitational, she quickly became an important member of the team. ?In her first year running for the Blue Hose, she helped guarantee the team a second place spot at the Limestone Invitational with a time of 21:57. In 2009, she led the team with a time of 21:47 at the Big South Conference Championship.

Leadership has also been very important to Johnson. She says her biggest accomplishment while running PC Cross Country is being named team captain her senior year. "It is an honor to have that role on the team," she said. In addition to that honor, she was also named to the Big South All Academic Team in 2009. In addition to running for PC, she enjoys competing in races and looks forward to doing more outside races after she graduates this spring. She particularly enjoys participating in running for various causes such as Race for the Cure and this past 4th of July, she ran a race in her hometown that supported public school athletic programs. ?This past summer, while studying in China, she had the opportunity to run up the Great Wall of China.

Johnson believes that running is unique because it is something you can always do and she feels that she will continue to be a runner as long as she can. When asked what her favorite part of running is, she responded, "What I like best about running is how it pushes you physically and mentally. I love that you can pick up and run anywhere, that you can do it by yourself or with other people. I love that it helps you think and can totally refresh you with energy."

Her favorite thing about running at PC isn't the competition or the races, but practice. While this is surprising to most, she says, "I look forward to going to practice everyday because the team is a group of my best friends. I love that we get the opportunity to be together every day and that during practice we get to get away from the other responsibilities of the day to just focus on running." She also says that, because their team is so small and close-knit, she has really enjoyed getting to know her teammates and their families who always come to show their support.

When not running on the cross country course, Johnson shows her passion for PC by participating in many campus organizations and activities. President of the senior class, vice president of membership for the SAM Club, and playing the violin in the orchestra are just a few of the activities in which she is involved. She also teaches a weekly aerobics class for PC students, is a member of Zeta Tau Alpha sorority, and is a member the Presbyterian College Honor Council.? A business major with a concentration in management, she hopes to work in insurance or pharmaceutical sales the upstate next year following graduation. How does she balance it all?? "If you love it, you do it," she says. This motto proves true for Johnson, both within and outside of Presbyterian College's women's cross country team, and her passion for cross country and PC will inspire a future generation of runners and students alike.

Article written by Presbyterian College student Holtie Murphy.