Zoe Barnes is preparing to graduate from the University of Southern Maine in August 2026 with a nursing degree and a national title in shot put.
Now in her fifth and final year, the New Gloucester native is reflecting on her athletic and academic career. Like many students, she navigated uncertainty before ultimately finding her path in the classroom and in competition.
We caught up with Zoe to find out how it all came together — and what it took to finish strong.
Q:
Why did you choose USM?
A:
Being close to home was important to me, for sure, and I already knew some people who were going to USM, so I was like, might as well go there, too. Plus, the track team is great. I heard about how they win LEC (Little East Conference) titles every year.
I started late in the nursing program because I was unsure of what I wanted to do in my freshman year. I was originally looking at physical therapy, so I explored majors like exercise science and health science before deciding on nursing. I definitely wanted to have a caring job. I feel like I’m a very empathic person, so I like to think about others. It’s such a demanding job that everyone needs a nurse, and there are a lot of different opportunities too.
Q:
At what point did it actually hit you that you’d won the NCAA DIII Championship for shot put?
A:
It was actually when the second person in finals was done. It kind of hit me, and I was like, ‘I think I just won this.’ I had one more throw, just to do what I do and what I love. I got in the ring and thought, ‘Hold back your tears, I need to lock in’.
I looked back at the crowd and got a clap going, and then I did it. And I was like, ‘Holy crap.’ I didn’t even care about what I just threw, even though it was a PR (personal record). It felt like I was in a fever dream, for sure.
Q:
You came so close in past seasons. What changed this year?
A:
I’ve had so many moments where I was just right there, missing nationals or missing All-American by inches, and that really stuck with me. Coming so close to being a First Team All-American made me really want to push this year.
Since this was my last year, I just wanted to give it my all. I trained harder, put more hours into it. I knew this was going to be the last college meet of my life, so I might as well go out with a bang and really put in the work to see what I can do.
Q:
What did it mean to share that moment with Coach Amos?
A:
Coach Amos and I go way back to when I was in middle school, so having him there meant everything. He’s been my coach for so long, even through high school, and it just made that moment feel really full circle, like everything came back to where it started.
Q:
What does your day-to-day life look like balancing track and nursing?
A:
I would go to clinicals at Maine Med early in the morning, get out around three, have lab, and then at night I’d go back to Gorham and throw by myself. Sometimes I didn’t have a coach there, so I had to go back to what I know and look at videos. It could be incredibly difficult trying to motivate myself to go without anyone there. But I knew I wanted to be a nurse, and I also wanted to be an athlete. Academics come first, and then it’s track. So I make sure everything is done, and then I can relax when I go to track.
Q:
What were the hardest moments to push through?
A:
We have something called return demonstrations in the lab, and those are really scary. You’re recorded and have to perform a skill on a mannequin and do everything correctly. It makes for long weeks. Going to track during that time was nice because it felt like a break from nursing, even though it was still work.
Q:
When you think about your time at USM, what stands out most?
A:
What stands out to me is that USM feels like a family. Everyone knows everyone — especially on the track team. We’re always the loudest at meets and really supportive of one another, and that goes a long way. I have a lot of connections now through USM, and I think they’ll be connections for a very long time.
Q:
What would you tell your freshman-year self?
A:
I would say it’s all going to work out. Just keep pushing. And you won a national championship, so it’s all worth it in the end. All that work you put in, you left it all out there with no regrets.
Q:
What advice would you give students who are trying to figure things out right now?
A:
Just remember that you have resources, and a lot of resources at USM. Keep talking to your coaches. Communication is key. Talk to your coaches, talk to your faculty, and use those resources because they do help.
Bonus: What song have you had on repeat lately?
12 to 12
Sombr
