Brilliance has always represented the pinnacle of human advancement. However, achieving greatness in two fields requires exceptional abilities. Anna Posh, a senior track and field athlete who excels in the 800-meter dash and the classroom, has earned that distinction. She is the Orange & Blue standard of an ideal Bucknell student-athlete.

Posh, like many athletes, played the field in youthful athletic endeavours. She hit the basketball hardcourt, tried the beautiful game of soccer, excelled at field hockey from third to tenth grade, and enjoyed lacrosse. She first tried track & field during her freshman year of high school and ran cross country during her final two seasons.

Running appropriately runs in her veins. Both of her parents have a history with the world's oldest sport. Her mother ran in high school, and her father competed in marathons in college. The twist, worthy of a Dickens novel, is that Posh did not cotton to running at first.

"I did not like running at first. I hated it and always said I would never run track. My mother encouraged me to try out, and I enjoyed it!"

Post selected Bucknell because of its elite academics and Division I athletics. Most Bison student-athletes have a similar tale - the opportunity to compete at the highest NCAA level and obtain a world-class degree enchants prospective students. Once again, an alum provided Bucknell's best advertising.

"I was looking for a school where I could run Division I track & field and had a strong engineering program. One of my high school teammates attended Bucknell, which is how I discovered the school. He was a chemical engineering major. His attendance showcased that Bucknell had great engineering and track & field."

Her final choices were a Patriot League affair: Bucknell, Lafayette, and Lehigh. Fortunately for the Orange & Blue, she made the correct decision and decided on the banks of the Susquehanna.

"There were my main three for the same reasons: strong engineering programs and Division I track & field. What differentiated Bucknell was our strong biomedical engineering program. Lafayette and Lehigh did not offer the same situation."

Posh's decision on a major was easy -she was a high school STEM savant drowning herself in biology, chemistry, math, and physics. The biomedical engineering major perfectly merged with her desire to problem-solve.

Posh made an immediate impact as a middle-distance runner. She ranks eighth all-time (2:12.95) in Bucknell's history for the indoor 800-meter dash and has earned several medals as part of relay teams at the 2024 Patriot League Indoor Championships (bronze in the 4x400-meter) and the 2024 ECAC Indoor Championships (silver in the distance medley relay). Posh has collected 14 wins in her Bison career.

She attributes her success in the 800-meter run to a particular mental philosophy. Running isn't a mindless competition. It demands a dedicated, smart, and trained mind to understand when to push hard and when to pull back.

"800-meter runners can either be distance or sprint style. I am more of a sprinter. The distance runs are a bit hard for me to stay mentally engaged. The sprint races aren't too mental for me, as I just run as fast as I can. The 800 mixes the mental focus of a distance race with the speed you need for a sprint. I usually focus on running a certain time through the first 400 and then go all out on the last lap."

Bucknell track & field became an even more Posh affair when her little sister Laura joined the team for the 2023-24 season. Laura is not a "middie" like Anna but runs the longer distances. Like their running preferences, the sisters are not carbon copies. Anna has cinnamon red hair, and Laura owns a crown of golden wheat hue, but they remain tight as sisters tend to be due to their faith.

"It is nice to have because it is not something most people get to experience. We were teammates in high school, so it feels like home. We got to do things together - like lead a women's athlete Bible study together."

Laura views sharing a team as a natural extension of their relationship:

"Ever since I could walk, I have looked up to my sister, Anna. Whether it was playing dolls with her, running at the beach, or working together in the summer, she has always set an example of the person I aspire to be. Everyone has those people in their lives whom they look up to as their idols. I have always considered my sister not only someone I could never live without but also someone I wanted to imitate and follow. Hence, it was no surprise when we ended up competing in the same sport at the same university. I could not have asked for a more amazing older sister. Anna, as a leader on the team, my captain, sister, and best friend, has profoundly shaped my Bucknell experience and my understanding of what it takes to succeed as an athlete and student while being a role model for everyone around me."

The Bible study generally has around 10-12 weekly members with 40 people in the group chat. Anna and Laura serve as leaders, and the younger sister's promotion was fueled by the older sibling nudging her into the role. Laura explains:

"It was Anna who encouraged me to step into this role at the end of last year, and I jumped at the opportunity. Her faith is not only strong but also pure and genuine. She carries a quiet confidence and compassion that makes everyone feel seen, heard, and loved. Watching her pour into our teammates—selflessly and consistently—has inspired me. She is one of those people that you look at and just wonder how they manages to do everything they do, and it makes you realize that there is a bigger purpose behind what is guiding them. Our Bible study started with the simple goal of creating a space for our teammates to explore their faith, find community, and share life together. It has become such a sweet and peaceful part of our week, offering us a chance to take a step back from intense training, reflect, and uplift and encourage one another."

What Laura admires most about her sister is her ability to display not by thunderous words but by everyday examples.

"One of the things I admire most about my sister is how naturally she lives out her faith. She doesn’t just speak about love and kindness; she embodies it. It is apparent in the way she trains and competes for God’s glory every day, letting His light shine through her actions and vigor. Her unashamed approach to living for God has helped me grow deeper in my faith and encouraged me to live more boldly."

Posh was named one of the team captains for the 2024-25 season and fits comfortably in the role. Her steadiness and leading-by-example personality make her the ideal captain for the large and diverse entity that is Bucknell track & field.

"It is a great honor. We are a close team. There have been a bunch of previous captains that inspired me. Knowing that my teammates trust and look up to me is a huge honor."

Head Coach Kevin Donnor directly oversees the middle distance runners. He has witnessed Posh's development into a top-ten 800-meter runner in Bison history and dubbed her team captain.

"Anna has been a very consistent middle distance for us and a valuable member of our 4x400 relay team. She doesn't miss a single detail in her training and has been a very good captain for us. She communicates well with everyone and holds people accountable. We will miss her next year."

The 2024-25 Patriot League Indoor Championships will occur this weekend and serve as Posh's final collegiate indoor track & field meet. Four years fly by quickly, and the senior is trying to focus on excelling over allowing nostalgia to overwhelm her defenses.

"I want to live in the moment despite knowing it is my final indoor meet. I have big goals for myself, and I want to reach my goals while supporting my teammates."

The STEM majors and religious faith are often erroneously portrayed as being in direct conflict despite hundreds of accomplished scientists believing in a Higher Power. Posh doesn't see a conflict and instead views science as granting her a deeper understanding of the created world.

"I don't think science and faith should conflict. Often, they do, and several times, they used to disprove each other, but I don't view it that way. Science's explanations of why we are here and how the world works all point to God and His creation."

Her research with Doctor Charles Kim started the summer after her sophomore year. The overarching goal covers improving the Ponseti Method for the club foot - one of the most common skeletal deformities in newborn babies - with over 200,000 cases reported yearly. The work, even if the technical terms are not vernacular to the layman, fascinates the mind. This is not esoteric scientific research but progress designed to assist the average human.

"Club foot is when babies are born and their feet are turned inwards and down. The Ponseti Method was created to fix it. It does well for most patients. It is heavily dependent on compliance, and wearing a brace becomes a challenge for most children, especially when they begin to walk."

Her research delves into understanding the forces and movements that are imparted upon the child's feet from the brace and how the method actually works. The data will help doctors create individualized treatment plans for parents to follow. Dr. Kim's experience has been invaluable.

"Dr. Kim is a great professor to work for. Some people believe he assigns too much work in classes. He does that because he believes in the students and our ability to accomplish assignments. He pushes you to do your best work."

In October 2023, Posh had the opportunity to attend the Biomedical Engineering Society Annual Meeting in Seattle, Washington, and present her and classmate William Crosswhite's research on Quantifying the Ponseti Method. BEMS offered her the chance to connect with fellow researchers across the country. Beyond presenting, she had the chance to explore Frasier Crane's city and its iconic venues.

"It was cool to see all the different research being done across the United States. I visited the Space Needle and the Fish Market. It might have drizzled, but the rain wasn't too bad!"

Like many soon-to-be graduates, the job search has begun. She seeks a role associated with engineering and someday down the line wants to earn her master's, though she is fine with delaying another round of schooling for a little while.

Posh offered this summary of Bucknell - perfectly suitable for a campus advertisement.

"Bucknell is a cool place. A small campus is awesome because you can create meaningful connections with professors and students. It is even better for athletics because larger schools push athletics and minimize the school aspect. Bucknell teaches you how to balance both. I am graceful for my time at Bucknell and everyone who supported me."

Her collegiate career might be ending soon, but her success in any field is just beginning. Don't be surprised if they rename the Ponseti Method to the Posh Method shortly!

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