Lydia Bottelier does not run from challenges, she hurdles them.

Being a student-athlete requires a support system on and off the field. Bottelier credits supportive and trusted individuals with providing her with the structure needed for success, referring to them as her “corner.”

Facing the final year of college and athletics, Bottelier aimed to relish every moment. “Without track, I would have never considered going back to school for my master’s degree, but a great opportunity was available,” she says. “I couldn’t pass up getting to compete for another year while earning my master’s at Katz at the university I love, in the city I love.”

In her last year on the track, Bottelier finished 13th at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships. “Competing at the highest level while achieving my degree was strenuous but well worth it,” she says.

Good Conditioning

Bottelier competed in the outdoor heptathlon, a series of seven events split across two days of competition that includes hurdles, high jump, shot put, 200-meter sprint, long jump, javelin throw, and 800-meter run. She also competed in the indoor pentathlon, which includes five of these events. Being successful in seven different disciplines requires excellent mental and physical conditioning.

For four years in the undergraduate business program, Bottelier balanced school and track effectively. However, entering the graduate program marked a significant shift. “Being a student-athlete requires a lot of discipline and sacrifice. These are two things I always knew were required of me if I wanted to excel on and off the track. I did not learn what it truly meant to be disciplined and make sacrifices until my time at Katz,” she says.

Navigating the transition from undergraduate to graduate business classes is challenging. Bottelier credits the Pitt Business ecosystem for her smooth transition, relying on the skills and knowledge she gained during her early college years, particularly her time management skills.

The first six weeks of the fall semester involve intense training. Bottelier explains, “All you want to do after practice is take a nap. Being in graduate school, this was not a luxury I could afford.” To manage her rigorous training schedule, she often took morning and evening classes and participated in additional programs beyond her core curriculum. During her busiest times, she worked part-time on the 2024 Super Analytics Challenge, creating social posts, video interviews, and student testimonials.

Faculty Support and Encouragement

Bottelier believes Pitt Business pushes its students to exceed expectations. “Professors expect a lot from their students but also provide many opportunities to excel,” she says. One professor, Eugenia Wu, associate professor of business administration, stood out for Bottelier, interactively engaging marketing content. 

Wu praised Bottelier, saying, “She is one of those students that makes a classroom brighter just by being in it.” 

She also said that she admired Bottelier’s conscientiousness and communication, which contributed to their successful time together in the classroom. “I’m a big fan of hers,” says Wu. “I’m very much looking forward to seeing where life takes her, as I think she’s going to be amazing at whatever she chooses to do.”

From Finish Line to Future Goals

Bottelier’s next steps are on a new track as begins a new role as a marketing specialist at PNC. As she navigates this multi-faceted transition, she again relies on those in her corner. She expresses gratitude to her parents for their guidance, Coach Alonzo Webb III for recognizing her potential, her teammates for making track and field feel less like an individual sport, and her professors for their kindness and flexibility regarding her commitments.