Athletic Hall of Fame 2024: Sarah Rapp '11
Cross Country and Track & Field
A three-time State Champion, Sarah Rapp earned the title of Female Athlete of the Year during her senior year at Cardinal Gibbons in 2011.
As a high school athlete, Sarah was a three-time Junior Olympics National Champion and amassed an extraordinary 18 state titles across individual, relay, and team events in Cross Country and Track & Field.
In her junior year, Sarah became just the third female runner in NCHSAA history to win five distance titles in a single year. As a senior, she made history again, becoming the first female distance runner to win six titles in one season. She consistently defended her titles, achieving several repeat and three-peat victories.
Sarah led the Crusaders to four State Championship titles in Cross Country and added 11 individual state titles and a team championship in Track & Field. She also earned two consecutive MVP awards at the national high school level for Women’s Indoor Track Championships.
At the AAU Junior Olympics, Sarah claimed three national titles during her high school career.
Continuing her success at Virginia Tech, Sarah set a school record in the Indoor 5,000-meter race and recorded 31 podium finishes. She earned NCAA Division 1 All-Region and All-ACC honors in Women’s Cross Country during her sophomore and junior years, qualifying for NCAA Cross Country Nationals in consecutive seasons. Sarah also became the first Virginia Tech female runner to win the ACC Indoor 5,000-meter Championship.
Sarah graduated with a degree in Public Relations and a minor in Psychology. She has since built a career in communications and content creation, specializing in video production, social media, digital marketing, and public speaking.
Dedicated to giving back, Sarah volunteers as a running partner and coach at Healing Transitions, supporting clients in their recovery journeys. She also actively supports youth running programs and volunteers with the Special Olympics. Sarah credits her family, especially her “big Uncle Jack,” as her greatest supporters throughout her career.