Daniel Abramowicz
With the high school season in the rearview, many utilize the summer weeks to prepare for the upcoming athletic seasons. This fall, an array of prep track and field athletes will transition to the collegiate level, competing in NCAA DI, DII, DIII, and NAIA.
For some, this means earning an athletic scholarship to compete at the next level, while others may choose to pursue a collegiate team as a walk-on.
Regardless of the route taken, hard work and dedication will both factor in the classroom and during competition, as the athletes ascend the student-athlete ladder over the next few years. So far, at least sixteen track and field athletes are poised to make strides collegiately, with six staying in-state to represent the 907, and three pursuing the Division I level.
Payton Smith
Six-time state champion Daniel Abramowicz of West Valley leads the list of signees after committing to the University of San Francisco. With personal bests of 1:57.09, 4:20.19, and 9:12.68, Abramowicz will look to continue growing his talent in the Don’s distance program.
Across cross country and track and field, Payton Smith of West Anchorage qualified for the state championships nine times, with three coming at the 1,600 distance. Her personal bests of 5:11.12 in the 1,600 and 11:19.75 in the 3,200 both were top-three times in the state this year, paired with a seventh-place finish during the cross country season. The Oregon Beavers are sure to be ecstatic as they continue to grow their rising team, which boasts recent all-Americans on the women’s distance.
Five-time state placer Jared Gardiner of Dimond High will aim to be a part of a stacked roster at Brigham Young University. In 2019, the Cougars took home the NCAA DI team title in cross country, and claimed the individual title last fall. While many have since graduated, Gardiner, who only trailed Abramowicz this season, will look to continue his success, recording personal bests of 4:23.70 and 9:18.73 this spring.
The UAA Seawolves will add a slew of talented athletes from around the state and among various disciplines. West Valley’s Olivia Manley leads the contingent as a two-time state champion and five-time medalist in the sprints, with personal bests of 12.48 in the 100 and 25.40 in the 200.
Accompanying Manley will be Soldotna’s Jordan Strausbaugh, a runner-up finisher in the 800 and a third-place finisher in the 1,600 at the state championships, with personal bests of 2:19.14 and 5:18.93. Avery Williamson of Haines, the 1A/2A state cross country champion in 2019, rounds out the trio.
Grace Christian standout Ty Elliott brings speed in the 800 and long-distance events to the Seawolves, with a 2:01 personal best in the two-lap event. Morgan Grant of Chugiak and Cole Shepherd of Eagle River add versatility in the jumps, sprints, and middle-distance events. Shepherd recorded times of 51.29 in the 400 and 1:59.74 in the 800, while Grant’s bests include 51.95 in the 400 and 19 feet, 10 inches in the long jump.
Jordan Strausbaugh
Soldotna’s Dylan Dahlgren will seek accolades in two sports, as he signed to play football and compete in throws for the Dickinson State track and field team in North Dakota. Dahlgren leaves the Stars as a state champion in the discus and runner-up in the shot put, with throws of 162 feet, 11 inches in the discus, and 56 feet, 3 inches in the shot put.
His SoHi teammate Nate Johnson, a 51.93 runner in the 400 and 2:00.65 runner in the 800, signed to run track and field at Colorado Christian.
Redington’s Cort Sandefur will be headed to MSU-Billings to throw for the Yellowjackets. Sandefur is coming off a stellar season for the Huskies, as the Division 2 state champion in the shot put and runner-up in the discus, throwing 45 feet, 6 inches in the shot put, and 144 feet, 3 inches in the discus.
Cort Sandefur
Southeast sprint star James Connally signed his letter of intent to continue his career at Eastern Oregon University. Connally led the Juneau-Douglas Crimson Bears with three runner-up finishes at the state championships throughout his career, with three sub-11 races for 100 meters and a personal best of 22.80 in the 200.
Kodiak’s Micah Fields will continue his running career at Westmont College in California. In 2021, Fields was runner-up in the 3,200, a part of the winning 4×800 relay, and picked up a fourth-place finish at the cross country state championships. He leaves the Bears with personal bests of 2:04.48, 4:36.20, and 9:41.48.
Keegan Laughlin
Lathrop’s Keegan Laughlin is poised to compete in the throwing events for Pacific Lutheran. Laughlin placed runner-up in the discus, while also qualifying in the shot put for the Malemutes. His best throws are 142 feet, 9 inches for discus, and 42 feet, 6.5 inches for shot put.
Service’s Jordan Hayes is slated to run for Linfield University in Oregon. Hayes capped her career as a four-time state qualifier in the sprints with the Cougars, leaving with a personal best of 1:01.79 in the 400.