Mother-Daughter Connection: Two Generations, One Triton Family

LA JOLLA, Calif. –  The culture of the UC San Diego track and field program is well-known by past, current and future Tritons. With 100-plus years of combined coaching at the helm, and multiple coaches in their second decade at UC San Diego alone, the significance of family is quickly understood. 

It isn’t all that uncommon for multiple members of a family to attend UC San Diego and/or compete for the track and field team. Siblings, sons or daughters, other relatives and all athletes in general, are not only drawn to the world-class institution but the renowned values of the running programs here on the campus of La Jolla.  

San Diego native Gloria Kalt, a sophomore sprinter and jumper, is one of the several that fall into that category, following in the footsteps of her mother Renée Kalt (Sprowl). 

However, Renée wasn’t just any scholar-athlete at UC San Diego. In 1995, Renée was the best long jumper in the country at the Division III level. Her impressive 18’9.25” winning leap at the National Championship remains tied for fifth in the Triton all-time record books.

A standout in the 4x100, high jump, triple jump, and long jump, Renée reflected on her time at Nationals in a Triton uniform. 

“I made it to Nationals three times. I went my freshman year for triple jump and as part of the 4x100 team; we were named All-Americans that year. I also went my sophomore year for the triple, long jump and the 4x100 relay."

After an injury ridden junior year, Renée prevailed again in the triple, long jump and 4x100 during her senior season and qualified for Nationals in all three events to close out her stellar career. 

It is clear that Gloria admires her mother’s efforts and is proud to bleed the blue and gold.

“It means a lot to be able to compete for my mom’s alma mater,” Gloria said. “[Going to school at UC San Diego] all happened pretty naturally. Both of my parents went to UCs and wanted me to have the best education possible. 

“I grew up with a lot of exposure to UC San Diego, but there was never a point where it was forced. My mom and dad knew I had to go to whichever school was the right fit for me. I had to make that decision for myself,” she continued.

Gloria grew up knowing she was going to be a track athlete just like her mother. She claims she started running competitively in middle school, but Renée recalls it being much earlier than that.

“I brought Gloria to the Blue and Gold Meet after I graduated. She must have been six-years-old when she participated in the Diaper Dash. All the kids would run 100 meters for fun,” Renée said. “Gloria ended up running around the entire track. The coaches knew they had to keep an eye out for that one!”

Twenty-five years later, Gloria has made a name for herself as her mom’s legacy lives on within her. 

“My mom and I tend to be pretty similar in a lot of ways,” Gloria said. “We have a great relationship, and she encourages me to be competitive. We can both get a little feisty and know that when we set our minds to something, we are going to make it happen.

“She’s influenced me to always want to be the best I can be, on the field, in the classroom, or in any aspect of life.”

In fact, Gloria and Renée are a prime example of the impact the track program has on each individual athlete that passes through. 

“Having Gloria on the team reminds me every day how important the scholar-athlete experience is beyond the records and championships,” Salerno commented. “The connection the alumni have with our program shows how significant those four years they share with us really are.”

The day Gloria committed to UC San Diego was exciting news for the Kalt family given the proximity of campus and home. 

“Growing up, my mom went to all my track meets," Gloria mentioned. "She’s always been there for me and is stoked that I am still in San Diego so she can continue to attend the meets and be the loudest person. 

“People are always giving her looks because she is so loud and so excited, especially during the 4x400. Even when I’m running, I can hear her sometimes; it’s impressive.”

In 2020, Gloria’s freshman campaign was cut short due to the pandemic. On March 7, just one week before the season cancellation, the Tritons hosted a handful of competitive teams at the San Diego Collegiate Challenge.

Gloria reminisced on what unfortunately became the last 4x400 race of the year with teammates Ellie Flint, Jenna Mencarelli, and Claudia Cox.

“I think we had a lot of potential to go pretty far last season. We were improving our time pretty much every race,” Gloria expressed. 

“The 4x400 [at the San Diego Collegiate Challenge] was really exciting. When I got the baton, we were in first. One of the girls on another team went out really fast,” Gloria described. “I’ve gotten to the point where I know my pace and when I should kick it in gear. I had planned to just stick with her and keep within striking.

“Then, it’s like a switch was flipped. I knew my team was cheering for me and had my back during the hardest part of the race. I ended up passing the opponent, passed the baton, and from that point on, we ended up widening our gap and took home first.”

Renée commented on Gloria’s familiar technique in the 4x400. 

“She gets this face that we call the Princess Xena Warrior face,” Renée chuckled. “At that point, you better get out of the way! 

"She has become a ‘chaser’ in the relays. Sometimes people will pass her on the front end and she’ll just let them go but on the last quarter, she’ll fly by them. They go out too fast, she waits, and then takes over. It’s a lot of fun to watch!”

The Triton women’s 4x400 squad crossed the line in 3-minutes, 52.48-seconds, edging UC Santa Barbara by just 1.47-seconds that day.

“It’s a love-hate relationship with the 4x400 because it’s so painful,” Gloria said. “Our team especially, makes it an experience like no other. The last turn, heading into the final 100, is arguably the worst spot of the race because everything hurts, and you are so tired. At this point of the meet, all events are finished so our entire team comes over to scream and cheer us on. The energy they bring is incredible. That makes it worth it in the end.”

Just as most people would, Gloria described the 2020 year as challenging. She also admitted that there have been a lot of positives that have come out of the difficult time. 

“It hasn’t been optimal, but it’s been a challenge that is forcing me to take more personal responsibility for my athletic success,” Gloria conveyed. “It’s easy to get caught up in the daily routine and just go through the motions as a scholar-athlete. This year, more than anything, I have learned to not take anything for granted. 

“It’s not about just showing up for practice, but actually putting in the work. It’s about being present every moment. I think I can take that lesson with me through the rest of my college career and I’m sure it will make me a better person and a better teammate.”

Heading into the 2021 season, Gloria looks to focus on her technique in the long jump. Sprints and hurdles will still be part of her skillset, but she is ready to conquer the event her mom thrived in. 

“My goal is to take all the things I have learned in the last couple of months and put them into practice. I’m looking forward to breaking down the technique [in the long jump], which has never come easy to me. I think by putting in the work, I will be able to progress and I know that will make a huge difference in my competition.”

Regardless of all the uncertainty these days, one thing is for sure – Gloria’s family will be supporting her 100-percent of the way. 

“Having a support system nearby is incredible,” Gloria stated. “It makes a huge difference. It’s really been the best of both worlds. I am able to be on campus having my own college experience and can go home on the weekends briefly, if needed.”

Apart from the track, Renée and Gloria exhibit their competitiveness together in other ways. The two of them are passionate hikers. Renée in particular has reached the summit of a handful of high elevation mountain peaks. 

Renée isn't the only one who notices the parallels in the family. 

“Gloria has more than a resemblance to her mom, Renée," Salerno added. "There is a very similar level of determination to succeed in both of them. Renée certainly showed that in winning an NCAA title and we are enjoying watching Gloria make use of every minute of practice to reach her goals.”

Gloria reflected on advice her mom has provided throughout her running career. 

“My mom always tells me to just relax,” Gloria shared. “I get pretty tense but she’s always really good about reminding me to have fun. She’s that counterweight and calms everything down even with all the stress that a meet brings.”

Although Gloria is only her in second year at UC San Diego, she already has her mind set on potential career opportunities. A political science major of Roosevelt College, Gloria has goals of becoming a foreign serve officer one day. 

“A foreign service officer works in a U.S. embassy in a foreign country,” Gloria explained. “International relations really excites me and I love learning new languages.

“The fact that you get to go and live somewhere new every couple years, meet new people, learn a new culture, and a new language, I think it could be really fulfilling. The job would align perfectly with what my interests are and what my strengths are as well.”

With at least three more years left of competing, Gloria is confident the lessons learned as a track athlete will carry over nicely to her intended profession.

“Being a scholar-athlete is all about representing something bigger than yourself,” Gloria said. “As Triton scholar-athletes, all of us represent UC San Diego even outside of practice and competition, just in our daily lives.

“It’s a grind having to balance everything. You have to be able to adapt and make the most out of things as they come. It might not always be easy, but if you truly want it, you will set your mind to it.”

As for Renée’s long jump record, you can be sure Gloria is determined to surpass her mom in the near future.  

About UC San Diego Athletics
After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program began a new era in 2020 as a member of the Big West Conference in NCAA Division I. The 23-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions III and II and helped guide 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 83 Tritons have earned Academic All-America accolades, while 37 have received prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world's preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 91 percent, one of the highest rates among institutions at all divisions.