Cobra Spotlight- Vanessa Pina & Namoi Watson, Women's Cross Country

Posted: Sep 07, 2014

The "Cobra Spotlight" is a weekly highlight of a student-athlete at Coker College. Each week we take a different athlete from a different sport and display some facets to get more familiar with them. This week we take a look at Vanessa Pina and Namoi Watson, members of the women's cross country team.

Name: Vanessa M. Pina

Sport: Women’s cross country

Hometown: Modesto, Calif.

Year: Junior

Major: Art with a concentration in fine art

Why did you choose Coker? I chose Coker because of the amazing art program and I’m fond of the smallness of the city.

What is your best memory at Coker (athletic related)? My best athletic memory would have to be traveling with the team last year and watching the first race. I usually never get to see the women run, but I got to at that meet and I enjoyed it.

What is your best memory at Coker (non-athletic related)? My best non-athletic memory was attending the Destination Unknown trips last year. Especially the first one to Myrtle Beach to canoe and do the banana boat.

Which athletic team would you play on at Coker other than your own? I would love to have been a soccer player; I enjoy watching them play, if not that then Tennis. Tennis seems like an impossible sport for me, I tend to like sports I am terrible at.

Favorite class: My favorite class was Drawing I from 2014 spring semester.

Favorite professor: Jim Boden

Plans after graduation: Intern for a museum outside the U.S. and hopefully one day be able to work in art museums (set up, restoration, research). My back up is my English Literature minor, I want to also someday go to graduate school and get a teaching degree and teach.

Favorite movie: Singin’ in the Rain, absolutely love it.

Favorite type of music: 90’s music

Favorite food: That is a hard question to answer because every food seems to be my favorite, but if I had to choose one I would choose peanut butter. I love peanut butter.

Favorite sports team: Don’t have one, I never really watched sports on television. I enjoy the collegiate sports I have seen in person, but not enough to know a favorite team.

Favorite color: Blue or green

Favorite TV show: Bates Motel

Most prized possession: My grandmother’s necklace set.

What is something people may not know about you? I am ¼ Mexican, ¼ Cherokee, ¼ Yaque, and ¼ white. I really value my native background and most people don’t know that. I find heritage and family to be really important to me, and in most cases it is my motivation for some of my art pieces.

Do you have a nickname? If so, how did you get it? I have had several spin-off nicknames of my name, right now it’s Nessy. I guess because my name has ‘ness’ in it and something about the Loch Ness.

One word that describes you: Modest

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Name: Naomi Watson

Sport: Women’s cross country

Hometown: Greenville, S.C.

Year: Junior

Major: Psychology

Why did you choose Coker? The small school atmosphere and more individualized attention.

What is your best memory at Coker (athletic related)? Hanging out after a good competition with an awesome team.

What is your best memory at Coker (non-athletic related)? Bandfest

Which athletic team would you play on at Coker other than your own? Women’s soccer

Favorite class: Social Psychology

Favorite professor: Don Mac

Plans after graduation: Go to grad school and get a job that defines my success or fall into a rich fortune, whichever comes first.