It’s not a stretch to say that Zoë Wassell, a cross-country star for the University of San Francisco by way of England, was destined to become an EcoAthletes Champion.

After all, running is in her blood, and she’s been an outdoor lover for as far back as she can remember. As the (organic) cherry on top, her family now lives in Nailsworth, the English town that is home to Forest Green Rovers, the fourth-tier soccer/football club that is widely regarded as the Greenest Team in Sports.

“Mum and dad were both runners; in fact, mum still competes in age group runs,” Wassell shared. “I picked it up quickly, beating the boys in primary grade races, which was quite a buzz. One of my favorite memories is when I represented England at age 16 at an IAAF race in Spain and took silver in my age group. On the same day, mum took second place at a race in Scotland!”

Her university cross-country career at Loughborough University, #1 for British University and College sports for the last 42 years, was a rollercoaster thanks to frequent injuries. “I couldn’t get consistent training in,” she recalled. “It was heartbreaking, just missing out making Team GB by one second at one point.”

Wassell and her family also have a long-standing history as environmentalists.

“Running cross-country meant I was always outside, in nature, which I’ve loved since I was little,” related Wassell. “And I grew up in the country. We raised chickens and bees organically and dad built our house from scratch using sustainability guidelines.”

Making the connection between sports and the environment first came to light for Wassell while at Loughborough.

“That’s where I first heard the term ‘greenwashing’, which was fascinating to me,” shared the sports management major. “I wrote a paper on it. The urgency and extent of the climate crisis really came into focus for me when I came to San Francisco. The wildfires and the droughts are all around us and the green community is large and trying to make a difference. Then I saw the ‘Game Changers’ movie about the benefits of a plant-based diet and ‘A Life on Our Planet,’ the incredible climate change documentary by Sir David Attenborough and I was convinced that we, that I need to do much more to change our climate trajectory.”

Wassell’s academic path at USF — she’s pursuing a master’s in sport management — is now on a sports-environment trajectory thanks to her ability to craft an independent study program. And she’s continuing to blaze new trails as the first NCAA cross-country runner to become an EcoAthletes Champion.

“Being a Champion give me a sense of community, that there are other athletes working all over the world to use their platforms to urge real action on climate,” Wassell enthused. “This will help me use my platform as a student-athlete at USF more effectively, making the ripples from my environmental advocacy bigger. And I can’t wait to bring more climate-minded athletes into the EcoAthletes movement!”

Lew Blaustein, EcoAthletes founder and CEO, can’t wait to work with Wassell.

“Zoë’s cross-country background and mentality are perfect fits for an EcoAthletes Champion,” noted Blaustein. “She brings both the perseverance of a long-distance runner and the urgency that fuels a sprint to the finish line. Both are desperately needed in the climate fight.”

You can follow Zoë on Instagram