SALISBURY, Md. – This is "Nest to Nest," a regular series spotlighting the big miles and bigger stories of the Sea Gull student-athletes on each team who traveled the farthest to be at Salisbury University. This week,
James Healy of the SU men's cross country team takes us to Billy Joel country out on Long Island.
James Healy | Fr., Men's Cross Country
Hometown:
Oceanside, New York
Population:
32,637
Distance from Salisbury:
250 miles
Driving Time:
5 hours, 11 minutes
What would you say your hometown is known for?
Oceanside itself isn't really known for anything, but it's really close by to Long Beach, another town in Nassau County where a lot of people go. [
Author's note: one notable fact about Oceanside is that it was the one-time hometown of Disney CEO Bob Iger, who graduated from Oceanside High School – Healy's alma mater – in 1969.]
What's your favorite hometown hangout spot?
Probably Oceanside Park. I used to play soccer there, and I'll still go there a lot and play soccer with my friends.
Which local sports teams do you root for?
The New York Giants. I'm a big fan of them and the Yankees.
How did you hear about Salisbury University?
When I was first looking for schools, my mom and I worked together to find places that had my major and looked as the size of those schools. I knew I wanted to run for a D3 team along the coast. I went to a bunch of schools in New York, and this was the only school I visited in Maryland, but I came here and Coach Jones was great and I loved it.
What's the biggest difference between life in your hometown and life here in Salisbury?
There's a lot of differences, I'd say. It's a lot warmer down here, which is nice. It gets really cold in New York really fast. And there are definitely more scenic runs – there's a lot of variety, not just suburban city, which is nice.
What's something you can turn to that reminds you of your hometown on the days when you miss it?
Usually I just call my parents, it's as simple as that.
How would you sell someone on visiting your hometown?
There's a lot of stuff to do nearby my town, like visiting Long Beach. There's a lot of great food in Oceanside, though.
Lia's Pizzeria is pretty great, they have a really good buffalo chicken ranch slice.
Salisbury University is a proud member of NCAA Division III with primary membership in the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference, along with affiliate membership in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (football, men's & women's swimming), Coastal Lacrosse Conference (men's lacrosse), State University of New York Athletic Conference (field hockey), and Colonial Women's Golf Conference (women's golf). With over 500 student-athletes in 23 varsity sports, SU is recognized as one of the nation's most competitive intercollegiate athletics programs regardless of division, featuring dedicated coaches and staff that foster excellence on and off the field. The Sea Gulls have won a combined 23 team national championships, 24 individual national championships, and 205 conference championships, and have produced 53 Academic All-Americans.
To Make Tomorrow Yours at Salisbury University, and learn more about Sea Gull Athletics' tradition of excellence, visit SUSeaGulls.com or follow on social media @SUSeaGulls.
