I can’t post the Yorgey interview word for word because it was conducted over the phone while I took notes, but I will post the notes.

Joyia (Chadwick) Yorgey ‘05

National Champion in the Heptathlon, 2005
Played volleyball at Williams in the fall and would join the track team after Christmas break. Had experience in other sports as well which helped her become a multi-eventer. Never threw javelin or hurdled before college. Had conversation with Coach White who suggested multi. Originally trained with him but later more with Fletcher Brooks, who was an assistant at the time and is now head coach. Ran 2:18 800 in high school, best time at Williams was 2:20. Originally struggled in shot but focused on weight training to improve, got into the physics of the event to throw 36-38′.

Also qualified for nationals as sophomore and junior, just missed placing the first time and was third the second. Winter track for Joyia was mostly a training session since she took some time off after the volleyball season and mostly concentrated on jumps and hurdles, with an occasional relay. Discipline and training helped her improve though she never mastered any of the events due to lack of time in the day to spend on seven events. Joyia values the process over the outcome and has occasional discussions with her husband on this subject. Her Williams education reinforced this and, she believes, applies to every area of life. “Liberal Arts teaches you how to think.” One of her highlights was sophomore year at Division Three New Englands where she had personal bests in five events at which point she rededicated herself to training. “I am so thrilled that he is the head coach at Williams,” she says of Brooks. She believes not only does he have superior technical knowledge, but also has a good rapport with the athletes.

Another highlight for Joyia was the Penn Relays Senior Year where she finished fifth among Division I competition. She stills works out and recently completed a marathon, while also being involved in volleyball at the club level and just began playing beach volleyball. Her career goal is to go into international politics for a non-profit in research or urban policy issues, just having finished grad school.