2026-27 Track

Riley N. Sims/Riley Sims Photography

Scarlett Lestina

  • Class Senior
  • Hometown LaGrange, Ill.
  • High School Lyons Township

Biography

2025-26
Cross Country – Patriot League Academic Honor Roll... Opened her season at the Richmond Spider Alumni Open (8/30) with a 4k PR of 15:41.2, placing 86th… Ran a 6k PR of 24:26.3 to place 102nd at the Penn State Spiked Shoe Invitational (9/12)… Lowered her PR by almost a minute to 23:32.4 at the Paul Short Run (10/3), placing 163rd in the open race… Placed 149th at the ECAC Championships (10/17) with a 6k time of 23:55.2… Ran 23:54.4 to place 96th at the Patriot League Championships (10/31).

Indoor Track – Ran a 3k PR of 11:06.86 at the Nittany Lion Challenge (1/17)… Placed 14th in the mile in 5:29.81 and contributed to a DMR in 13:00.93 at the George Mason Patriot Games (1/31)… Ran PRs in the 800 (2:24.37) and 1,000 meters (3:10.64) at the Darius Dixon Memorial Invitational (2/13-14)… Placed fifth in the 800 in 2:24.97 at the George Mason Father Diamond Invitational (2/20)… Contributed to AU’s 4x800 relay (9:32.98) at the Patriot League Championships (2/28).

Outdoor Track – Opened her season running 5:00.27 for 1500 and 2:28 for 800 at the Richmond Fred Hardy Invitational (3/20)… Ran a 1500 PR of 4:56.15 at the George Mason Dalton Ebanks Invitational (4/4)… Ran 5:00.53 at the Gallaudet Bison Classic (4/11)… Ran a six-second PR of 4:50.48 in the 1500 at the Kehoe Twilight Meet (5/1)… Placed 31st in the 1500 in 4:59.79 and debuted in the 5k in 19:14.17 at the Patriot League Championships (5/15-16).

2024-25
Cross Country — Opened her season with a personal best 4k of 16:19.7 at the Spider Alumni Open (8/31) to place 98th… Ran a personal best 5k of 20:47.1 at the Lafayette Invitational (9/6), placing 73rd… Went up to the 6k for the remainder of the season, placing 188th at the ECU Pirate Invitational (10/4) with a time of 25:57.8… Ran 24:55.1 at the ECAC Championships (10/18) to place 207th… Completed her season with a personal best of 24:51.9 at the Patriot League Championships (11/2), placing 106th... Patriot League Academic Honor Roll.

Indoor Track — Ran 5:38.60 in the mile at the NYC Gotham Cup (1/17)… ran a 3k PR of 11:29.93 at the Liberty Open (2/8).

Outdoor Track — Did not compete for most of the season due to injury… Ran 5:01.75 for 1500 at the Hopkins/Loyola Invitational (4/19)… Ran a season best of 5:00.47 to place 28th in the 1500 at the Patriot League Championships (5/2)… Patriot League Academic Honor Roll.

2023-24
Cross Country – Ran in two meets for the Eagles ... Made her collegiate debut in the 4k run at the Spider Alumni Invitational (9/2) with a time of 16:30 ... Ran 26:27 in a 6k at the Paul Short Run (9/30) to conclude her season ... Patriot League Academic Honor Roll.

Indoor Track – Competed in five meets during freshman campaign ... Finished 10th in the 1000m at the Spartan Invitational (1/12) with a time of 3:15.37 ... Set personal best in the mile with a 5:22.39 at the Father Diamond Invitational (2/16) finishing fifth ... Patriot League Academic Honor Roll. 

Outdoor Track – Focused on the 1500m in each of her four meets .... Opened with a 5:01.58 at the Fred Hardy Invitational (3/22) ... Improved her mark to 4:59.64 at the Dalton Ebanks Invitational (4/5-4/6) ... Finished the season with a personal best of 4:57.62 at the Patriot League Championships (5/3-5/4) ... Patriot League Academic Honor Roll. 

High School: Competed for Lyons Township High School … PR’s – 2:21.1 (800m), 5:11 (1600m), 18:37 (3 mile), and 19:11 (5000m) … Was all state in the 4x800m her junior year in track.
 
Personal: Daughter of Meg and Scott Lestina … Received High Honors and was a member of the National Honor Society (bronze) and the Spanish Honor Society … Was a member of the Leo Club and was president of the club her junior and senior year … She was a Best Buddies Officer both junior and senior year and a member of the Athlete Leadership Program … Intends to major in International Studies at American … Chose AU because, “I love the team environment and the atmosphere of the campus being in D.C. I can’t wait to see what I contribute to the team!”

Historical Player Information

  • 2023-24Freshman

  • 2024-25Sophomore

  • 2025-26Junior

  • 2026-27Senior