Northmor senior Ryan Lehman signs his letter of intent to run cross country, as well as both indoor and outdoor track, at Mount Vernon Nazarene University.
Rob Hamilton | Morrow County Sentinel
After finishing his senior year at Northmor, Ryan Lehman will look to continue a strong running career in cross county and track with Mount Vernon Nazarene University.
The Golden Knight athlete said that the local school had a lot of positives to offer.
“I went on a visit there and I really liked the atmosphere and the campus and the students there and price-wise, they made it very possible,” he said. “Then I met the team and the coach and it really seemed like the right place.”
Lehman, who is planning to major in either education or engineering, added that it still wasn’t an easy decision, as a few other colleges also had his attention.
“It definitely took me a fair amount of time,” he said. “I started looking at the end of junior year and didn’t decide until early November my senior year. I probably visited seven different colleges in that time until I decided. Definitely in the back of my mind, Mount Vernon Nazarene was still there as one of the leaders, if not the best college.”
Lehman will compete in cross country, as well as both indoor and outdoor track. He plans to take part in a variety of distance races.
“In cross country we run the 8K instead of the 5K and in track, I’m hoping to run the 10K and then keep doing the 5K and 4-by-8 relay,” he said.
Lehman noted that it will be an adjustment to run a longer distance for cross country, but he expects to be prepared for that change.
“It will definitely be a big adjustment, but I assume we’ll train for it and be prepared come race season,” he commented.
He is looking forward to both trying new events, as well as getting to know his new teammates.
“I’m definitely looking for the opportunity to grow with some new teammates and grow spiritually, too,” he said. “And try out some different races and the opportunities when you get in college with different events.”
Lehman added that he’s excited about the higher level of competition that he’ll face at the collegiate level.
“I’m excited about the higher competition and some good races,” he said. “Getting to run with people I’d gotten to run with in high school and some new faces.”
He hopes that his big-meet experience from high school, where he’s competed in multiple regional and state competitions, will help in making that adjustment.
“I think that will be kind of cool to compare in college and maybe help me a little bit in college,” he said. “I’ll be not quite as nervous and a little bit more ready for some of these big meets with more competition.”
While Lehman is looking forward to the college experience, he will miss competing for Northmor.
“I’m looking forward to individual freedom and the chance to relax and see what I’ll do with my life in four years,” he said. “I’ll definitely miss my coaches and teammates.”
Rob Hamilton can be reached at 419-946-3010, ext. 1807. Connect with him on Twitter at @SportsMCS
