Following her first collegiate victory in only her second career meet, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) student-athlete Maya Verma of Falls Church, a J.E.B. (Justice) High School graduate, has been selected as the Liberty League Women’s Track & Field Rookie of the Week, the conference has announced.
In the multi-divisional Utica College Pioneer Winter Classic, Verma won the high jump with a height of 1.68 meters to set a facility record and beat the field of 15 competitors. The runner-up, teammate Lauren Parker, also reached 1.68 meters but not as efficiently. The host Pioneers won with 136 points and RPI was just 3.5 points behind (132.5). The University of Rochester was third with 129 points.
Verma, who jumped 1.55 meters to finish seventh in her first collegiate meet, was a four-year track & field and cross country performer in high school. A captain for five seasons, she earned numerous conference and regional championships in multiple years. She was also All-State six times, including Second Team in indoor in 2017 and Honorable Mention in outdoor in 2016, 2017 and 2018.
An engineering major, Verma was a member of the National Honor Society who earned a National Merit Commendation.
