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BVB | Gaels Hit the Portal for the First Time in the 2025-26 Recruiting Class, Add Alisia Silverthorn

Story Links MORAGA, Calif. — Coming off of a program record tying 20 win season in 2025, the Gaels are hard at work adding to their 2025-26 roster, and have gone to the portal for their most recent signing, as Alisia Silverthorn will join the Gaels, heading to Moraga from Houston Christian […]

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MORAGA, Calif. — Coming off of a program record tying 20 win season in 2025, the Gaels are hard at work adding to their 2025-26 roster, and have gone to the portal for their most recent signing, as Alisia Silverthorn will join the Gaels, heading to Moraga from Houston Christian University. Silverthorn will come to Saint Mary’s as a senior after three years of competition with the Huskies. 

Originally hailing from Auburn, Washington, Silverthorn prepped at Auburn Riverside High School, where she was teammate with Hannah Couch. There, the dynamic duo led the Ravens to four straight district titles. At the prep level, Silverthorn was three times named All-Conference, seeing time as both a setter and outside hitter, demonstrating the versatility that she would go onto use throughout her beach career. Her outstanding indoor high school career was culminated by being named the 2021 3A/4A North Puget Sound Cascade District MVP.

Silverthorn chose Houston Christian to be her home for her collegiate career. After appearing in six matches in her first two collegiate seasons for the Huskies, split between the four and five spots, she made her way into the everyday lineup this last season, appearing in 30 of 33 matches at the twos. She went 9-21 for the campaign, including her first collegiate win against Central Arkansas (Feb. 23), and her first two match clinching wins against Cal State Bakersfield (Feb. 28) and New Orleans (Apr. 11). At the culmination of her junior year, Silverthorn entered the portal, where she was found by Coach Harrer and her staff. 

About Alisia, Coach Harrer noted, “Given her background as a beach volleyball player and her academic pursuits, we are pleased to welcome Alisia to the Gael family!  Saint Mary’s College aligns with her athletic and educational goals.” She went on to say, “Silverthorn has made significant strides in her volleyball career. Transitioning to beach volleyball, she found her groove in the sand. Beach Volleyball showcases her adaptability and passion for the sport!”

About her choice to commit to Saint Mary’s, Alisia stated, “My dream is to play volleyball at the highest level I can for as long as I can while still prioritizing my education.”

This statement reflects her commitment to balancing athletic excellence with academic achievement.

The first transfer to be added to the 2025-26 Saint Mary’s Beach Volleyball, the Gaels have had good success with transfer players in recent years, including Hawley Harrer (UCLA), Paola Peralta (MiraCosta College), Sedona Sherman (Pacific), Sadie Shipman (Stephen F. Austin) and Chloe Swanson (Irvine Valley College)

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Athlete of the Year finalist: Nick Keller perched atop Ephrata’s track and field, football mountains | High School Football

Before Nick Keller was ahead of the pack, he was attempting to keep stride with his dad’s track and field athletes. Ephrata’s Easter practice was his favorite. Not due to the involvement — though, many viewed him like a younger sibling — but because of the peanut-butter-egg reward that awaited. Nick describes his track journey […]

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Before Nick Keller was ahead of the pack, he was attempting to keep stride with his dad’s track and field athletes. Ephrata’s Easter practice was his favorite. Not due to the involvement — though, many viewed him like a younger sibling — but because of the peanut-butter-egg reward that awaited.

Nick describes his track journey as encouraged. Not forced. Not pulled. Not yanked.

It made sense he’d find his way to the gravel-shaded surface. Between the white lines. With his foot ready to rocket out of the starting block.

John Keller was the longtime coach of the Mountaineers program. Nick’s older brother, Noah, ran track at Ephrata. But much like the peanut-butter-egg surprise from his youth, the rewards and accolades that followed Nick throughout his high school career kept him craving more.

“At a very young age, he didn’t ever want to lose,” John Keller said. “He wanted to be first in everything. And then once he got into high school, as the years progressed, to me, it’s just been surreal from where he started to where he is now. … I just sit there and shake my head sometimes thinking, ‘This is unbelievable.’ ”

It was an itch Nick continued to scratch. A desire that was eternal. A rollercoaster ride that came with loops, twists, turns and thrills.

The Duquesne track pledge is one of five boys finalists for the 2024-25 LNP | LancasterOnline Athlete of the Year award. Nick holds 11 Mountaineers track records. He was also a staple for the football team, helping usher Ephrata to program history.

“I had my goals set, and I really hit every single goal for myself,” Nick Keller said. “So to look back and think about it, I just can’t thank everyone enough who helped me. I can’t thank God enough. It’s honestly hard to believe it’s all over.”


READ: After a second sprint sweep, is Ephrata’s senior the greatest in L-L League track and field history?


A conversation of his own

A cornerstone of Nick Keller’s success has been his support system.

John Keller, after resigning his post at Ephrata, remained integral in his son’s training by overseeing one-on-one workouts in the summer and winter. Noah, as a senior, showed Nick the ropes in the latter’s freshman season. Ephrata’s sprints coach, Austin Wealand, would entertain elementary-school-aged Nick during practices.

But Nick, too, has become the pillar, the local celebrity of his community. From testing the track and field waters in the long jump, Nick blossomed into a short-distance savant.

“We have some neighbors that have some grandkids, and they were always big around the sport,” said Dina Keller, Nick’s mom. “And they’d come to his meets. And they would all run around the house yelling, ‘I’m going to run like Nick.’ He just had such an outpouring (of support).”

Nick could always identify John’s motivation at a given meet, crediting his dad as the loudest voice. Wealand’s commands boomed from the infield and along the fence. Each endorsement nudged Nick to go the extra step, the extra mile.

“He taught me the ways,” Keller said of his father. “Honestly, made me feel like I could make things my own. Just because I learned so much from him, and he’s always pushed me so hard, and I’m very thankful for him being in my life. I don’t think he’s ever missed a meet.”

The product unfurled in Keller’s sophomore year. That’s when he took the Lancaster-Lebanon League by storm, striking his first of two short-distance triple crowns — the 100, 200 and 400 meters — at the league championships. No other L-L runner has achieved the feat.

Times also dropped. Keller ranks in the top three in the 100, 200 and 400 in L-L history.

His 100 rests at 10.47 seconds, placing him third and first in the FAT category. He stands atop the 200 at 21.31, having hit the mark in April at the Shippensburg Invitational. Bronze honors mesh with the 400 at 47.49.

Again, he’s in a conversation of his own, sitting in the top three of all three races.

“I think for him, it was being able to not prove to everyone else, but almost just to prove it to himself that he could go out there and run the times that he wanted, run with the competition that he wanted to run against,” Wealand said. “I know that the 22-second barrier in the 200 meter was a big barrier for him. I know the number 48 (in the 400) was a really big number for him. And once he broke through that threshold, he kind of just put the hammer down and didn’t look back.”

Keller repeated the league trifecta this spring. He ascended the District Three Class 3A 400 podium for the second time. He snared fourth in the 400 and eighth in the 200 at the PIAA meet.

“If you look across his career,” Ephrata head coach Matt White said, “every time he laid down a record in the 100 or the 200 or the 400, or indoors in the 60, the 200, the 400, we were like, ‘OK, he can’t top this.’ But by golly, he did again and again.”







District 3 Track and Field Championships

Ephrata’s Nick Keller, center, wins the boys Class 3A 400 meters during Day 2 action of the District 3 track and field championships at Shippensburg University’s Seth Grove Stadium on Saturday May 17, 2025.




‘He always had his eyes forward’

Keller’s sophomore season placed him on the main stage. Upped his stock. Sent the headlines swirling through the college coaching ranks.

Junior year was the time to shine. The pivotal piece to his recruiting process. The act that could’ve catapulted him into another stratosphere.

“He stayed miraculously positive throughout the whole thing,” John Keller said.

Nick Keller suffered a hamstring injury early in the season. He was sidelined through the dual-meet schedule. The body of his story, following a famed introduction, was put on hold.

“It was very devastating,” Keller said. “I was very upset. Obviously, I thought about the worst right when it happened, which is probably not the best thing to do. I felt like I was letting the team down, even though it wasn’t really my fault. But my trainers and my coaches just took me under their wing and just had one goal in mind, and that was to get me healthy for the postseason.”

Keller and his coaches described it as a miracle. Perhaps, a sprinkle of fairy dust from the training staff. He wasn’t full systems go once the postseason picture came into focus, but he had enough gas in the tank to bleed the well dry.

The Mountaineers ace opted out of the 100 and 200 and focused on the 400. A few notches beneath 100% was still plenty, as Keller sped to L-L gold, District Three silver and PIAA ninth place.

“It was my coaches, my teammates, my family, my trainers,” Keller said. “Everyone was just so positive to me, and they were so reassuring that everything was gonna be all right. Obviously, the junior year is the most important year for recruiting, but it all worked out.

“To still have those moments, I was very thankful. God obviously did it. I didn’t do as well as I expected, but just being there and having the opportunity was honestly a huge accomplishment.”

Once shackled to defeatism, Keller sculpted a stronger headspace amid the setback. Dodged and ducked each hook. Used the reversal as gospel.

“It has definitely changed my perspective on things, and I learned to not take things for granted,” Keller said. “I thought my body was invincible. I thought I was invincible. And obviously, I was not. … But it showed me everything happens for a reason. I’m very thankful for the lessons I’ve learned from that little bump.”

Those closest to Keller were also educated. Family, teammates and coaches marveled at his unwavering spirit.

“As bad as that was, I never saw Nick become really down or depressed or give up,” Dina Keller said. “He did what he needed to do. He did everything he was supposed to do. I think he always had his eyes forward.”







2025 PIAA track and field championships

Ephrata’s Nick Keller takes fourth in the boys Class 3A 400 meters during Day 2 action of the PIAA track and field championships at Shippensburg University’s Seth Grove Stadium on Saturday May 24, 2025.




‘Hitting harder’

Fourth-and-1. Fifty-six yards from the end zone. Leading by two touchdowns in a 2023 District Three Class 5A quarterfinal against Garden Spot.

The play reserves space in Kris Miller’s mind. The Ephrata coach will forever attach the moment to Nick Keller’s gridiron career. It encapsulated everything Keller was about: hard working, physical, unafraid.

He hauled in the fourth-down prayer from then-starting quarterback Sam McCracken and bumped the advantage to three scores. The Mountaineers posted a 31-10 victory that November night. Ephrata, navigating its second District Three tournament appearance, later advanced to its first final in program history, following a 47-7 semifinal romping of Hershey.

“He went up and made a heck of a catch,” Miller said. “When I think of everything he was, it’s just speed. He’s so fast. And I don’t know if I’ll ever coach a kid again as fast as Nick is.”

Keller’s time in a helmet and pads can be overshadowed by his illustrious track resume.

Across three varsity seasons, Keller amassed 1,302 receiving yards on 62 receptions while tallying 15 touchdowns. Career highs of 30 catches, 707 yards and eight scores came in the celebrated 2023 campaign. He doubled as a defensive back, earning All-State second-team honors as a senior behind 36 tackles and three interceptions.

“The way that we changed Ephrata’s identity, I’ll always remember that,” Keller said.

The correlation between football and track was unending. Teammates like Jeremiah Knowles and Angel Collazo-Colon were part of Ephrata’s receiving corps. Come spring, the pair teamed with Keller in the 1,600-meter relay.

Knowles and Collazo-Colon had two years on Keller. The duo taught him. Nick pushed them.

“Football, it was about just enjoying it and having fun with your friends,” Keller said. “It’s really grinding all summer, but I’m gonna miss that this year.

“Track will always be a part of my life. But knowing that football is over, I think that’s hitting harder.”







Etown vs Ephrata FB 002.jpg

Ephrata’s Nick Keller looks for room to run after an interception against Elizabethtown during first-half action of an L-L League Section 2 football game at Ephrata High School on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024.




‘Forever a team-first guy’

Keller had already done his job. He ran the 100, 200 and 400. The proverbial brakes had been shed from the framework.

Ephrata was on the brink of upsetting McCaskey in a Section One dual meet. A few more points, and the victory — 45 years in the making — belonged to the Mountaineers. The 1,600 relay was all that remained.

“He looked at his teammates, told his teammates, he’s going to put his body on the line and push the envelope,” said White, recalling the monumental win. “Because he wanted to make sure his teammates knew we had the potential to beat McCaskey. … He was always, forever was a team-first guy.”

That’s who Nick Keller was and is. He didn’t take risks to the point of potential harm. But if there was an ounce, even a drip of energy left, he was going to exercise it.

Keller displayed that when running solo. More so when a group effort was involved.

“He set the culture here,” White said. “He set the tone to raise that bar for others around him, to reach out and succeed. We were very, very blessed having him as a student-athlete here. Hopefully his legacy will be that he was not only just a good athlete, but he was also good teacher, too.”

Humbly, Keller agrees with the values. The records are nice. The recognition is welcomed. But it all means little when compared to team impact.

“I’d like to say I left a pretty good legacy,” he said, “but that really wasn’t my goal going into it. Just breaking all the records, it kind of was just handed to me. I’d say I left a positive note for Ephrata track. But it wasn’t just me. It was my teammates.”

Nick Keller now sets the pace, whether on the track or in the classroom — he was Ephrata’s male nominee for the A. Landis Brackbill award, for which a student-athlete must have at least a 3.5 GPA and compete in two varsity sports.

But in many ways, he’s still attempting to keep stride.

He’s traded chasing down peanut-butter eggs for the next triumph, the next record in his crosshairs.



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2027 OL Cade Reikowski gets first Big Ten offer

Pewaukee (Wis.) rising junior offensive tackle Cade Reikowski is part of what looks like it will be a really good year in the state for offensive linemen. Reikowski stands 6-foot-6, 290 pounds with the athleticism to also play basketball and throw in track and field.  South Dakota State offered towards the end of June and […]

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Pewaukee (Wis.) rising junior offensive tackle Cade Reikowski is part of what looks like it will be a really good year in the state for offensive linemen.

Reikowski stands 6-foot-6, 290 pounds with the athleticism to also play basketball and throw in track and field. 

South Dakota State offered towards the end of June and Northwestern just offered, becoming his first Big Ten and Power Four offer.

“The offer to Northwestern was a surreal moment,” he said. “I was in contact with Coach Olsen, I had been down three times and building a better relationship every time. I’m just very excited for what the future holds with my relationship with the program.”

A 3.75 student, Reikowski has noted the combination of athletics and academics the Wildcats can offer.

“Everyone knows Northwestern is a high academic school, which is extremely important for my parents,” he said. “To have access to some of the best people after football gets me really excited about the school. Also, the great coaches and facilities and people that surround the program makes it feel like a great program for the long run in life.”

Of course, the in-state Badgers have also been involved his his recruitment.

Reikowski has been to campus and offensive line coach AJ Blazek has been in consistent contact.

“Being in Wisconsin, I have a good relationship with Coach Blazek, We call every Thursday just to talk about life in general. I’ve visited a few times for a spring game and other activities,” Reikowski said.

Kansas, Indiana, Minnesota, Notre Dame, Washington State, Iowa and others have also shown interest.



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Former Whitmer pole vaulter Tre Young has dream season at South Dakota

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Beard, Tupua shine at Nike Outdoor Nationals

Kimberly Beard, a rising senior at King’s, won the girls hammer throw at the Nike Outdoor National Track & Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon on June 22, 2025. (Photo courtesy Donna Beard) Kimberly Beard is not a proponent of “last throw, best throw,” a self-explanatory saying in the track & field throws community. The rising […]

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Kimberly Beard, a rising senior at King’s, won the girls hammer throw at the Nike Outdoor National Track & Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon on June 22, 2025. (Photo courtesy Donna Beard)

Kimberly Beard, a rising senior at King’s, won the girls hammer throw at the Nike Outdoor National Track & Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon on June 22, 2025. (Photo courtesy Donna Beard)

Kimberly Beard is not a proponent of “last throw, best throw,” a self-explanatory saying in the track & field throws community.

The rising senior at King’s High School tends to throw better in her earlier attempts, when her adrenaline is higher. That was the case at Nike Outdoor Nationals in Eugene, Ore. on June 22, when Beard’s second attempt in the girls hammer throw championship set the lead mark at 57.58 meters (188 feet, 11 inches).

So by the time Beard, a Mukilteo resident, stepped up for her sixth and final attempt, the national championship was all but locked up. With nothing to lose, she stepped into the circle and — contrary to her own tendencies — wound up saving her best for last.

With a 59.76m (196-00) throw, Beard not only strengthened her lead to lock up the title, but set a personal record in the process. After finishing second a year prior by fewer than three feet, Beard came back to earn the crown, clearing second-place Burklie Burton from Utah (56.2m, 184-04) by nearly 12 feet.

Kimberly Beard, a rising senior at King’s, stands next to the results board after winning the girls hammer throw at the Nike Outdoor National Track & Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon on June 22, 2025. (Photo courtesy Donna Beard)Kimberly Beard, a rising senior at King’s, stands next to the results board after winning the girls hammer throw at the Nike Outdoor National Track & Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon on June 22, 2025. (Photo courtesy Donna Beard)

Kimberly Beard, a rising senior at King’s, stands next to the results board after winning the girls hammer throw at the Nike Outdoor National Track & Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon on June 22, 2025. (Photo courtesy Donna Beard)

“I was really trying to keep all the excitement and everything up so I could keep that adrenaline pumping,” Beard said. “Going into the last round, I was like, ‘Oh, I’m on today. There’s nothing to lose. Just let it all out.’”

Just days before the high school championship, Beard finished second in the U-20 women’s championship with a throw of 57.69m (190-02), so she felt even more motivated to get past 190 feet on her last attempt. Competing in the same ring against many of the same competitors added a sense of familiarity and comfort which helped to combat nerves.

Additionally, the presence of Burton helped Beard stay motivated. With Burton’s personal record at 192-04, there was always a chance she could pop a throw in that range and overtake Beard’s initial lead at 188-11, so Beard couldn’t afford to ease up at any point.

Despite winning the national championship, Beard isn’t resting on her laurels. She has two meets coming up this month, including the National Junior Olympic championships on July 21. To prepare, Beard is throwing five to six times a week and lifting weights four times a week, often doing both in the same day.

Aside from placing as high as she can and working on her technical cues, Beard has her eyes set on a new milestone: eclipsing 200 feet.

“I already PR’d by 10 feet, so I’m not going to be upset if I don’t hit 200,” Beard said. “But that would be really, really fun, and I think it’s really doable.”

Keira Isabella Tupua, a rising senior at Lake Stevens, places second in the girls discus Emerging Elite division at the Nike Outdoor National Track & Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon on June 20, 2025. (Photo courtesy Donna Beard)Keira Isabella Tupua, a rising senior at Lake Stevens, places second in the girls discus Emerging Elite division at the Nike Outdoor National Track & Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon on June 20, 2025. (Photo courtesy Donna Beard)

Keira Isabella Tupua, a rising senior at Lake Stevens, places second in the girls discus Emerging Elite division at the Nike Outdoor National Track & Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon on June 20, 2025. (Photo courtesy Donna Beard)

Beard was not the only local athlete to place high at Nike Nationals, as Lake Stevens’ Keira Isabelle Tupua finished second in the Emerging Elite discus throw at 43.11m (141-05).

After fouling her first attempt, Tupua was at risk of dropping out at the preliminary stage sitting at 40.67m (133-05) on her second attempt. With other throwers starting to leapfrog her in the standings and push her down the board, she needed a great third attempt to stay in the fight.

“As I was going in the ring and, you know, mentally preparing myself, I just had to throw it and go at it,” Tupua said.

As soon as she saw the discus in the air, she knew it would be good enough to move her up the board. The throw vaulted her into second, and would remain her best attempt by the end of the event.

Tupua entered the day with the seventh-highest seed entry in the Emerging Elite field, but she did not let that hold her back in the circle.

“I’m a very competitive athlete,” Tupua said. “I’ve played three sports almost my entire life, and I’m not just gonna back down from anybody that throws farther and is a lot stronger. I’m going to take that competition and respect everyone, and just give it my best. So I think that’s what really helped me, is that I don’t really like losing. I hate losing.”

Also a basketball and soccer player, Tupua qualified for the Junior Olympic track & field regionals, but is focusing more on basketball this summer instead. She plays with the Northwest Blazers and is traveling all over the country for tournaments.

In the meantime, she’s spending her mornings at basketball training, afternoons working out and training for track, then resting at night. In her eyes, her experiences in each sport has helped her in the other two.

“I think my basketball helps a lot with track,” Tupua said. “When you’re in the ring and you’re pivoting off your feet, same way you would in basketball. And when I did soccer, soccer helped with all three. It kept me in shape, and you got to be light on your feet and pretty quick in the ring, so they all help.”

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Steve Prefontaine: Three Things To Know About The Legendary Coach and Star

In 1975, Steve Prefontaine was set to be the next great track star, having already set several world records. But, he tragically died in a car accident at just 24 years old. Now, he is honored by being the namesake of the Prefontaine Classic, one of the most well-known track and field events in the […]

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In 1975, Steve Prefontaine was set to be the next great track star, having already set several world records. But, he tragically died in a car accident at just 24 years old. Now, he is honored by being the namesake of the Prefontaine Classic, one of the most well-known track and field events in the United States that’s hosted his alma mater, the University of Oregon. 

The 2025 Prefontaine classic is on July 5, and here’s three things to know about Steve Prefontaine. 

The Steve Prefontaine Was The First Nike Athlete

When Nike was founded in 1971, Steve Prefontaine was at the height of this career. In 1973, he became the first athlete signed by Nike to wear their signature shoe, the Swoosh. Attending Oregon, Prefontaine had unique exposure to the brand, even when it was Blue Ribbon Sports. Phil Knight, the company’s founder also attended the University of Oregon, making Prefontaine the perfect candidate to be Knight’s first signature athlete.

A Record Breaker At Every Level

Every level Steve Prefontaine ran at, he broke records. He’s said to have ran like he was dying every time he competed, leaving his all on the track every time he ran. At the time of his death, he held every American record from 2,000 meters to 10,000 meters. 

Pre’s Personal Bests

1500 – 3:38.1 (1973) 

Mile – 3:54.6 (1973)

2000 – 5:01.4 (1975)

2 miles – 8:18.29 (1974)

5000 – 13:21.87 (1974)

10000 – 27:43.6 (1974)

A Loyal Duck

Prefontaine grew up in the Eugene area, in the town of Coos Bay. He ran for the University of Oregon and then continued to train at Hayward Field with the Oregon Track Club until his death. After college, he lived in Eugene, becoming friends with Phil Knight and several other Blue Ribbon Sports founders. 

He was heavily involved in local events, and spoke at a banquet about the impact cross country had on his life. He won almost every race he competed in, only knowing full speed. As a Duck, he won seven national titles, four in track, three in cross country, setting several records along the way. 

Now, the Diamond League Track event held in Eugene is named in his honor, the Prefontaine Classic. 

Don’t Miss A Second Of The 2025 Diamond League

This year, the Diamond League is streaming live on FloTrack and the FloSports app, and FloTrack is giving fans more Diamond League access than ever before. For the first time ever, the Diamond League is streaming to fans all the feeds, not just the traditional world feed.

Fans will have uninterrupted coverage for every throw, leap and run during the meets as well as the traditional broadcast.

Where To Watch Diamond League?

The Wanda Diamond League will be broadcast on FloTrack and the FloSports app starting with the 2025 season. 

FloTrack Is The Streaming Home For Many Track And Field Meets Each Year

Don’t miss all the track and field season action streaming on FloTrack. Check out the FloTrack schedule for more events.

FloTrack Archived Footage

Video footage from each event will be archived and stored in a video library for FloTrack subscribers to watch for the duration of their subscriptions.

Join the Conversation on Social

Follow us on Twitter @FloTrack.

Follow us on Instagram @flotrack.

Like us on Facebook.





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UT student creates start-up to help cancer patients – The Daily Texan

While volunteering in the infusion rooms at the Breast Cancer Research Center during her freshman year, computational biology junior Nicole Wu realized many cancer patients faced the same problem: a lack of support upon returning home. Shortly after, she began working on her start-up app, Panacea, to make life and responsibilities easier for cancer patients […]

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While volunteering in the infusion rooms at the Breast Cancer Research Center during her freshman year, computational biology junior Nicole Wu realized many cancer patients faced the same problem: a lack of support upon returning home. Shortly after, she began working on her start-up app, Panacea, to make life and responsibilities easier for cancer patients at home.

Hospitals typically give cancer patients a binder with many resources inside when they leave; however, cancer survivor Leslie Foxworth said finding and applying these resources can be tedious and frustrating. Wu said Panacea personalizes fitness classes, financial resources and cancer-related communities to the patient depending on their condition and location, and uses conversational AI to help patients easily find the resources they need. 

“(The app) provides you resources that can help you through those really dark times without you having to look at your doctor or be in a scary office,” Foxworth said. “It’s care outside the clinic walls in the middle of the night when we need it. I wish I had something like this at the newly diagnosed phase.”

Wu began thinking about Panacea when she joined the Social Entrepreneurship Learning Lab in her freshman year, where she refined her business idea. Since then, she participated in the Sustainability Education Enterprise Development Program and the Kendra Scott Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership Institute as a 2025 founder, and enrolled in Capital Factory, a class where she better understood the pitching process. Through these UT-affiliated organizations, Wu participated in four pitch competitions and raised over $16,000 to fund her company. 

“Students will take a year or two to get a venture off the ground, but she did this pretty quickly, and it was because she is very dedicated and organized in her time,” said Madison Khamooshi, the Global Sustainability Leadership Institute senior program manager.

With her team, Wu works closely with 30 breast cancer patients at the Breast Cancer Research Center. They are working to improve the app’s conversational AI and create a resource hub so all resources remain centralized, ensuring the app recommends the right materials and strengthens the communication between the patient and doctor. 

“I’ve seen (Wu) learn a lot more about the cancer community and get excited about what she can do to be a solution specialist for cancer survivors, instead of just feeling like, ‘Man, that’s really sad. I wish I could do something about it,’” Foxworth said. “Now it’s ‘Man that’s really sad, I know I can do something about this. Let’s go.’”

This summer, Wu and her team sent a research proposal to the UT Institutional Review Board, and Wu said that by the end of the summer, she and her research team hope to propose their second study and publish it at the end of the year. Next year, she said she hopes to partner with healthcare professionals to begin customizing the app for their needs.



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