—Messenger file photo Julia (drzycimski) buckley celebrates after winning at the state meet in 200. Buckley won four individual titles and was part of two relay championships.

Julia (Drzycimski) Buckley was a six-time state champion in high school, but her third place finish at the Drake Relays was one of her most memorable runs on the track.

In her senior season, the 2000 St. Edmond graduate, qualified for the Drake Relays with the second fastest time, behind legendary sprinter Lolo Jones, who competed for Des Roosevelt.

Jones was a summer (hurdles) and winter (bobsled) Olympic qualifier. She won three NCAA titles and garnered 11 All-American honors while at LSU. She was also a six-time state medalist for Roosevelt.

“I qualified for Drake in 2000 and that was the year that Lolo Jones was a senior. No one had a chance to win a title against her,” Buckley said. “She was literally in a race all her own, winning by quite a bit even in the short distance of a 100 meters.

“I had the second fastest qualifying time, behind Lolo, going into the finals that year and ended up placing third. I think the Drake Relays was probably my most proud moment as I can say that in my senior year I was the third fastest female in the entire state of Iowa.”

Buckley, who won three state titles as a junior and repeated all three in her senior season (2000), is the only individual champion in St. Edmond girls track history and is part of all six gold medals for the Gaels.

In her high school career Buckley was a 12 time state qualifier with nine medals and a breakout sophomore season led to two historic runs in 1999 and 2000.

As a sophomore she finished second in the 200 and was part of the runner up 4×100 relay team, while placing fourth in the 400. She was eighth in the 200 as a freshman.

“I remember feeling very excited about my junior year season after my second place finishes in the 200 and 4×100 relay and fourth in the 400 at state,” Buckley said. “Placing as high as I did as a sophomore was a huge confidence booster. If I could place that high as a sophomore, I knew I could do more in subsequent years after having that experience.

“I don’t recall feeling too much pressure at that point. I felt more excited and determined to win my events.”

Heading into her junior campaign Buckley was the fastest in the 100 and 200 along with the sprint medley. A feat she duplicated as a senior in the sprint events. After winning her first title, Buckley was ready to add one more.

“Knowing that you have one win under your belt is definitely a good way to enter the next race,” Buckley said. “Each race, whether prelim, semis or finals is a separate race and you need to show up to each race in order to move on.

“I always tried to think about what was immediately in front of me. It was one race at a time as a lot can happen in a race.”

After claiming gold in three races as a junior, Buckley was primed for her senior run and the chance to add more trophies to the case, but knew there was a lot of pressure to do so.

“I think any athlete feels that it is easier being an underdog when the expectations are less or there is less to lose,” Buckley said. “That pressure would occasionally creep in but I tried to remind myself again that each race is a new race and what happened in the past does not have any bearing on the present.”

In 1999 Buckley teamed up with Missy Rork (100), Sarah Shanks (100) and Kristen Shanks to win the sprint medley. Buckley, who was the anchor (400) in 2000 as well, teamed up with Rork, Ashley Black (100) and Kristen Shanks to repeat as champions.

“I am very proud of and thankful for the track career that I had,” Buckley said. “Track was the vehicle for getting me where I am now. Track helped me achieve an Ivy League education — I attended Columbia University in NYC — and taught me valuable lessons of working hard and overcoming obstacles.

“I am a huge proponent of athletics. I definitely would not be where I am today if I did not have the success in track that I had while at St. Edmond. I had great coaches and teammates who pushed me to work hard. It is fun to be able to say that I am a six time state champion, nine time medalist and state qualifier every year in high school.”

Buckley’s time spent on the track at St. Edmond had a huge impact on her life.

“I have such positive memories from being an athlete and student at St. Edmond,” Buckley said. “I loved the girls I ran with. We had so many good laughs, cries and fun times that my high school memories will always be something I cherish.

“I think any athlete will always cherish their time as an athlete.”

Buckley continued her running career in college and attended Columbia University in NYC. She was a sprinter on the team.

“Running in college was a new experience — we had an indoor season which we didn’t have in high school and I also had a nice track to train versus that St. Edmond dirt track,” Buckley said. “I had the opportunity to run at the Penn Relays as a collegiate athlete as well.”

Buckley currently lives in Jersey City, New Jersey (directly across the Hudson River from Manhattan) with her husband Brendan and their two children Jack (two years) and Clara (two months). She is a Clinical Psychologist at the VA NY Harbor Healthcare System in Manhattan. She is the Co-Director of the Psycholgy Externship Training Program, and Clinical Assistant Professor at NYU School of Medicine.