Cherise Carter

Fast Forward: The Relentless Drive of Cherise Carter

She doesn’t just run for medals — she runs for legacy.

For Cherise Carter, speed isn’t something she learned — it’s something that’s always lived in her.

“I’ve always had a passion for sports,” she says. “Especially sprinting. My dad has been my biggest influence — he’s shaped who I am as an athlete and as a person.”

That influence shows in everything she does: the way she approaches the blocks with focus, the way she carries herself between heats, the way she treats competition not as chaos but as rhythm — an extension of who she is.

This season, Cherise is chasing something more than podiums. “I’m going after individual medals and new school records,” she says without hesitation. “That’s the goal.”

But even for a sprinter built on speed, success doesn’t come in an instant. “On tough days, I remind myself of the work I’ve already put in — the hours, the training, the grind,” she says. “That’s what pushes me through. And honestly, my teammates are a huge part of that. We get through it together.”

Ask her what her race-day soundtrack is, and she doesn’t hesitate: “Act a Fool” by Ludacris, the Too Fast, Too Furious anthem. “It gets me hyped,” she says, laughing. “It’s exactly the kind of energy I need before I hit the track.”

Cherise runs like the song sounds — bold, unapologetic, full of attitude and momentum. Every race is a chance to prove something to herself: that the work works, that legacy isn’t given, it’s earned one stride at a time.

She’s part of a new wave of Lightning athletes who don’t just want to compete — they want to redefine what fast looks like at St. Mary’s.

And if you blink, you’ll miss her — already halfway down the track, chasing a record that doesn’t know what’s about to hit it.