Stover signs to run distance for UT-Martin
By Tammy Wilhite
Sports editor
pistol@myspartanews.com
During a week that was dominated with major college football signing talk all across the country, White County High School had their own athlete ink a college letter of intent, but it was not on the gridiron.
WCHS senior cross country standout, Alex Stover, signed her scholarship with the University of Tennessee at Martin to run cross country and distance track.
Stover has steadily improved her times in both cross country and track over her four-year career and has really stepped things up over the past year.
Last spring, Stover made her inaugural trip to the state track meet earning a spot in the 3200-meter run as a junior. She followed that up in the fall of her senior year with her second trip to the state cross country meet. She finished sixth in the region and led the WCHS team to their first-ever trip to the state as a team. Stover finished 42nd in the state with a time of 20:37.40. Stover finished ninth in the region as a junior advancing to the state. She finished 76th as a junior with a time of 21:25.
Stover excels as a distance runner and will have a chance to show that as a Skyhawk runner since college has longer distances that can be ran.
According to WCHS cross country coach, Mark Voyles, “Alex is one of the better long distance runners I’ve seen. She’ll be a great 10,000 meter runner at the college level. She can run for a long distance at a good pace and not tail off. She doesn’t necessarily have the foot speed to do the 800 meter. She needs a longer race. She doesn’t get worn out.”
Track coach, David Bruce agrees.
“She’ll be great at the college level. She has been awesome. When she came out as a freshman, I thought with her frame, she would make a good runner, but I thought it would be in the 800. As it turned out, she is a multi-miler. The more miles she runs, the better she gets. Her success in college will be in the distance races. I’m so proud of her. She has worked so hard.”
Voyles added, “Alex started out kind of slow. She was hurt her freshman year. Her sophomore year, she ran regularly and did okay. Her junior year, she really turned things around and started pushing herself to become the runner she is right now. I know Coach Sanders at Martin is very excited because she will be one of the top three runners right off the bat for the cross country team.”
When she made her visit to Martin, Stover, who plans to major in fine arts, made the decision that was the school for her.
“When I went and visited the arts department and met with the coach, I knew this was the place for me. They seemed very enthusiastic about the sort of things I am enthusiastic about. They were very welcoming and nice.”
As far as her major goes, Stover knows she wants to do something with art.
“I want to do art. Maybe do a graphic novel, write a book and illustrate it. I know I just want to do anything that has to do with drawing.”
Stover considered other colleges before settling on the west Tennessee school that is a member of the Ohio Valley Conference. She looked at schools such as Lipscomb, ETSU and UT-Chattanooga.
Stover explains what got her into cross country.
“I have always just enjoyed running. It is just a fun thing to do. It gets your mind off things. I knew I wanted to fill my life with something worth pursuing. As far as my goals at college, I have stories I want to write down and bring to others. I want to improve as a runner and as an artist.”
Stover will join two former teammates at the collegiate level of competition in track and field. One of those is Lacy Yslas, who is currently a member of the Tennessee Tech track team, which means the two will be on teams that compete against each other in the same conference.
Voyles talked about the fact that WCHS will have three competing in college.
“Bringing the sport back has been good for our students. We have Casey Bales and Lacy Yslas both competing and Markie (Voyles) had already been offered several scholarships. Alex will be competing next year and I expect to have a couple sign next year as well. We have set a precedent in giving kids an opportunity to get their college education paid for if they are willing to put the work into it.”
WCHS athletic director, Terry Crain, noted, “It’s always a great day whenever White County High School has a student sign a scholarship to further their education. Alex is a hard worked. She will do very well at UT-Martin. We wish her all the best.”
With her signature on the papers for next year, Stover still has work to do at the high school level. Spring track is just around the corner and she is already spending time in preparation for the coming season in hopes of making a repeat trip to the state track meet in May.
Last spring, Stover made her inaugural trip to the state track meet earning a spot in the 3200-meter run as a junior. She followed that up in the fall of her senior year with her second trip to the state cross country meet. She finished sixth in the region and led the WCHS team to their first-ever trip to the state as a team. Stover finished 42nd in the state with a time of 20:37.40. Stover finished ninth in the region as a junior advancing to the state. She finished 76th as a junior with a time of 21:25.
Stover excels as a distance runner and will have a chance to show that as a Skyhawk runner since college has longer distances that can be ran.
According to WCHS cross country coach, Mark Voyles, “Alex is one of the better long distance runners I’ve seen. She’ll be a great 10,000 meter runner at the college level. She can run for a long distance at a good pace and not tail off. She doesn’t necessarily have the foot speed to do the 800 meter. She needs a longer race. She doesn’t get worn out.”
Track coach, David Bruce agrees.
“She’ll be great at the college level. She has been awesome. When she came out as a freshman, I thought with her frame, she would make a good runner, but I thought it would be in the 800. As it turned out, she is a multi-miler. The more miles she runs, the better she gets. Her success in college will be in the distance races. I’m so proud of her. She has worked so hard.”
Voyles added, “Alex started out kind of slow. She was hurt her freshman year. Her sophomore year, she ran regularly and did okay. Her junior year, she really turned things around and started pushing herself to become the runner she is right now. I know Coach Sanders at Martin is very excited because she will be one of the top three runners right off the bat for the cross country team.”
When she made her visit to Martin, Stover, who plans to major in fine arts, made the decision that was the school for her.
“When I went and visited the arts department and met with the coach, I knew this was the place for me. They seemed very enthusiastic about the sort of things I am enthusiastic about. They were very welcoming and nice.”
As far as her major goes, Stover knows she wants to do something with art.
“I want to do art. Maybe do a graphic novel, write a book and illustrate it. I know I just want to do anything that has to do with drawing.”
Stover considered other colleges before settling on the west Tennessee school that is a member of the Ohio Valley Conference. She looked at schools such as Lipscomb, ETSU and UT-Chattanooga.
Stover explains what got her into cross country.
“I have always just enjoyed running. It is just a fun thing to do. It gets your mind off things. I knew I wanted to fill my life with something worth pursuing. As far as my goals at college, I have stories I want to write down and bring to others. I want to improve as a runner and as an artist.”
Stover will join two former teammates at the collegiate level of competition in track and field. One of those is Lacy Yslas, who is currently a member of the Tennessee Tech track team, which means the two will be on teams that compete against each other in the same conference.
Voyles talked about the fact that WCHS will have three competing in college.
“Bringing the sport back has been good for our students. We have Casey Bales and Lacy Yslas both competing and Markie (Voyles) had already been offered several scholarships. Alex will be competing next year and I expect to have a couple sign next year as well. We have set a precedent in giving kids an opportunity to get their college education paid for if they are willing to put the work into it.”
WCHS athletic director, Terry Crain, noted, “It’s always a great day whenever White County High School has a student sign a scholarship to further their education. Alex is a hard worked. She will do very well at UT-Martin. We wish her all the best.”
With her signature on the papers for next year, Stover still has work to do at the high school level. Spring track is just around the corner and she is already spending time in preparation for the coming season in hopes of making a repeat trip to the state track meet in May.
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