Kenadee Wayt has been walking about the Mount Union campus like she’s on prime of the planet.

And, actually, as it pertains to NCAA Division III sprinting, she is.

The Wheeling Central graduate enjoyed performances to don’t forget in Birmingham final weekend at the NCAA Division III National Indoor Track and Field Championships.

Wayt not only added 4 a lot more All-American finishes to her resume, but she became the Purple Raiders most up-to-date national champion when she won the 200 meter dash, turning in a blazing, private-greatest time of 24.31.

“I honestly nevertheless cannot even think it occurred,” Wayt stated throughout a telephone interview. “It was just a surreal weekend.”

Along with the 200, Wayt earned All-American in the 60M dash, 400M dash and the 4×400 relay. All told, she’s now an 11-time All-American.

Simply because of the sheer volume of races she had to endure, particularly throughout Friday’s qualifying rounds, Wayt admitted she was a lot more nervous than regular.

“Knowing that I could potentially have eight races to run weighed on me (Friday),” Wayt stated. “I was not in the greatest mindset throughout the prelim rounds.”

That goes a extended way in explaining how Wayt, who came into the nationals as the prime seed in the 200, ended up posting the sixth-greatest time in the qualifying round.

“Because of that, Wayt competed in the 1st heat and led to some nervous moments as she watched the ‘hot’ heat unfold.

“It was the longest 5 minutes of my life,” Wayt stated of the time amongst her finish and the finish of the subsequent heat. “I knew I had (ran) a sturdy time when I crossed the line and I believed it could hold up, but as I watched the subsequent heat, I didn’t know and located myself mentally saying, ‘please slow down.’”

As the sprinters approached the line the anxiousness climbed. Then the instances flashed on the board.

“It was honestly unbelievable,” Wayt stated. “And then my teammates and coaches began essentially tackling me in celebration.”

When Wayt completely enjoyed the assistance from the Mount Union delegation, she couldn’t wait to obtain a person in the crowd who knew not only her nicely, but also winning national championships for the Purple Raiders.

“The 1st issue I wanted to do was obtain my mom (Heather (O’Shea) Wayt),” Wayt stated.

The two located every single other just a handful of minutes later and to say it was an emotional meeting would be promoting it brief.

“As quickly as we saw every single other, we each broke down,” Wayt stated. “We have been just crying and hugging. The reality of what I achieved actually began to set in when I saw her. It was just a actually cool moment.”

Definitely just about every parent in Birmingham to watch his or her kid compete was proud, but for the Wayt’s it was compounded by the truth that Heather had won 3 national titles throughout her collegiate profession.

“It was just a actually cool moment to share with her,” Wayt stated.

Even though it reconvened later, the quick celebration was place on hold simply because Wayt had to get warmed up for the 4×4, which they completed in fifth location.

Wayt was third in the 400 and fourth in the 60 prior to splitting a 57 leg in the 4×4.

“The 4×4 was not my greatest race, but I had run a superior 60M (dash) and had like 4 hours prior to my subsequent occasion, so that actually set me up with a optimistic mindset for the rest of the day and actually had my adrenaline going,” Wayt stated. “I had the 200 in the back of my thoughts when I ran the 400 and ran a (private record) by half a second.”

Given that returning to Alliance final Sunday, Wayt has received a lot more nicely wishes and congratulations than she can even count. She’s grow to be a celebrity on the campus of two,300 students.

“It appears like all of my classmates and professors are all congratulating me,” Wayt stated. “I am actually grateful for all of the assistance I’ve received.”

When she’s nevertheless basking in the title, she’s also acquiring back to perform simply because in the planet of collegiate track and field there’s not a lot of time to rest on one’s accomplishments.

Wayt and the rest of the Purple Raiders resumed their coaching to start preparing for the outside season, which starts later this month.

“That’s the hardest portion of indoor is going proper back into it and maintaining it going via outside,” Wayt stated. “April is the hardest portion of the year for me. You are coming off indoor and then getting to push a reset button and begin rebuilding the volume and heavy lifting, if you will. You can get beat down in April and have to reload for conference meet and into NCAAs if you are fortunate sufficient to make it. That is usually been tough for me.”

When it is been a challenge, it is one particular that Wayt’s met every single and just about every time. She’s also been about this extended sufficient to recognize that indoor results does not usually carry more than to outside.

“It’s definitely two unique seasons and results indoors does not usually correlate,” Wayt presented. “Obviously, there comes some new pressures, also. But, it is a superior stress. I am just going to retain operating tough and we’ll see exactly where it requires us.”

Simply because of her impressive time to finish the indoor campaign, Wayt is unsure what she’ll post outdoors. She has a handful of ambitions in thoughts, nevertheless.

“I am excited to see what time I am going to run,” Wayt stated. “I would like to get into the 23s.”

Combining Wayt’s perform ethic, determination and God-offered speed, I firmly think — with the right climate circumstances and level of competitors — she will break into the 23s and hence one more chapter to her continually developing story will be written.

NCAA WRESTLING

West Virginia University had six wrestlers earn their way to Tulsa this weekend for the NCAA National Tournament. Two of these — Peyton Hall and Anthony Carman — are Ohio Valley merchandise.

Carman, who wrestled at John Marshall, won his pigtail match, but then dropped two consecutive bouts on Thursday and was eliminated.

Hall, meanwhile, was a returning All-American. He dropped his 1st match of the tournament, but won his 1st wrestle-back match to stay alive into Friday exactly where he was eliminated.

Various Ohio Valley merchandise competing at the Division I level is actually superior in its personal proper. Obtaining two, on one particular group, in the national tournament is a lot more than impressive.

SETH’S SCOOPS

ST. CLAIRSVILLE Class of 1987 graduate Ron Balog has been hired as the new head football coach at Freedom Higher College in Western Pennsylvania. Interestingly, Freedom’s game on Sept. 29 is against Western Beaver, which is coached by Ron Busby, who is also a St. Clairsville graduate.

HARRISON CENTRAL grad Kobe Mitchell, who has played basketball for the final two seasons at the University of Akron, has entered himself into the transfer portal.

Mitchell appeared in 24 games this season just after redshirting in 2021-22. So, he would have 3 years of eligibility remaining.

VALLEY Higher College will not field baseball or softball teams this spring.

Today’s breaking news and a lot more in your inbox