University of Cincinnati
04/22/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/22/2026 17:49
Record-setting UC track and field star sprints toward the future
Record-setting UC track and field star sprints toward the future
All-American athlete balances 4.0 GPA, Doctor of Audiology pathway and Olympic goals
7 minute read April 22, 2026 Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn Share on Reddit Print Story Like
For Juliette Laracuente-Huebner, timing is everything.
The University of Cincinnati student-athlete will graduate this spring with a perfect 4.0 GPA after completing her undergraduate degree in just three years.
Juliette Laracuente-Huebner at the Big 12 Indoor Track and Field Championship. Photo/Provided by UC Athletics.
She was admitted into UC's Doctor of Audiology program during her first year at UC through dual admissions pathways offered in the College of Allied Health Sciences - but track and field is where she really distinguishes herself from the pack.
"Juliette truly has it all and is extremely talented, but it's her commitment that separates her from other very gifted athletes," said Chris Wineberg, associate head track and field coach. "She is the hardest worker and most disciplined athlete I have coached. She does everything possible to maximize her abilities."
In March, Laracuente-Huebner placed third in the pentathlon at the NCAA Division I Indoor Championships in Fayetteville, Arkansas, breaking her own school record in the process. It marked the second time this season she set a new pentathlon record, along with records in the 60-meter hurdles and long jump. She now has four All-America honors, with two each in indoor and outdoor track and field.
"Juliette is one of the most extraordinary people I have had the privilege of coaching. I am consistently impressed by her uncommon blend of intelligence, discipline, talent and character," said Wineberg.
Juliette Laracuente-Hueber competing at a previous NCAA Division I Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Photo/Provided by UC Athletics.
What's next
Juliette Laracuente-Hueber prepares to throw the shot put. Photo/Provided by UC Athletics.
At 21, Laracuente-Huebner is balancing the end of one chapter with the next starting line.
She is currently competing in the outdoor season and recently earned the nation's top heptathlon score and a new UC record. She also scored personal records in the 200 meters and shot put. Still ahead are the Big 12 Outdoor Championship in May and the NCAA Outdoor Championships in June.
During the 2026-2027 academic year, she plans to compete in the indoor season while completing a graduate certificate in business foundations. She's thinking about opening her own private audiology practice in the future.
"I am always drawn to leadership roles," said Laracuente-Huebner. "I want to be my own boss and be in a managerial or owner role."
Olympics aspirations
Juliette Laracuente-Huebner goes over the bar during the high jump at an indoor track and field meet at Indiana University. Photo/Provided by UC Athletics.
Now Laracuente-Huebner is a multi-event athlete, competing in both the indoor pentathlon and outdoor heptathlon. Her events include the high jump, long jump, 200 meters, 100-meter hurdles, 800 meters, shot put and javelin.
"Juliette prepares with purpose, trains with intention, competes with focus, maximizes her sleep and manages a self-imposed strict diet to fuel herself for high-level performance," said Wineberg, who himself is a 2004 UC graduate and 2023 James P. Kelly Athletics Hall of Fame inductee.
Laracuente-Huebner plans to begin her doctoral studies in the 2027-2028 academic year and compete in the outdoor season as she focuses on a major long-term goal: the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
"Going to the Olympics has been a childhood dream of mine," she said. "I was a gymnast for eight years and wanted to go for that, but injuries forced me to transition away from the sport."
As part of Laracuente-Huebner's training with the UC track and field team, she is working to qualify for the U.S. Olympic trials in Eugene, Oregon. For heptathletes, the magic number is 6,400 points - that's the World Olympic qualifying benchmark.
Family connections
Juliette Laracuente-Huebner throws the javelin at the Oliver Nikoloff Invitational hosted on UC's campus. Photo/Provided by UC Athletics.
Her journey to the Olympics in Los Angeles began in the small town of Marengo, Ohio, where she grew up.
Laracuente-Huebner's paternal grandparents are Deaf, which reshaped how she understands hearing and communication. A desire to better connect with them led her to study American Sign Language through Ohio's College Credit Plus (CCP) program, which allows high school students to earn college credit for free. She accumulated more than 30 credit hours before enrolling at UC.
"The hearing community sees deafness as a disability, but the Deaf community sees it as just a way to live," she said.
The increased use of cochlear implants has created a technological divide, she said, with fewer young people learning ASL and engaging in Deaf culture. Her experiences navigating both communities have helped shape her perspective and career goals. "I feel like I could help bridge the divide," said Laracuente-Huebner.
A sixth sense
Read a 2024 UC News story on Juliette Laracuente-Huebner's reunion with a cousin while taking American Sign Language classes at UC.
Graduate studies
Juliette Laracuente-Huebner at a meet at the University of Louisville. Photo/Provided by UC Athletics.
Laracuente-Huebner is earning a Bachelor of Science in speech language hearing sciences, a pathway designed to prepare students for graduate studies in speech-language pathology or audiology.
She said UC's three-year Doctor of Audiology program stands out for its early, hands-on clinical training in the UC Speech and Hearing Clinic - conveniently located inside the Health Sciences Building alongside classrooms - giving students immediate, on-site access to real patient experiences and the opportunity to apply and refine their skills in the same environment where they learn.
Laracuente-Huebner also values the continuity of the faculty across undergraduate and graduate courses. "Seeing the same professors multiple times has helped me build strong relationships with them," she said. "I am excited to stay at UC and continue growing them."
She's grateful that those relationships have supported both her academic and athletic success. "They have always been more than willing to communicate with me and offer flexibility if needed when I compete," she said. "That made me want to do what I needed to and more for them in return."
Her professors, in turn, have recognized her effort.
"Balancing athletics and academics at the highest level isn't easy, but Juliette makes it look effortless," said Carolyn (Carney) Sotto, PhD, a professor-educator and speech language hearing sciences undergraduate program director. "With an outstanding cumulative GPA and work ethic, along with graduating with a Bachelor of Science in three years, Juliette is truly raising the bar."
Juliette Laracuente-Hueber competing at a previous NCAA Division I Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Photo/Provided by UC Athletics.
On and off the track
Laracuente-Huebner said not only does the track and field team train together, some are also roommates. They also often hang out together in a big group.
That's how, about two years ago, she met her teammate Seth Elking, now a fourth-year mechanical engineering student.
Amid her commitments to academics and athletics, Laracuente-Huebner found time for love. She and Elking are now engaged and planning a summer 2027 wedding.
Featured image at top: Juliette Laracuente-Huebner runs ahead of a pack of other runners at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships. Photo/Provided by UC Athletics.
Next is Big (XII)
Bearcats athletics compete at the highest level - Division 1 - and fuel a spirit of excellence that echoes across campus like the cheers of Down the Drive. Whether on the field or in the stands, our community comes together to celebrate determination, teamwork and pride in the C-paw.
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