College runner Drew Zundell commits to Syracuse

MORGANTOWN — College Excessive College senior cross nation and observe state champion Drew Zundell is seeing orange after saying his dedication to proceed his tutorial and athletic careers for the Orange of Syracuse College on September twenty fourth.

The UHS senior will compete on each fronts for SU after profitable a number of state titles in each cross nation and observe all through his time at College, with the conclusion of the autumn season nonetheless to come back, and the observe season looming within the spring. His private greatest for cross-country is a powerful 15:30.

“The employees at Syracuse has been superb all through the recruiting course of,” Zundell mentioned. “I began speaking to them as quickly because the recruiting interval opened and it was by no means simply concerning the enterprise facet of it with them. One factor I actually revered about Coach Brien Bell was that he gave me plenty of recruiting recommendation about visiting locations outdoors of his program and gave me issues to look out for some other place in case I didn’t select Syracuse. That was positively one thing that stood out to me.”

Zundell mentioned he got here to grasp that being part of this system at Syracuse wasn’t for everybody, however that it wasn’t that he or the coaches needed to draw back from.

“They’re a really assured program of their skills but additionally who they’re,” he mentioned. “Once I went on my go to it was apparent how they run this system and the way onerous they work, they don’t simply compete to compete, you go there to win, and I felt that from the second I stepped on campus.”

Zundell mentioned he and his household have been invited for his go to throughout the Syracuse soccer sport in opposition to Colgate earlier within the season, and regardless that they didn’t go to the sport itself, the campus environment was one thing that caught his eye.

“There was a lot orange in all places,” he recalled. “The campus is gorgeous and never too unfold in all places and it didn’t remind me an excessive amount of of Morgantown.”

Now with the dedication out of the best way, Zundell mentioned he doesn’t really feel any change of stress both means, on or off of his shoulders, as profitable has at all times been first on his thoughts.

“I used to be at all times centered on profitable earlier than committing and I nonetheless wish to win after,” he mentioned. “I wish to proceed to run onerous and compete to the most effective of my capacity and for me to do something lower than that may be disrespectful. Coming from a small state like West Virginia, I do know not everyone seems to be as lucky as I’m to have this chance and I really feel blessed to have the ability to symbolize this state like plenty of nice runners and athletes have earlier than me. Working in West Virginia is one thing individuals can have a look at and say ‘Wow these guys are doing a little nice issues.’, and I simply need to have the ability to proceed saying that.”