Bio

Season: 3rd

2013: Marlena competed in four meets during the 2013 season. She ran a season best time of 24:10 at the East Coast Conference Championships.    

2012: Marlena took part in two meets in her debut season, including the East Coast Conference Championships. Her best time of the season came in the Delaware State Hornet Invitational where she ran the 5K in 23:45. 

High School: Attended Dewitt Clinton HS where she ran track under coach Comel Johnson… ran the 400, 600, and 800… her team was four time consecutively named Bronx champions for indoor and outdoor… Bronx Champion for the 600 in 2011 and 2012… state medalist in indoor and outdoor in the 4x400 relay.

Personal: Daughter of Howard Wright and Allison Hayles… has three brothers, Michael (16), Nasir (4), and O’mari (7)… has one sister Zoe (2)… TV Production/Mass Media major… hobbies include listening to music and shopping… other sports she enjoys to watch or play are gymnastics and volleyball… favorite athletes are Usain Bolt, Veronica Campbell-Brown, and Allyson Felix… favorite food is fried dumplings… favorite TV show is The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air… favorite music genres are Reggae, R&B, and Hip hop… favorite websites are Google and YouTube… greatest athletic experience was running at nationals her sophomore year of high school in the 4x400 relay and placing 6^th in the countryand becoming an All-American… dream as a college athlete is to run the faster 400m time in the history of this college… greatest athletic influences are Jesse Owens and Shaun Dietz… Favorite things about UDC are the apartments...most impressive person she has ever met is Shaun Dietz… strangest gameday habit it to sing Justin Bieber and Jayden Smith’s song “Never Say Never”.