Kendra White wasn’t always a Cyclone.

The senior sprinter from St. Louis, Mo., has reached the half-century mark in events competed in at Iowa State, making it difficult to believe her collegiate career began more than 1,000 miles from Ames. 

As a senior in high school, White’s decision of where to go to college was between Iowa State and Louisiana State. 

She chose LSU.

White said she thought it would be an easier adjustment, and, “Who wants to be in the middle of nowhere?”

But White didn’t feel at home in Baton Rouge, La. 

“I knew from the official visit I had taken as a senior [in high school] that Iowa State felt like home to me,” White said. “It felt like a place that I could build not just friends, but family. And that’s what happened — I built a Cyclone family.”

After deciding to transfer to Iowa State, White was tasked with another adjustment — competing for her second team in two years.

It didn’t take long for the sophomore to settle into her new home. Her ISU career began at the ISU Open during the 2012-13 indoor season, where she ran a time of 56.00 in the 400-meter dash. White clocked a career best 53.83 400-meter time three months later at the Mt. SAC Relays.

But a new year, just as the previous two, brought more change for White. This time, it was a new coaching staff under the direction of Martin Smith, director of men’s and women’s track and cross-country. 

It took White more than a year to run a time faster than 54.00 — Jace Lacoste meet on May 3, 2014. But she began hitting her stride during the final leg of the 2014 outdoor season, posting three straight sub-54.00 times in the 400-meter dash in her final three meets. 

And finally, in her last season at Iowa State, White found consistency. 

“This is the first year that I’ve had the same training, same coaching, and I think that really helped because there were no more adjustments to be made,” White said. “I already knew what to expect coming into the season, so I was ready to buckle down and be more focused on what I had to do.”

The big breakthrough for White came at the Big 12 Outdoor Championship on May 16 in Ames.  

Entering the meet, White said she wanted leave with a bang — she left with a personal best time of 52.53 in the 400-meter dash preliminaries, running the first sub-53 time of her career and the second fastest time in ISU history.

“I was a little surprised it came all out once so quickly,” said White’s coach, Glenn Smith. “I thought there would be a couple steps along the way.”

The following day, White finished sixth in the finals of the event with a 53.41 time, earning three points for her team.

With one goal accomplished, White said the next is qualifying for nationals, which would be another first for the senior. 

“Coach Smith has prepared me and I think I’m ready,” White said. “I’m ready to do big things [and] end the season on a high note.”

White will compete for a bid to the NCAA Outdoor Championship at the regional meet in Austin, Texas, which begins Thursday. The top 12 in each individual running event qualify for nationals.    

“I’ve enjoyed [my career at Iowa State] — it’s been a nice ride,” White said. “It hasn’t always been smooth, but this is my first year of consistency and I feel like it’s going really well. I’ve built a family here. I love my teammates … I’m going to miss them.”