Texas Tech senior Ruta Kate Lasmane, a five-time Latvian national champion and five-time NCAA Division 1 first-team All-American in the triple jump as well as a World Athletics Championships qualifier in August in Budapest, Hungary, joins DyeStat editor Erik Boal to discuss returning to the NCAA Division 1 Indoor Championships on March 9 at the TRACK at New Balance in Boston, Mass., after missing the indoor season last year recovering from injury. Lasmane, the Latvian indoor national triple jump record holder at 46-5.25 (14.15m) from 2021 who also boasts a wind-legal outdoor personal-best 46-7.25 (14.20m), will be joined by fellow Texas Tech competitor and French athlete Anne-Suzanna Fosther-Katta in the triple jump final, looking to join Nigerian standout Ruth Usoro as an NCAA indoor champion in the event for the Red Raiders. Lasmane, a bronze medalist in the triple jump at both the European Under-20 and Under-23 Championships, reflects on her outdoor season culminating at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest and having the opportunity to return home to compete in Latvia in front of family and friends in July at the national championships and in early August at the Baltic Team Championships. She shares how important it has been for her mental health to reconnect with family and friends multiple times a year, including a trip home during the winter holiday season. Lasmane explains how meaningful it is to be able to have several Latvian female athletes competing in Boston, including Illinois standout Darja Sopova in the triple jump, in addition to Kristine Blazevica of Texas and Eliza Kraule from Rice in the women's pentathlon. She also examines how special it is to be competing again at an NCAA final with Fosther-Katta in Boston after they both earned All-America first-team honors in June at the Division 1 outdoor championship meet in Austin, Texas. Lasmane speaks about her goal to qualify to represent Latvia in the Paris Olympics, and the inspiration gained from her father, Ugis Lasmanis, competing as a rower in the 1992 and 1996 Olympics, in addition to her brother, Karlis Lasmanis, making the winning shot for Latvia to capture the gold medal in the 3-on-3 men's basketball final at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. She also expresses gratitude for the wisdom, insight and guidance of jumps coach Keith Herston, both during her tenure at Florida State as well as competing for Texas Tech, along with explaining how important faith has been for Lasmane throughout her athletic career, both on and off the runway.