Eight-time state champion Sophie Galloway picked Arkansas over Oregon and Georgia to continue her career when her coach left Tennessee.
Sophie Galloway was in Eugene, Ore., for the Nike Outdoor Nationals in early July when a phone call came that changed her summer — and future. Tennessee associate head track coach Travis Geopfert called to tell her he was leaving the Vols to return to Arkansas. The biggest reason Galloway had signed with Tennessee was to be coached by Geopfert — who works directly with jumpers and combined event athletes.
That put the Marshall County standout into a “hectic” mode that ended Thursday when she announced she would be going to Arkansas, not Tennessee, to continue her track career. She asked for her release from Tennessee after “her” coach left and considered Oregon, Georgia, and Arkansas before picking the Razorbacks. However, Geopfert will be coaching only men at Arkansas. She was not allowed any contact with him after asking for her release from Tennessee.
“When he left it left me with no reason to be at Tennessee. He was my main focus for being there,” Galloway said.
Now she’ll chase collegiate success and her Olympic dreams in the heptathlon — 100-meter high hurdles, high jump, shot put, 200-meter dash, long jump, javelin, and 800-meter run — along with the open high jump for legendary Arkansas coach Lance Harter. He has been at Arkansas for 31 years and is an eight-time national coach of the year.
Galloway was again the Kentucky Gatorade Girls Track & Field Athlete of the Year. At the Class AAA state meet she long jumped 19 feet, 3 inches; triple jumped 41-7 3/4; and finished the 100-meter high hurdles in 14.1 seconds to win all three events. That ended her prep career with eight state championships.
She did not make an official visit to Arkansas. Instead, she took a trip to Fayetteville, Ark., while she was still in the process of getting her release from Tennessee.
“We just went there to see the town one day. We went out to eat and walked around the campus. We could not go in any of the (Arkansas) facilities but I know the track facilities are the best in the world for college along with Oregon. It’s where the SEC Championships are hosted and hopefully one day the NCAA Championships will be there too,” Galloway said.
Galloway kept her plans as secret as the SEC did about adding Oklahoma and Texas.
“I didn’t tell anybody. I knew I could stay at Tennessee and I did not make a decision until last week,” Galloway, a key player on Marshall County’s state runner-up basketball team, said. “Considering everything, it was a very quick process. I just kept quiet until I got the release and made my decision.”
She admitted performing in Oregon and then Jacksonville, Fla., had added pressure since she knew she likely would be leaving Tennessee and others would want to see how she did in both meets.
“I was just trying to jump and hurdle really well because I really didn’t know who I might be needing to impress,” she laughed and said. “It was a pretty stressful process but I think it is all for the best. I am not upset. Obviously, I love Tennessee but other than my coach I had no real ties there. I had not been there yet.
“Actually, it was more like a normal recruiting process with Arkansas than it was during Corona (virus) with Tennessee. So other than there is no easy way to get to Fayetteville from Marshall County, it has all worked out fine. My family is actually kind of happy I am not wearing Tennessee orange because they are all UK fans. Actually, everybody has been really supportive. I don’t think anyone saw it coming, though.”
Now she hopes to have a little downtime to enjoy the Tokyo Olympics. She has performed at some of the same venues as the USA Olympians and understands the pressure they face.
She wants to watch Sydney McLaughlin, the world record holder in the 400-meter hurdles. “She is a UK girl and I know it’s possible for her to win gold,” Galloway said.
Kendell Williams of the University of Georgia is in the Olympic heptathlon along with Annie Kunz, the U.S. Trials winner and former two-sport standout at Texas A&M.
“I just can’t wait to watch it all. I have had a little downtime29 to relax and let my body get back. This has been my first week back lifting and doing some work,” she said. “Seems I was stressed so much the last few weeks but I will definitely enjoy watching the Olympics.”
