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Olympian Emily Mackay ’21, a former ��ñ�� track and cross country athlete, returned to campus Feb. 24 for the first time since competing at the 2024 Summer Games in Paris — delivering the annual keynote speech at the 20th Celebrating Women’s Athletics Luncheon (CWAL).

First established as a fundraiser to support the ��ñ�� Bearcats Athletic Association scholarship fund, CWAL has raised more than half a million dollars to support students with financial need. The event also celebrates female athletes who have broken barriers and paved the way for excellence in sports, such as previous speakers like Joan Benoit Samuelson, the first woman to win gold in an Olympic marathon.

Mackay recalled being inspired by Samuelson’s words when she attended the 2019 luncheon as a student.

“This is such a full-circle moment for me, because six years ago, I was a bit lost in life, not quite sure who I was or what I wanted, and a lot has changed since then,” Mackay told more than 900 attendees at the sold-out luncheon in the Events Center. “Now I get to stand up here and share my story with you all of how I went from a lost college student to an Olympian.”

CWAL opened with remarks from President Harvey Stenger, who praised the achievement of Binghanton’s student-athletes in both classroom and competition. Remarks from Sara DeClemente-Hammoud ’02 and Jeri Macharia, MBA ’16, reiterated the significance that sports and role models like Mackay have continued to have on their lives.

“Emily, your achievements are an inspiration to all of us Bearcats, and it is an honor that you are joining us here today,” said Macharia, who cheered Mackay on with her family like others in the ��ñ�� community. “On behalf of all girl moms out there, I want to thank you for setting an incredible example. Watching my daughter watch you, a former Bearcat, compete so fearlessly on the world stage was unforgettable, particularly as she was gearing up for her freshman year at [��ñ��].”

Before Mackay spoke, Kim Myers, a Broome County legislator and founder of the nonprofit Coaching Her Future, was recognized as the recipient of the inaugural Community Leadership Impact Award. Isabella Martillo, a midfielder on the women’s soccer team and a senior studying economics, also took the stage to share what she’s learned since the inception of her own college athletic career and stepping into a leadership role this season.

“So much of my personal growth stems from my love for soccer and the ��ñ�� community,” Martillo said. “It challenged me, and taught me invaluable lessons that extend beyond the game. And that’s the importance and beauty of sports: It has the power to transform us in ways we never expected.”

Similar to Martillo, Mackay reflected upon how being an athlete at an institution like ��ñ�� reshaped her life. An Endicott native, Mackay originally attended Oregon State University on an athletic scholarship before transferring to ��ñ��. Recovering from homesickness and injury at the time, Mackay walked onto ��ñ��’s track team hoping for a fresh start.

“For my first few years of college, I was just going through motions,” said Mackay, who said she struggled to stay motivated and replicate the success of her high school days. “I went to classes, I went to practice, and I did what I needed to do to get by, but nothing more. I was happy with just passing my classes and running well enough to be on the team. I wasn’t truly invested, and I wasn’t putting my all into everything I was doing. And I didn’t realize it at the time, but I was settling for mediocrity, doing just enough to get by.”

Thanks to the discipline and dedication she came to admire in her new teammates, Mackay began pushing herself more as both a student and an athlete — consistently visiting the training room post-practice, working to set new personal records and studying harder than before. Mackay eventually fell back in love with running and with encouragement from coach Annette Acuff, she continued to surpass expectations on the track.

By the time Mackay had graduated in 2021, she was a five-time All-American athlete who had placed 14th overall at the NCAA Cross Country Championships. Now the most decorated female athlete in ��ñ��’s Division I program and one of the nation’s top women’s middle-distance runners, Mackay has broken the four-minute mark in the 1,500 meters with a current time ranking among the best in all of U.S. track and field history.

“I got to end my collegiate career knowing I had so much more in the tank, and for that I’m so thankful,” said Mackay, who signed to run professionally with New Balance Boston. “I truly believe that everything happens for a reason, and all the mistakes I’ve made and lessons I’ve learned are what prepared me to meet the Olympic team last year. The transition wasn’t easy, but it was a whole lot better than it could have been had I not had such an amazing support system and collegiate experience to prepare me.”

Mackay, who advanced to the 1,500-meter Olympic semifinals, said changing her perspective has allowed her to dream bigger than she ever has. She encouraged the audience to follow suit and embrace every experience as an opportunity for greatness.

“I didn’t do this alone, and I feel incredibly lucky to have had people in my corner every step of the way,” she said. “And that’s why I’m so excited to be giving back to this amazing community, the same way others inspired and helped me. I want to be that person for the next generation of athletes and students. Because when we show up for each other, that’s when amazing things happen.”