Born in Edinburg, Pennsylvania, she attended Wilmington Area High School before going on to study sociology at Purdue University between 1997 and 2002. While at college she competed in NCAA competition for the Purdue Boilermakers team, with her first major placing being seventh in the javelin throw at the 1999 NCAA Outdoor Championships.Serene Ross. USATF. Retrieved on 2015-09-06.
