As fifth-year senior Annemarie Schwanz winds down her track and field career at Fresno State, it is as if she has only begun, yet she has accomplished so much.

The "little runner," as she has often been referred to by professors and peers in the Lyles School of Engineering, came to Fresno State wide-eyed, unsure of what she was getting into after moving more than 5,600 miles from her home in Neuruppin, Germany, a small city about an hour northwest of Berlin.

When Fresno State hired a new coach, Schwanz was already in the final stretch of her run at Fresno State. Having never had a female coach, Schwanz did not know what to expect. But with Christine Engel helping her test her limit, it was time to push harder.

The two began to understand one another, which helped their communication. Success ensued as Schwanz broke her school record in the 6K on three occasions, earned All-Mountain West and All-Region honors for the first time in her career. The understanding between coach and athlete continued to grow throughout the track season. Many times, Engel and Schwanz have traveled to meets that the rest of the team was not competing in.

"I think we communicate really well, there's a level of trust that we've developed," Christine Engel said. "I know that she has her goals set high and she knows that I want to get her there."

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