Fresh off her gold medal win in the 4x100m relay at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Twanisha “TeeTee” Terry isn’t just sprinting past competitors—she’s been outrunning stereotypes her entire career. While her fifth-place finish in the individual 100m left fans craving more, Terry’s focus is already shifting to the 2025 World Championships and beyond. But behind the spikes and podium moments lies another victory lap: her academic hustle. Let’s dive into where this Miami speedster honed her mind and her muscles.
Where Did Twanisha “TeeTee” Terry Go to College?
TeeTee Terry traded Miami’s beaches for USC’s track glory in 2017, committing to the University of Southern California (USC) after a record-smashing high school career. Why USC? Coach Caryl Smith Gilbert’s reputation for molding champions, like Olympic medalist Kendall Ellis, sealed the deal. “I met Coach Caryl at the Florida Relays and knew she’d push me,” Terry once said, adding that USC’s mix of elite athletics and academic rigor felt like “home.”
Paris 2024 Olympics – Athletics – Women’s 100m Round 1 – Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France – August 02, 2024. Twanisha Terry of United States reacts during the heats. REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier
The Trojans got a steal. By her freshman year, Terry had already shattered USC’s 100m record (10.99 seconds) and anchored the 4x100m relay team to a school-record 42.57 seconds. But her college choice wasn’t just about trophies—it was about legacy. “I wanted to follow athletes like Angela Williams,” she shared, referencing USC’s four-time NCAA 100m champ.
TeeTee Terry’s Academic Journey at the University of Southern California
While Terry was blazing down tracks and collecting medals, she was also rewriting the rulebook on student-athlete hustle. The sprinter graduated from USC’s Annenberg School in just three years with a Bachelor’s in Communications—and, oh yeah, tacked on a minor in Forensics and Criminality because “sleep is overrated,” as she joked in interviews. How’d she pull it off? Think 4 a.m. study sessions, 20-unit semesters, and cranking out essays between relay practice reps.
“Time management isn’t a skill—it’s survival,” she once laughed, crediting USC’s support system for helping her navigate NCAA chaos and cross-country meet schedules. But Terry didn’t stop there. In 2020, as COVID-19 wiped out the track season, she swapped spikes for crochet hooks (“stress relief!”) and dove into a Master’s in Entrepreneurship and Innovation. “Education opens doors,” she told Track & Field News. “I want kids to chase diplomas and dreams.”
Her academic trophy case? Stacked. She and teammate Anna Cockrell broke USC’s dry spell as the school’s first CoSIDA Academic All-Americans since 2017. Dean’s List honors every year? Check. And in a random flex that’s pure Terry, she aced a 911 dispatch certification exam with a 95%, quipping, “Guess I’m good under pressure!” Now, fresh off a Paris 2024 relay gold, she’s eyeing Tokyo’s 2025 Worlds and a hometown showdown at LA 2028. But Terry’s already plotting life after track: maybe a sports media empire, maybe criminal justice reform. At a recent FAU meet-and-greet, she dropped truth bombs for student-athletes: “You can’t sprint forever. Your brain? That’s the ultimate backup plan.” Master’s degree in hand, she’s proof that speed isn’t just for the track—it’s for outrunning expectations.
TeeTee Terry’s story isn’t just about speed—it’s about balance. From USC classrooms to Olympic podiums, she’s proven that champions aren’t made on the track alone. As she gears up for 2025, remember: her degrees are as much a part of her legacy as those gold medals. Catch her in Tokyo… or maybe on a TED Talk stage someday.
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