COLLEGE CROSS COUNTRY: SAYRE'S HUGHEY VERBALLY COMMITS TO MISERICORDIA (2020-04-06)
BY TIM BIRNEYValley Sports ReportSAYRE "” Sayre senior Kayla Hughey's verbal commitment to run cross country at Misericordia in the fall came about in large part due to the school's academics.
"It's one off the few schools in Pennsylvania that has my major," said Hughey, who will be majoring in Diagnostic Medical Stenography (ultra-sounding).
"I really liked (Misericordia)," she noted. "It's small, I like the area, and I like that it's close to home.
"The classes can be one-on-one, and I like that more than the thought of having 100 people in a lecture hall," Hughey added.
The recruitment process began at her first visit to campus.
"When I was there for my first visit, they told me about the cross country program, and gave me the coach's number," she said. "I contacted him, and we started communicating back-and-forth."
Misericordia coach Chris Wadas is entering his 14th season, and has had a number of Valley runners on his roster over the years, including Athens' Emily Arnold, and Sayre's Katie Hurley and Molly O'Hara.
Hughey, who qualified for the PIAA Cross Country Championships last fall, will keep training for the next level.
"I need to push myself," she said, "I will do speed work, mileage, tempo runs, and all that stuff to be ready."
Sayre cross country coach Randy Felt said Hughey will be a good fit at Misericordia.
"They have a nice program," he said. "We've had a few girls there over the years."
Felt notes the jump from 5K to 6K races will be the biggest adjustment.
"The one thing girls need to realize is the slight jump in distance," he said. "Most college races are 6k, not 5k like in high school.
"A college program is more distance training," noted Felt. "Kayla has always seemed to handle the distance without issue.
"She is a tough runner both physically and mentally," added Felt. "I am confident she will make an immediate impact as one of her teams top runners."
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IN PHOTO: Kayla Hughey.
