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University of California, Santa Cruz

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2025 Track and Field Roster

Helena Janku

Helena Janku

  • Class:
    Junior
  • Hometown:
    Kentfield, CA
  • Highschool:
    Redwood HS
  • Position:
    Middle Distance
  • Major:
    Environmental studies

Summary

Biography

UC Santa Cruz Success:

2022-23 UC Santa Cruz Newcomer of the Year
School Record/C2C Championship record in the 5000 (17:52.12) 

Track and Field

2025 Season - Junior

Earned the 2024-25 Track and Field C2C Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors … Earned the 2025 NCAA Indoor Track and Field All-Region student-athletes Honors … Earned two times the C2C Athlete of the Week honors … Competed in the 1500 (4:44.19), 3000 (10:05.50), 5000 (17:01.71), DMR … Ran 10:05.50 in the 3000, placing first and ran a 17:56.41 in the 5000, placing first in the 2025 Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference Indoor Championships, recognized as Track Athletes of the Meet.

  • 2024:
    • Champion and PR in the 10,000 (35:58.24) at the C2C Outdoor Conference Championships
    • PR in the 5000 (17:52.12) and 3000 (10:10.90) taking 1st in both at the 2024 C2C Indoor Track & Field Championships 
    • PR in the Mile (5:13.94) at Portland Indoor #2
  • 2023:
    • Scored points for the Banana Slugs in each 2023 C2C Conference race she ran: Champion in the Indoor DMR, 2nd place in the outdoor 5000m, 3rd in the outdoor 1500m, and 4th in the indoor mile.
    • Clocked the fastest 5k ever run by a Banana Slug freshman woman with a time of 17:52.73 at the Mike Fanelli Track Classic
    • 2023 All-Region in the West for the Indoor DMR
Cross Country

2024 Season - Junior

Earned the USTFCCCA 2024 NCAA Division III Women’s Cross Country All-Academic Athletes … Earned the 2024 All-C2C Scholar-Athlete of the year award … Competed in the 6k (21:13.2) … Ran a personal best of 21:13.2 in the 6k at the 2024 43rd Annual UCR Cross Country Invitational … Ran a 22:20.8 in the 6k, placing first at the 2024 Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference Cross Country Championships … Ran a 21:28.4 in the 6k, placing seventh at the NCAA Division lll West Region Cross Country Championships … Ran a 22:00.5 in the 6k at the 2024 NCAA Division lll Cross Country Championships.

  • 2023:
    • Placed 1st and PR'd in the 6K (21:55.5) at 2023 C2C Cross Country Championships
    • Part of the first women’s team in Banana Slug Cross Country history to qualify for NCAA DIII XC Nationals, where they placed 22nd in the nation.
  • 2022:
    • Placed 6th at the 2022 C2C XC Conference Championships, earning first-team all-conference honors as a freshman.
High School/Club Success:
  • Competed for the Redwood High School Giants in Cross Country and Track & Field
  • 3x CIF Cross Country State Qualifier
  • 3x Varsity XC Captain
  • 2x Varsity Track & Field Captain
  • Varsity XC Rookie of the Year (2018)
  • Varsity XC Coach’s Award (2021)
Personal
  • Stevenson College
  • Favorite thing about UCSC: The Natural Beauty
  • Graduation Goals: Interior Designer
  • Favorite Athlete: Eliud Kipchoge
  • Favorite Superhero: Black Panther
  • Favorite Color: Mango Orange
  • Hobbies: Skiing, reading, spending time with friends, surfing, listening to music, fashion design

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Historical Player Information

  • 2023First Year

  • 2024Sophomore

    Middle Distance
  • 2025Junior

    Middle Distance