Chelsea track and field star signs with Slippery Rock University

The hard work and dedication is paying off for Chelsea senior Makayla Kegerreis.

A standout student-athlete at Chelsea High School, Kegerreis recently signed to run track and field at Slippery Rock University.

“Before I called my SRU coach to commit it was almost a feeling of relief because I’ve put my all into this sport for so long and it was just exciting to know that it has finally paid off,” Kegerreis told The Sun Times News. “I would spend Christmas and New Years afternoons at the track doing a workout in 20 degree weather and hunting down a track any time I was on a vacation to make sure I was still on track to get to where I wanted. It’s exciting to know that all those extra days at the track helped me accomplish my goal of running in college.”

Some of her athletic highlights include: SEC White long jump champion, part of the All-State 4x400 relay team that finished 8th
and part of the state qualifying 4x100 relay team, and she’s also an amazing field hockey player.

In picking SRU, Kegerreis said it was very relieving to commit because she’s been working on getting recruited since eighth grade, so it was nice to know that she was done with the process and was happy with her choice.

“I chose Slippery Rock because they have a really strong pre-physical therapy program that I’m interested in and I’m able to run at a competitive level,” she said looking ahead. “All the coaches are super knowledgeable and the campus is very pretty so it was definitely a combination of all the aspects I was looking for.”

photo by Mike Williamson

Getting to this point involved her putting forth a strong commitment. She said she owes a lot of thanks to those who supported her along the way.

“My family and my coaches were a huge impact on this decision,” she said. “I’m so thankful that my family was willing to travel all around the country to help find the right fit for me as well as just constantly believing in me and pushing me to be the best that I can. I have also been extremely lucky to have amazing coaches that I would trust with my life and have been a huge part of why I love track so much. Coach Kruse, Coach Thorburn, Coach Houle, and Coach Rodriguez have all taken extra time out of their lives to help me improve and work on both mental and physical aspects of becoming a stronger athlete.”

Looking back on her time in high school, she said it’s been a great four years competing for the strong program that they have in Chelsea.

“I’ve met so many amazing teammates and coaches that have really made the sport better,” she said. “The dedication of the team is more dedication than I’ve seen anywhere else and it’s definitely made me want to work harder to be at the level where I’m able to compete both within my own team and within the state.”

photo by Mike Williamson