Name: Lauren Shaffer
School: Portage
Age: 18
Grade: Senior
Sport: Cross Country
Athlete of the week achievement: Shaffer finished second overall in the PIAA Class 1A individual cross country championship with a time of 19:37.9.
Season update: Shaffer also finished second at districts to Penns Valley’s Anna Stitzer, who won the state title on Saturday, but Shaffer did break Stitzer’s record that Stitzler briefly held at Shaffer’s home course at Maple Crest.
Coach Lance Hudak’s quote: “She’s special. Here’s a kid who was the District 6 100-meter champion and to be at this level at 5,000 meters and every race in between, she’s just a special athlete that we saw even in the middle school grades. We knew she just had it. It’s not just track and running. It’s basketball and softball. She’s just a special athlete, top of her class academically, supportive of her teammates and a role model.”
Favorite teacher: Mrs. Lutz
Favorite subject: Biology/anatomy
Favorite movie: “Dirty dancing”
Favorite food: Swiss steak
Favorite song: “Traitor” by Olivia Rodrigo
Outside interests: Baking, spending time with friends and walking dogs
Favorite professional team: Pittsburgh Pirates
Favorite college team: Pitt
Pro athlete most admired: Former Altoona Curve and Pirates player Josh Harrison
Best athlete I ever competed against: Penns Valley’s Anna Stitzer
Most influential person on my athletic career: My parents, Phill and Jenny
Proudest athletic achievement: Being a two-time PIAA cross country silver medalist
How I got my start in cross country: “I ran 5Ks in Portage when I was around 9.”
Future goal: Do the best I can at Bucknell and see where that takes me.
