NORMAL, Ill. – When Nora Brady joined the Redbirds prior to the 2025-26 season, she couldn't have envisioned the instant success she would bring to the cross country and track & field programs.
A high school graduate from Bloomington Central Catholic, Brady began her collegiate career nearby at Heartland Community College, creating her legacy as a student-athlete.
National accolades piled up during her sophomore campaign. After collecting a runners-up performance during her freshman year, Brady became a NJCAA DII Cross Country National Champion for Heartland, helping her earn NJCAA DII Cross Country Women's Athlete of the Year honors for the Midwest Region, as voted by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
She collected numerous multi-time honors as a NJCAA Cross Country All-American and NJCAA Track & Field All-American.
Her success at the junior-college level propelled her to enter the transfer portal in 2025.
And she wouldn't have to travel far to her next destination.
Brady committed to the Redbirds before her junior season, where she loved the proximity of having friends and family nearby, along with the many opportunities presented at Illinois State.
Illinois State Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Jeff Bovee said the staff recruited Brady out of high school but "struck out." The second time around, the Redbirds struck gold.
I always had a feeling I would end up at ISU for a couple of reasons," said Brady. "One of the biggest was my family being right here in Normal. They mean so much to me and I truly loved having the opportunity to stop by and see them during the week, have dinner together, and spend time with them on the weekends."
Academics played a massive role in Brady's interest in Illinois State, as she wanted to continue pursuing her nursing education at the university, which offers fantastic experiences compared to other universities.
"ISU has an amazing nursing program," said Brady. "At many Division I schools, balancing a major as rigorous as nursing with the demands of collegiate athletics can be incredibly challenging, especially with the clinical and coursework hours required. ISU's willingness to provide me with the support, flexibility, and resources I needed to thrive was another major reason I chose to come here."
The coaching staff played a critical role in Brady's pursuit of joining the Redbirds. Director of Operations and Assistant Coach Claire Fuhlhage was a part of the Heartland Community College coaching staff while Brady competed there, and they were able to establish a great relationship.
"Then, there's Coach Claire, truly one of the biggest blessings of my collegiate career," said Brady. "Under her guidance, I developed into an athlete capable of winning a national championship. I will forever be grateful for the countless hours, support, advice, and dedication she poured into me and our team, both during my time at Heartland and now at ISU. Knowing that she would continue to be my coach when I transferred to ISU also played a significant role in my final decision."
Nothing might have stuck with Brady more than the support and motivation from Coach Bovee while going through the transfer process.
"Coach Bovee was super encouraging throughout the entire process," said Brady. "Having someone believe in what I could bring to the program before I even put on the ISU jersey meant so much to me."
The support from the coaches, the previous connections with others, the excellent academic opportunities, and the proximity to family and friends played important roles in Brady's decision to become a Redbird, where she would make her presence felt during her first cross-country season.
IMMEDIATE IMPACT
Success was instant for Brady during the 2025 cross country season. She recorded multiple top-10 finishes, leading the Redbird women in five of the six meets.
"Nora came in right away as a junior college transfer and has been one of our top distance runners on the squad," said Bovee. "It took her a couple of months to kind of transition to the training plan and adjust accordingly. Then, once she did, you really saw a nice drop in times and performances towards the end of the fall season."
Entering a brand new program with new teammates and coaches can be intimidating, as Brady questioned if she belonged with her teammates during the early stages of the season. However, her confidence blossomed after earning her first MVC Runner of the Week honor from a second-place performance at the Redbird Invite.
"I was definitely excited to see that," said Brady. "It was a great race and a huge confidence boost for me. Transitioning from a smaller JUCO program to the Division I level created this little doubt in the back of my mind that made me to question like, 'Am I good enough? Can I really keep up with these girls?' That race helped solidify the fact that I belong here. It showed me that I have put in the work and have what it takes to compete at this level and to be up there in those races."
Her times continued to improve throughout the regular season, as the Bradley Pink Classic (Oct. 17) proved to be another key point during Brady's first season with the team.
Brady finished fifth in the 6k run, breaking the all-time program record with a personal-best time of 20:38.89, helping the Redbird women place sixth in the event.
"Things really started to come together towards the end of the season, specifically at the Bradley meet, where I had my first great race," said Brady. "Before the race, I sat down with Coach Claire and Coach Jake (Gillum), and we set some really specific goals. Having those goals in mind gave me something to chase after and helped me race with a lot more purpose and confidence."
Her continued excellence carried into the postseason, as she led the Redbirds at the MVC Championships and NCAA Division I Midwest Regional Championships. Her seventh-place finish at the MVC Championships guided the team to a third-place result in the conference, helping her earn All-MVC First Team honors.
The momentum for Brady heading into the track & field season was paramount, as her staple on the program was shaping into form after fantastic cross-country performances.
That said, while preparing for the indoor track & field season, adversity would surface right as things were moving along.
BUMPS IN THE ROAD
A positive cross-country season took a slight detour heading into the winter, as Brady battled a lasting injury.
While preparing to do a time trial, Brady was warming up and stretching when a thrower accidentally threw a shot put onto her foot, putting her in a walking boot for around eight weeks.
"The healing process took a lot longer than I expected," said Brady. "I am so grateful I had the support of my family, specifically my parents during this time."
The injury was one of the first major obstacles she's had to go through in her athletic career.
"I know it was a really difficult time for her to have to learn patience and just let things heal," said Bovee.
Limiting her ability to perform during the indoor season, Brady attacked rehab and recovery with a positive mindset in hopes of recovering as fast as she could, whether that was continuing her training on the elliptical or rehabbing with the athletic trainers throughout the spring.
"She was very diligent with the cross training to be able to maintain a very high fitness level so that when she did get the green light to start running on land again, it didn't take nearly as long for her to gain back some fitness," said Bovee.
Her continued positive outlook through this difficult time allowed her to appreciate the journey of returning from injury, while gaining the knowledge to support others going through similar situations.
"Looking back, I am grateful for that injury," said Brady. "It forced me to slow down and gave me the opportunity to focus on one of the hardest of nursing school. Plus, this injury allowed me to better understand, support, and encourage others who are struggling with injuries."
Brady's perseverance allowed her to return to action for a majority of the outdoor track & field season, participating in four meets.
Her excellent work ethic and determination allowed her to compete at a high level, earning four top-10 finishes with a pair of fourth-place performances at the Illini Deca Jam (April 9-11) in the 1,500-meter event and at the MVC Outdoor Championships (May 16-17) in the 10,000-meter event.
While Brady endured some bumps in the road, a constant during her junior year was her excellent work in the classroom, which dates back to her time in high school.
ACADEMIC SUCCESS AND IMPORTANCE
Competing at the highest level as an athlete is always important. However, the academics side has played a vital role in Brady's journey as a student-athlete.
Beginning in high school, Brady earned numerous honors while competing in cross country and track & field.
She was nominated for the 2023 State Farm Scholar Athlete of the Year award and IHSA All-State Academic Team, while she was a member of the National Honors Society and Mu Alpha Theta.
Her academic success carried over while attending Heartland, as she was a two-time Academic All-Conference member, a two-time NJCAA All-Academic First Team honoree, and the 2025 NATYCAA Scholar Athlete of the Year.
These achievements haven't slowed down, as Brady made her mark in the classroom as a Redbird with a perfect 4.0 GPA in nursing during her first semester, becoming the first female to receive the MVC Women's Elite 18 Award for cross country since Rachel Hickey in 2019.
"Academics have always been a major priority throughout my collegiate career," said Brady. "Back when I was in high school, I remember my dad telling me, 'You can only be great at two things, so choose wisely.' I chose academics and athletics and was fully committed to giving my best to both. Seeing all the hard work pay off means so much to me, but even more than that, I am so grateful for everything I have learned and all the incredible people I have met along the way."
Brady has credited many people with getting her through challenging times, between her coaches, classmates, teammates, friends, and family.
"As a student-athlete, I've always felt incredibly supported academically," said Brady. "I am especially grateful for the support I have received from my coaches, who have always made sure I have the resources and flexibility needed to succeed in such a demanding major. Additionally, I have been incredibly blessed with amazing professors, clinical instructors, and peers who have offered me so much support and encouragement, helping shape me into the person I am today."
With the changing landscape in collegiate athletics, Brady's continued emphasis on quality academic work symbolizes the opportunities and academic support presented at Illinois State for athletes to succeed in the classroom.
"I think you see that across all the teams here at Illinois State," said Bovee. "We've got so many teams doing so well academically. I think it is a testament to our academic support staff and to our student-athletes that really make that a priority. And I think that's a testament to the coaches recruiting quality students and athletes."
BUILDING FOR WHAT'S NEXT
Through the ups and downs of her first season at ISU, Brady is looking ahead to her senior year.
Meetings with the coaching staff allowed her to attack the offseason with a training plan that would help her strive to achieve some ambitious goals for the upcoming season.
"Before I left for Arizona, I sat down with Coach Jake and Coach Claire to establish some pretty big goals for this season," said Brady. "Those goals gave me something to work toward every day and motivated me to wake up at 5 a.m. every morning to get my training in. The Arizona heat is no joke, as it gets up to 110, 111, even 112 degrees pretty quickly, so I knew I had to get up and get the work done early."
Bovee thinks this is the best summer of preparation that Brady's had throughout her career.
"Her preparation right now, as one of her coaches -- I've never seen her more prepared than she is right now. So, I really think that that's going to add up to her having a lot of success this year."
Challenges with team comradery surfaced for Brady when living in Arizona this past summer. Yet, she kept that positive mindset around focusing on what needs to be done to prepare for the season.
"One of the hardest things about summer training is being on your own and not having the girls around you to push you through workouts," said Brady. "Having that team aspect makes such a difference, but I stayed committed to the program, trusted the process, and ultimately had a really successful summer of training."
Brady and the Redbirds have set high expectations for the 2026 season. While she accumulated numerous accolades and awards during her first season, Brady is looking forward to growing as a leader, athlete, and student for her senior year.
"I have been training my absolute hardest to be competitive and race to the best of my abilities at conference and regionals, with the ultimate goal of earning the opportunity to compete at nationals," said Brady.
Bovee believes this team could be fighting to win the Missouri Valley and be one of the best teams in the Midwest region, and it all starts with the Fighting Illini Invitational on Friday, September 4.
"I think this could be one of the best seasons our women have had in a quite a few years, and that's coming off our best finish," said Bovee.
Brady knows that accomplishing these goals takes a village, as she looks to continue making her mark on the Redbird program with all the support from those around her.
"I can't do this by myself, but I know I'm supported by my coaches, my family, and my faith every step of the way," said Brady. "We're here for the ride, and I'm super excited to embrace the process and see where it takes the Birds this season."
