By Jim Young
 
She's an accomplished equestrian who hopes to one day to be able to compete in a modern pentathlon which combines the disciplines of fencing, swimming, show jumping, pistol shooting and cross country running. In fact, her first sports memory is sitting on horse with her mother and she still enjoys riding when she returns home.
 
A chemistry major, she spent last summer working at a brewery in her native Germany, where she examined samples in different phases of the brewing process to assure proper fermentation of the yeast in the final stages of the brewing process.
 
She loves the solitude of the Lone Mountain Reading Room where she can be found diving into works by French writer Antoine de Saint-Exupery, author of her favorite book, "The Little Prince." The book's message of "it is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye," resonates with her so deeply with her she has a tattoo of the Little Prince on her left leg.
 
Often times she'll listen to the soundtrack Amélie, a 2001 French film about a young woman who endeavors to help and improve the lives of others around her, while furiously grinding a stationary bike into the ground.
 
Following graduation, she plans to pursue a career in food chemistry and make the planet a better place by eradicating the amount of plastic waste society produces each day.
 
Word of caution - don't been fooled by her quiet demeanor. Pound-for-pound, Elena Burkard might be the toughest athlete on the Hilltop.
 
A fifth-year senior, Burkard has overcome more than her fair share of obstacles and setbacks to compile a career worthy of hall of fame consideration. She quickly served notice by finishing second at the 2012 WCC Championships as a freshman and was named the conference's freshman of the year. She enjoyed an outstanding sophomore season, helping the Dons to a fifth straight WCC Championship and the program's best-ever finish at the NCAA Championships. On the track, she was a part of USF's distance medley relay team which raced to a school-record at the 2013 Washington Indoor Invitational. Her record-setting season earned Burkard USF's Anne Dolan Award which honors the school's top female athlete.
 
An injury limited her to just two cross country events in the fall of 2014 but Burkard bounced back during the spring to clock the team's best times in the 1500, 3000 and 5000 meter races. She earned All-WCC and All-Region cross country honors in the fall of 2015 as the Dons returned to the NCAA Championships. Burkard is now the undisputed leader of arguably the strongest team in school history.
 
Head coach Helen Lehman-Winters has mentored Burkard's development during her time on the Hilltop. "Elena led our team to its highest NCAA finish in program history, has been a member of a squad that went through a rebuilding phase and is now a leader of perhaps our best team ever," said Lehman-Winters. "She is as tough as nails and her passion to run and compete is inspirational. She never gives up, which a great attribute in our sport."
 
Burkard was introduced to running in high school after she was encouraged by a friend to join her for practice at the athletic club in her hometown of Baiersbronn, Germany, which is situated in the Black Forest on the Murg River. It didn't take long to realize she had a natural gift. "Competing was super fun," she said. "My coach at the time also realized that anything involving coordination or a ball wasn't necessarily my strength, so I devoted myself to running."
 
Burkard's competitive nature was fueled by training almost exclusively with men. "Before I came to USF, I never trained with girls before. At home, I would always run with and compete against the guys. I think that toughened me up. I still love training with them when I go home for the holidays."
 
Burkard came to USF as a quiet freshman who admits she was completely overwhelmed by her new surroundings. She originally planned on staying in San Francisco for just a year but her new hometown and teammates quickly won her over.
 
"My teammates showed me how much fun a team sport can be," said Burkard. "During rough times they helped me up every time I fell, and accepted me the way I am. I got injured quite a few times during my college career, but I never ever thought about quitting my sport, because nobody at USF let me doubt for a second that wouldn't return from any of my injuries stronger than I was before.
 
"I'm a fifth year senior now, and if you would find me another year of eligibility I would take it. USF, my coaches and my teammates taught me so much more than just chemical formulas. I learned compassion, friendship, courage, responsibility, and I learned a lot about who I am as a person, and who I want to be."
 
"Know Your Dons" is an on-going feature on USFDons.com designed to personalize the student-athletes of the University of San Francisco. From Baiersbronn, Germany, meet Elena Burkard.
 
Student Life
Favorite spot on campus: LoMo (Lone Mountain) Reading Room.
Favorite class: Kitchen Science – food and science is always a winning combination.
Hardest class: Physical chemistry.
Favorite place to study on campus: LoMo Reading Room
Balancing the demands of school and your sport: No matter how stressful school can get, I know that team practice means that at least two hours of my day are reserved for what I love most, and to be around great people.
The best thing about USF is: The small class size and the location
 
Pop Culture
Favorite TV show: Scrubs
Favorite movie: The Intouchables
Last book you read: "Avenue of Mysteries" by John Irving. I highly recommend it!
Favorite singer or band: Currently Tom Rosenthal
What's on your iPOD: The soundtrack of Amélie
 
Team
Top skill: My toughness
One thing you are always working on: Being patient and not over-run workouts too early
One skill of one of your teammates you wish you had: I wish I could overcome little injuries with the same positive mindset and patience as Ashley Moffett does.
Pre-game rituals or superstitions before events: Pinning my reindeer neckless to my sports bra.
Funniest teammate: Kelsey Nielsen
Favorite Helen Lehman-Winters saying: "Where do we live? Paradise!"
Favorite bonding moment with your team: Every training camp we've had up at Serene Lakes in Lake Tahoe.
 
Sports
Sports teams I follow: The German equestrian team
Favorite athlete: David Rudisha, a Kenyan middle-distance runner.
Favorite athletic memory: The 2013 NCAA Cross Country Championships in Terre Haute, Indiana.
Biggest sports thrill: Standing at the starting line in Terre Haute with 300 talented runners.
My second-best sport: Summer biathlon.
Sport I'm the worst at: Anything that involves a ball, or really any sort of coordination.
Earliest sports memory: Sitting on a horse together with my mum.
First sport you ever played: Equestrian.
 
Food and Travel
Favorite meal: Breakfast with German bread
Favorite ethnic cuisine: Mediterranean
Favorite snack food: Nuts
Guilty pleasure: Chocolate
Least favorite food: Meat
If I had to cook all of my meals, I'd survive on: Eggs and salad
Who is the best cook on the team: Kelsey Nielsen
If stranded on an island, what would you bring with you: My "Little Prince" book
Most interesting place you've ever visited: Rovaniemi, a tiny village in Finland.
Place you'd most like to visit someday: Iceland
Favorite place in San Francisco: Lands End trails
Describe your perfect day in San Francisco: Getting up early for a nice long run with my team. Then brunch at Cinderella's before going to Crissy Fields to read a good book laying in the grass and finishing the day of with a bonfire at Ocean Beach
 
This and That
Hobbies: Summer biathlon, cycling, cross country skiing, equestrian.
Pick three words to describe yourself: Sarcastic, ambitious, perfectionist.
Early riser or night owl: Early riser.
Something people would be surprised to know about me: I worked for a few months in the lab of a brewery and loved it.
Person I'd most like to meet: Meredith Michaels Beerbaum
Talent I wish I had: Not to make a mountain out of a molehill when facing obstacles
Role models: My mum
My mum was right when she said: "You'll have a great time at university"
Moment in my life I'll always remember: When I won the bronze medal at the German youth championships as an absolute underdog.
Things I collect: Anything with a gecko on it, my bib numbers, and key cards from hotels.
In 10 years, I'd like to be: A scientist who reduced to amount of plastic waste.
Pet peeves: People getting and extra plastic cup of water from Starbucks – really unnecessary waste.
Person from history you would like to have dinner with: Antoine de Saint-Exupery.
Cats or dogs: Cats
Describe your perfect day: I love winter at home when I can go cross country skiing in a glittering, quiet world of ice and snow.
Describe your hometown: Baiersbronn is a tiny town in the German Black Forest. It lives from tourism, because people from all over the world value the stunning nature, and the very clean air and water. Baiersbronn is also famous for its high cuisine; we have eight Michelin Stars!
 
Jim Young '85 returned to his alma mater in October of 2012 as an associate athletic director for communications.