When I first met Maya Evans, she wasn’t running track and field, as she is during most hours of the week.
She was dancing to Bollywood music at tryouts for the university’s competitive fusion dance team, Moksha. I soon learned that she doesn’t just do that. From running track and field to dancing to community service to academics, it would be hard to find something that Evans isn’t involved in.
From Wilson, North Carolina, middle distances runner Evans fell in love with running at a young age. Ever since the second grade, she would often go out on runs with her father, a pastor and magistrate judge, to whom she attributes much of her career. On one of the first runs she ever had with her father, she suffered an asthma attack, but her father told her, “You’re either going to finish this, or you can walk back.” And she hasn’t turned back ever since.
Even despite the obstacle of asthma and chronic breathing problems, Evans has not only learned to manage herself but also to coach herself. In high school, she did a lot of self-motivation when it came to running track and field, coaching herself all the way to a AAA state title in both the 400-meter and 500-meter dash. Her track and field career here at the University of South Carolina is equally as impressive. In 2015, she finished 21st at the SEC Championship and was part of the 4x8 relay team that ran a time of 9:15.76 at the Armory Invite, which was the second-fastest time in program history.
Evans didn’t begin competitively running track and field until her freshman year of high school. But don’t be fooled — she isn’t perfect — although she seems pretty darn close. She also tried her hand at volleyball, but it didn't quite stick the way that track and field did.
Evans' pursuits outside of athletics are just as awe-inspiring. Although her major is public health, she says that she has a strong desire to become a high school counselor. This strong urge to help others doesn’t stop just there. She has won numerous awards for community service, and spends time volunteering at the Leadership and Service Center. Evans is also a member of USC’s top-ranked Honors College (SCHC) and is a Resident Mentor in Woodrow. She explained that she likes to get to know her residents on a more personal level so she could be a friend that they could come to whenever they have a problem.
She also shows a lot of enthusiasm when it comes to learning about other cultures. She is a member of OMSA’s Multicultural Student Outreach Team, which aspires to make USC a more diverse and accepting campus.
Her days begin at 5:50 a.m., a time that would make anyone else groan — but not Evans. Despite the wide variety of clubs and groups that she is a part of, Evans says that, “There’s nothing that [she would] want to stop doing.” In times of stress, she centers herself by reading the Bible and keeping herself organized. Although the time commitments can be hard to balance, she is someone that thrives on community involvement.
Some of her biggest role models and confidantes are Rebecca Sanders, an SCHC academic adviser, and assistant coach Hadrien “Frenchie” Choukroun, who helped her “tap into the mental barrier” and encouraged her to transition from short distance to middle distance running.
When Evans runs, she tends to win. And I don’t just mean track and field. In high school, she ran for Student Body President, Homecoming Queen and Prom Queen — and won them all. Evans challenges herself in every aspect of the game. Despite suffering from asthma and bouts of plantar fasciitis, she has overcome those impediments. She involves herself in so many activities beyond the world of sports. But when it comes to running, Evans has proven to be someone to watch both on and off the field.