Providence Day star Olufemi "Femi" Cole committed to Stanford University earlier this week! The rising senior had his junior track season cut short due to COVID but still managed to have an impressive indoor season! He ran 6.45 at the VA Showcase where he took 6th overall and 22.37 in the 200m taking 5th! He won the unofficial private school state championship in the 55m dash en route to helping Providence Day win the meet as a team. Cole considered a few schools before deciding on Stanford.
"I was having conversations with a couple of schools closer to home like Chapel Hill and UVA, but my coach for the last six years, Coach Lawrence at Providence Day, helped guide me to the right school for me, Stanford."
Cole only managed to get one outdoor meet under his belt before COVID ended the season, a Providence Day home meet, where he ran all three of the sprints, 100-200-400, and posted great marks in all three: 10.79, 22.34, 53.47
Cole managed to get a visit in to Stanford in February, something that really helped make the final decision for him.
"I was lucky enough to have had a quick visit in February, when I was passing through on a family vacation. I met with Coach Cooper, and a couple guys on the team, and got a quick mini tour of the campus. The coaches all seemed really friendly, and I got the impression that Stanford was an environment where I would not only grow as an athlete, but as a student with the great support system they have in place there. It was really the mix of a strong goal oriented program, and the obviously excellent academics.
It also didn't hurt that Stanford was located in a really beautiful part of the country in Palo Alto where the weather is amazing. For me Stanford checked all the boxes for the school where I wanted to spend the next four years of my life."
With a hopeful track season ahead, Cole has some big plans for his senior year.
"My goals for the upcoming season, are not only to win states in my division, but help my school repeat as NCISAA champs. After the spring season, I hope I can run some good times at nationals, and end my high school track career with a bang!"
Off the track, Cole is a huge UFC fan and draws a lot of his inspiration from UFC fighter and fellow-Nigerian Israel Adesanya.
"I love everything about his style and it doesn't hurt that he is a fellow Nigerian. His winning mentality inspires me on the track."
