Whakakihia te rerenga e whai ake nei: I whanau mai ia i Sligo, i whakataetae ia i roto i nga whakataetae whakataetae ao i te wa o te taiohi, i rere i te whakataetae rangatahi i te
1999 IAAF World Cross Country Championships me te 3000 mita i te IAAF World Youth Championships i Athletics i te tekau ma ono ona tau. I muri i tana tutaki ki te kaiwhakaako o Amerika a Ray Treacy i Ireland, i whakawhiwhia e ia ki a ia he karahipi ki te haere ki te whare wananga i te United States. I haere ia ki te ako i nga pūtaiao hapori i te Whare Wananga o Providence me te tohu i ta raatau kapa hakinakina o te whare wananga, ko te Providence Friars. I tana tau tuatahi i te 2001-2002, i oma ia i te tuarima o nga mita 5000 i te Big East Championships, i wikitoria i te 3000 m i te Penn Relays me te whakataetae i te NCAA Women's Cross Country Championship. I pai ake ia i te tau e whai ake nei: ko te tuawha o nga waahi i roto i te whakataetae a rohe me te 28 o nga waahi i te NCAA National Cross Country Championship i whakawhiwhia ki a ia nga honore All-American. I roto i nga whakataetae o roto, ko ia te tuatoru i te 3000 m me te tuawha i te tawhiti medley relay. I riro ia i te tuawha i roto i nga rohe NCAA 5000 m me te tino pai o te 15:56.96 ka mutu i te tuarima i te NCAA Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championship, ka whiwhi i ana honore tuarua o Amerika katoa o te waa.