Women's Track and Field: Get to Know the Blue Devils

CCSU athletics is rolling out a new series to "Get to Know the Blue Devils." Despite sports competition being suspended during the fall season, CCSU student-athletes continue to succeed in the classroom and have an impact in the community. Through a series of questions and answers, CCSU fans and supporters can become familiar with many of the Blue Devils' student-athletes and learn who their favorite athletes are, what talents they have, bucket list goals and other interesting tidbits away from the field of competition.

This will be an ongoing feature throughout the semester, check back on our social media channels and at CCSUBlueDevils.com for updates.

Deja Salahuddin  |  Fr.  |  Trumbull, CT

Major: Biology

Why did you choose CCSU?
good biology program geared to help me get prepared for medical school

Is there anything interesting about you that you would like us to know?
I dance (I can choreograph dances) and sing. I won the Chet Scholarship award and met the mayor of Hartford in the seventh grade (I was the only student from my school who won). I got to visit my father's hometown and eat an original philly cheesesteak. I volunteered to work at Yale New Haven hospital and got first-hand experience of what goes on in the rooms.

What are you most looking forward to accomplishing at CCSU?
I strive to a achieve a four-year degree and get into medical school. I also want to become one of the best athletes on my team with a good-standing personal record.

Who is your inspiration and why?
My mom because she's sacraficed so much to help all her children get to where they wanna be.

What is the best advice you've ever received?
People are always gonna wanna knock you down, show em why you still standing.

What is your proudest accomplishment?
Graduating high school without the unnecessary distractions.

What are your future plans?
graduate college and move to California for medical school

What is one thing you learned about yourself during the pandemic?
I'm too nice for my own good haha

Who is your favorite athlete to watch and why?
Sydney McLaughlin because she embodies everything I strive to be as an athlete, and especially as a hurdler. Watching her hurdle in the olympics reminds me that anything is possible.

What's at the top of your bucket list of things to do?
See Beyonce in concert.. another BEYCHELLA!!

Besides playing your sport, do you have any other talents?
I dance, I used to dance for a company before I started choreographing my own stuff with my sister.

Do you have a favorite quote?
Nothing worth fighting for is easy

Who would play you in a movie about yourself?
probably my sister

If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
french fries

What is your favorite childhood TV show?
Fresh Prince of Bel Air

What is the most ridiculous fact you know?
it's impossible to hum while holding your breath

What superpower would you like to have?
mind control

What would be your spirit animal?
wolf

Who is your favorite musical artist?
Brandy

Rachel Vigorita  |  So.  |  Old Saybrook, CT

Major: Psychology (criminal justice minor)

Why did you choose CCSU?
affordable, why would I want 200k of debt for the same de-gree

Is there anything interesting about you that you would like us to know?
graduating after 2.5 years

What are you most looking forward to accomplishing at CCSU?
growing with my team

Who is your inspiration and why?
My friends inspire me because they'll support me despite what they go through and vise versa.

What is the best advice you've ever received?
say what you mean, mean what you say

What is your proudest accomplishment?
black belt at age 13

What are your future plans?
work within social services

What is one thing you learned about yourself during the pandemic?
you are your biggest limitation

Who is your favorite athlete to watch and why?
Priscilla Frederick, olympic high jumper has helped me train and guided me towards improvement.

What's at the top of your bucket list of things to do?
travel to all 7 continents

Besides playing your sport, do you have any other talents?
I can cook or bake just about anything

Do you have a favorite quote?
do what makes you happy

Who would play you in a movie about yourself?
Blake Lively

If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
any type of pasta

What is the most ridiculous fact you know?

I can recite over 40 digits of pi

What superpower would you like to have?
teleportation

What would be your spirit animal?
fox

Kamilah Diaz  |  So.  |  East Hartford, CT

Major: Criminal Justice

Why did you choose CCSU?
Academics and athletics

Is there anything interesting about you that you would like us to know?
I love running track and play soccer. I played 4 instruments

What are you most looking forward to accomplishing at CCSU?
A degree and being successful in my athletic career

Who is your inspiration and why?
My mom and a lady named Shirley Raines. My mom is my inspiration because she is a single mom and self-employed! She is very independent and strong, she never gives up no matter how hard the obstacle is and I strive to be just as fierce and confident as her.
Also Shirley is another inspiration because she gives back to the homeless and she does a lot of wonderful amazing things to help them and keep them safe. She goes out in California and gives the homeless makeovers and also gives them food and water and any other essential hygiene things they may need. I admire her for that and one day I want to fly out and be a part of helping her give back!

What is the best advice you've ever received?
The advice I would say that I received is to never be held back and to always strive for what I want

What is your proudest accomplishment?
My proudest accomplishment has to be becoming all-state and all-conference in track and becoming state champion in the 600m

What are your future plans?
My future plans is to become successful in anything I decide to do and I also just want to be happy that's the most important part I want to be happy doing whatever I do

What is one thing you learned about yourself during the pandemic?
I've learned that I don't need anyone to get to where I want to go or to get what I want to get. I'm strong and independent and I don't need anyone! My mom taught me how to be independent and not to depend on people because you can be let down

Who is your favorite athlete to watch and why?
I like to watch Allison Felix because she is an inspiration

What's at the top of your bucket list of things to do?
I want to travel the world to be honest. I love to travel with my mom and explore! You only live once and I want to experience as much as I can

Besides playing your sport, do you have any other talents?
I used to play four instruments

Who would play you in a movie about yourself?
My mom

If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Crab legs

What is your favorite childhood TV show?
Hip hop harry

What superpower would you like to have?
Teleport

What would be your spirit animal?
Butterfly

Who is your favorite musical artist?
Charlie Wilson