All-American. Pac-12 Champion. NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championship Hurdler. It's safe to say that Talie Bonds has a long list of track and field accolades.
 
However, those accolades and the spectacular student-athlete that Bonds has become wouldn't have been possible without her older sister's influence when Talie was a high school freshman who dreamed of playing collegiate volleyball.
 
"I started running track my high school freshman year," said Bonds. "The only reason I did it was because my older sister did it and she really loved it. I decided to give it a try, even though I hated running. My dream was to go to college and play volleyball."
 
Taking a chance on running helped Talie gain Gatorade Player of Year honors in 2017 before receiving a scholarship to be a heptathlete at Utah State University. Two years later she transferred to Arizona, focusing on the 100m hurdles and the high jump, which paid dividends at the 2022 Pac-12 Outdoor Championships, where she won the high jump and placed third in the short hurdles.
 
From the start, Talie's sister, Tiana (who also competed in track and field at Arizona), provided a huge impact on Talie's development.
 
"She was a senior when I was a freshman in high school, so we got to do one year together, which was so much fun," said Talie. "She was like a coach to me instead of a teammate and she taught me everything that she knew. She's one of the main reasons why I started and has helped me through the whole process of sports."
 
Talie's support system for becoming a Division I student-athlete doesn't just stem from her sister Tiana, it includes her mom who was a track athlete, her dad played basketball, and her other sister, Quincy, who is a member of the Arizona soccer team. The Bonds family is familiar with the world of sports and supportive of Talie's pursuits as an athlete.
 
"We would go out to the track after volleyball, because I was doing volleyball at the same time, and we would do our workouts together," Talie said about her mom. "My parents have been to almost every single meet I've ever had, including the collegiate ones, so they're flying across the country to watch me. It's just so cool to have that kind of support system."
 
The support doesn't stop there, as Talie's husband, husky lab, and husky German Shepherd are huge components of her life as well.
 
"I think that's another reason why I've been able to accomplish what I have," said Bonds on getting married. "Having a support system and being more focused on what I want out of life. I also love my dogs; they're like my kids. Everybody always thinks I'm weird because I treat them like that, but I love doing stuff with them."
 
From the impactful cheering section and Bond's hard work has come her long list of accolades. Out of those, being named an All-American was a surreal moment for her.
 
"When I first went to college as a freshman, that was my goal, to be an All-American. I told myself I want to be an All-American by the time I leave and so when I did that last year, it was like a weight was lifted off me and I had finally done it."
 
Balancing athletic goals and performances with the rest of life is no small task, however. Balance has proven to be crucial to Bonds not just as an athlete, but as a student and as a human being. It's something she learned growing up in a family that was so involved in so many different sports.
 
"It's kind of like a habit now," Talie said. "My parents taught me to always have balance in life. I think you make time for things that you want, so it's just important to remember what your goals are and what you want to do. Make time for those things that are going to make you a better person."
 
This idea truly embodies how Bonds feels about her collegiate experience when she had the opportunity to reflect on her time at the University of Arizona.
 
"I've enjoyed how much I can see that I've grown not only athletically but personally," said Talie about her time as a Wildcat. "I think ever since I got here, I've just been a different person with a different view on life, and I think it's really helped me accomplish what I've been able to do."
 
It's easy to maintain a mindset like this when the accomplishments are rolling, but when adversity strikes it can be equally as easy to forget. However, Talie realizes this when obstacles arise like injuries, and she has been able to overcome obstacles because of the principles by which she lives her life.
 
"I've been injured. That's one of the reasons why I stopped doing the heptathlon because I just kept re-injuring myself," stated Bonds. "It's hard to say you must be patient with obstacles, but I mean it is true, especially with injuries. You can't rush yourself back into anything. You must plan for yourself, stick to that plan, see the bigger picture, and have hope that things are going to get better."
 
Talie's list of Arizona accomplishments goes to the classroom as well, as she received her bachelor's in sociology with a crime in society emphasis and is currently working on getting her master's degree in real estate development. Although she is still undecided on what job she will pursue in the future, there's no doubt she will be successful with the work ethic and the principles of life she has developed. Of course, track and field life won't necessarily go away either.
 
"The dream would be to continue to train after this year and run professionally," said Talie.
 
That dream starts this season, with goals already being set in hopes of topping an impressive 2022 campaign.

"Every year I make it my goal to be better than I was the previous year," explained Bonds. "With that being said, I would love to make it back to Nationals. I'd love to make it to Indoor Nationals as well because I've never done that. That would be a huge accomplishment. I want to earn another All-American award, hopefully placing higher than I did last year. I would also really like to get the mark that would qualify me to be able to compete in the Olympic Trials."
 
Talie Bonds' pursuit of those goals, along with the rest of the track and field squad, will begin on January 20, with the start of the indoor season at the Lumberjack Team Challenge.