Swedish standout has built impressive resume since arriving at Division 2 program in 2017, earning All-America honors in pole vault, 400 meters, 400 hurdles and 4x400 relay, with focus on concluding her career with first NCAA title in May

By Mary Albl of DyeStat

When people ask Minna Svaerd what her hobby is, her immediate response is, “Track.”

“They are like, ‘No, that is the sport you do, what is it you like to do in your spare time?’ …. Track,” Svaerd said. “I’ve done it for so long and track is everything.”

Starting at age 4, Svaerd has committed her whole life to the sport, coming from Karlstad, Sweden to the United States, to Commerce, Texas, to be exact, to pursue her passion.

Now a senior at Texas A&M Commerce, she has blossomed into one of the most versatile and talented NCAA Division 2 track and field athletes, finding success as a long sprinter, hurdler and pole vaulter. 

“She’s not afraid to take on the big, big workloads with the confidence she can be successful,” Texas A&M Commerce head coach George Pincock said. “She knows what she has to do.”

This spring, Svaerd is looking to end her collegiate career on a high note, seeking her first national title May 26-28 at the NCAA Division 2 Championships at Grand Valley State in Allendale, Mich.

At the East Texas Invitational, she set three home facility records April 9 at Memorial Stadium, winning the 400-meter hurdles (58.30), pole vault (13-3.50) and was part of the winning 4x400 relay (3:42.61). She currently owns the fastest 400 hurdles time in Division 2 of 57.91. This weekend, she’s set to compete in California at the Bryan Clay Invitational at Azusa Pacific University.

“It is my last chance at a national title,” she said. “And I know my goal, and I know where I want to be at the end of the season, so that is what I’m working toward right now.”

For Svaerd, her start in the sport began because of her family.

“My older sister started when she was 6 and I wanted to do everything she was doing,” she said.

Since that young age, it’s been a one-track mindset for Svaerd.

She said she tried everything in the sport ranging from sprints to middle distance to throws. At age 6, she wanted to try the hurdles, despite the fact they were basically the same height as her.

Attending Sundsta Gymnasiet in Karlstad, she gravitated toward the 400 meters and longer hurdles because they appeared as tougher events. She picked up the pole vault because her dad recommended she give it a go.

“I like to push myself,” Svaerd said. “When you got to the age you could try the long hurdles, that was something I wanted to try right away because I felt like that would be even more challenging adding the hurdles to the (400) race. I started pole vault because my dad told me about it and I saw some people in my club so I thought, ‘Why not try it?’”

That same go-getter mentality was what pushed her to pursue an academic and athletic career overseas. She said it was never a goal to come to the United States to compete, but by her senior year of high school, she realized her results were good enough to consider making a life-changing move for the sport she loves.

“I vaguely remember her first email,” Pincock said. “I saw her marks and what she had done in the 400, hurdles, and pole vault and thought, this is a pretty unique combination, not only a pole vaulter that can also score in the open 400, but can score in the 400 hurdles as well, and that kind of got my attention.”

Svaerd said the connection, via a Skype conversation, was immediate with Pincock.

“I needed someone to care for me as a person (not just an athlete) because I was 18 years old and I was considering moving across the world, and that was a big step for me,” she said. “It was really quick when I realized where I wanted to go.”

With a diverse roster, including now senior Julia Seigerroth also from Sweden, Svaerd has found a home with the Lions.

She’s qualified for the NCAA Division 2 Championships in every season since arriving as a freshman in 2017. Her best individual finish was in 2019 when she captured runner-up in 400 hurdles (59.21). Last outdoor season, she finished third in the 400 hurdles (58.13) and anchored the 4x400 relay to a sixth-place finish (3:44.88).

Pincock said they’ve never set limitations on what Svaerd can accomplish or what she should focus on with her diverse range.

“The first couple weeks of practice we were watching practice and (my assistant and I) were nudging each other like check this out, this girl is way better than those marks and I’m talking the sprints and he’s talking the pole vault,” Pincock said. “But through it all we’ve managed to maintain a balance in training without ever talking about it. She’s gotten significantly faster in the hurdles, she's significantly better in the pole vault.”

The combination of different events is something that fits in with Svaerd’s competitive persona and inner mantra to always be better than the day before.

Pincock said while Svaerd is very easy to get along with, encouraging to her teammates, she’s very aware of what she wants to accomplish, coming in with a quiet determination and purpose every day.

“I love that (track) is an individual sport and you have no one else to blame if something goes wrong but yourself,” she said. “You have to put in the work, you have to do it yourself. My performances reflect what I have been working on and what I have been doing.”

Svaerd has had a fast start to the outdoor season this spring. Her division-leading 57.91 in the 400 hurdles, which also ranks No. 18 in Division 2 history, was a good indication of what the rest of the season can look like.

“It was amazing, because before the race I set a goal for myself,” she said. “I kind of wanted to hit 58 on my season opener because I know I can. And then when I saw the time, I was surprised it felt smooth, it felt good, and for it to feel the way it felt, and the time showing what it did, I know I can run faster. It made me feel confident for the rest of the season.”

While the goal for Svaerd is a national title, the idea of what that may look like is limitless, with the potential for her to earn multiple All-America honors by taking on one of the most unique championship schedules in Division 2 history.

“She is not afraid to take on the world,” Pincock said. “Whereas some of the other athletes that I've worked with that are talented are maybe a little more calculated about what they want to do at the championships. She’ll take herself to the tank and more.”