Sept. 26, 2007

SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Emily Tangwar has turned a few heads during USC Upstate's first season competing in cross country since 2003. She has led the Spartans with three top-10 finishes, including a fourth-place finish last weekend at the Charlotte Invitational.

Earlier this week, upstatespartans.com's Adam Walker sat down with Tangwar to talk about her season, Kenya and Oprah Winfrey.

US.com: What do you tell people when they ask you what your home country of Kenya is like?
Emily Tangwar: Kenya is a good country like the U.S. and is full of natural resources. I tell them that is a great country.

US.com: How did you end up going to school at Alaska-Fairbanks before coming to USC Upstate?
ET: I ended up going to Alaska because I applied to several different schools. I had chosen five schools to apply to and Alaska was the first one to take me and I decided that since they were the first that I would go there.

US.com: What was it like being in Alaska?
ET: When I got there it was in September and it wasn't that cold, but when I lived there, everybody was like, `You came from Kenya to Alaska? It's going to be cold. I don't know if you're going to manage', but I managed it.

US.com: What are your impressions of USC Upstate since this is your first year here?
ET: USC Upstate is a nice place and I'm really enjoying it right now.

US.com: You are one of nine children. What is it like being apart of a big family?
ET: Growing up in a big family is nice because when your family is large, there is always company. It is nice to be together with such a big group of people.

US.com: Your favorite TV personality is Oprah Winfrey. Why Oprah?
ET: I've been watching Oprah since I was in Kenya. One thing I like is that she goes everywhere. She goes where the poor people are, where the rich are, and that's what I'm here for, so I can help everyone because there are people everywhere who need our help.

US.com: How much are you going to use your education at USC Upstate to help your home country of Kenya?
ET: When I finished high school, I worked in a hospital and I realized that people need most of the time in developing countries is health care. I need to do something for my country and I need an education to do that and that's why I'm a nursing major.

US.com: What should people know about cross country assistant coach Ed Schlichter?
ET: Coach Ed is really great. The training that he is giving us is really good because I don't think all coaches are the way he is. He's a really good coach.

US.com: Who is one of your best friends on the cross country team and why?
ET: My best friends are Maria (Ruvalcaba-Trigueros) and (head coach) Jimmy (Stephens) because I don't know a lot of stuff about the U.S. and when I want to ask about something or know something, they show me. They tell me the way I should do things as well, just like American people do.

US.com: What is the best part of being at USC Upstate?
ET: I enjoy going to the Student Center on campus because that's where I usually go to get extra help and it's good to have a place go to when you need something like that.