Oct. 25, 2006

Throughout the 2006-07 Lady Eagle Cross Country season, each player will sit down for an interview with a member of the Southern Miss Athletic Media Relations staff to discuss what you want to know about Lady Eagle Cross Country.

This week will feature Stephanie Jones-Dubose.

Why do you have the extended name? "My father wanted me to add his name to mine - DuBose. This just happened right before I came to school."

Where do you call home? "Nashville, Tenn."

How did you get here? "I transferred from Jacksonville State. One of my prior coaches told me about the school and said I should look into it. Jacksonville State just wasn't for me anymore."

How do you feel about your performances so far this season? "It's going good so far. I'm not a true cross country runner, but coach has made me enjoy it. I'm more about track and my specialty is the 800 meters."

Is training for cross country different from the 800 meter? "You get more mileage during the week. It's the endurance thing as well. I know you need endurance for the 800. When I start training for the 800, I'll do more speed work, so it will balance each other out."

Does running cross country give you any kind of edge in training for the 800 as far as endurance? "Not necessarily. It takes a lot just to build the speed back up too. Because I've been doing all this endurance stuff, I don't have a lot of quick turnover."

Had you never ran cross country before you came here? "Yes, but I didn't take it too seriously. This year I really enjoy it and coach has made me enjoy it a lot more."

What is your major? "Sociology"

What will you do with that? "If what I really want to do doesn't work out, I would like to try out for the Secret Service, maybe a profiler."

What do you have to do to be in the Secret Service? "There is a long drawn-out process before you are chosen to enter the program. You have to take a fitness test in addition to a standardized test. If they like you and you meet all the requirements, then you have to do another type of training."

After you fill out paperwork and go through an interview process, then they decide if they want you? "One of the main things is to pass the physical test."

What it that doesn't work out? "If this Secret Service thing doesn't work out, I will probably go back to graduate school. I would like to do something with juvenile court systems. I'm looking to finish out undergrad by 2008."

How many years do you have to compete? "I have one year in track, but I have two to compete in cross country."

If you could have a super power what would it be? "Read people's minds"

If you could be on a reality TV show, what would it be? "Real World because I would like to get on there and be confrontational."

What do you like about cross country? "It teaches me discipline. It gets you ready for life."