Ashley Higginson, a New Jersey track star who graduated from Rutgers Law School-Newark in May, won the gold medal with a record time in the steeplechase event at the Pan American Games in Toronto, Canada.

In her biggest international victory, the former Colts Neck High School legend, who competed for Princeton University during her undergraduate years, came in first in 9:48.12 at the July 24 event. The steeplechase is a 3,000-meter race that requires clearing 28 hurdles and seven water jumps. It’s a race that Higginson says is “so different than normal distance runs, in that every 60 meters there is a more pressing matter than just lap after lap to consider, like a huge barrier that is not going to move out of your way.”

Higginson pursued her law degree as she trained for a spot on the 2016 U.S. Olympics team, after missing a 2012 berth by two seconds, finishing fourth. By reaching the Pan American Games finals, the U.S. team automatically qualified for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

In between law classes, studying and writing, Higginson ran 70 – 80 miles a week and spent more hours strength training and in physical therapy. In Toronto, she led an American first and second finish in the steeplechase with teammate Shalaya Kipp, who posted a time of 9:49.96, another meet record.

John Farmer Jr., the former dean of Rutgers Law School-Newark who taught Higginson, praised her remarkable achievement. "This, after graduating with honors from the law school in May," he said. "As a former runner, I am pretty much in awe." 

Earlier this week, Higginson tweeted good wishes to friends taking the bar exam, with a nod to her own bar plans in February.