Monica Hebner Leaves Duke and Goes West to UCLA

By Adam Kopet

Paul Schwartz of the New Jersey Record reports Monica Hebner has left Duke after her freshman year and is transferring to UCLA.

In her one year at Duke, Hebner finished 21st in the 10,000 meters at the NCAA Division 1 Outdoor Championships. She finished the year with a best of 33:52.83. Hebner also placed 31st at the NCAA Division 1 Southeast Region Cross Country Championships, finishing third on the Duke team that just missed the NCAA Division 1 Cross Country Championships.

As a high school senior at Northern Highlands NJ, Hebner finished fourth at the 2017 NXR Northeast Regional and 59th at Nike Cross Nationals. On the track, she finished second in the 5,000 meters at the 2018 New Balance Nationals Indoor and fourth in the same race at New Balance Nationals Outdoor. She also finished eighth in the 5,000 at New Balance Nationals Indoor as a junior.

Hebner initially committed to Pennsylvania early in her senior year of high school, but switched her commitment to Duke by the end of the year. In the transfer process this summer, Hebner visited Texas and New Mexico, in addition to UCLA.

Hebner's top time in the 10,000 meters would better the UCLA school record by about five seconds.