After finishing her senior year with the Highland track and field team, Peyton Carpenter will move on to Otterbein, where she will compete for that university while majoring in nursing.
Carpenter could name a number of reasons why the Westerville school was an attractive destination for her, including the caliber of the nursing program, its proximity to home and simply enjoying the campus. Also, her older brother, Chase, also goes to Otterbein.
“Yeah, that was a little factor,” she said of that. “But I obviously took into consideration how good the nursing program is and the distance from home. My first time on campus, it made me feel at home. The most important factor for me was how comfortable I felt. It’s also close to the city and great for networking when I become a nurse.”
Carpenter also was impressed when she met head coach Dara Ford.
“When I met the head coach for the first time, you could tell she was all about me,” she said. “It’s a laid-back, happy program where the girls work hard and have fun.”
Currently, she is working on her senior season of track with Highland. That in itself makes her happy, since she missed out on a junior season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It feels so good,” she said. “Especially when we missed the season last year. I get to end my Highland career running track.”
As a three-sport athlete who also competes in soccer and basketball, Carpenter wasn’t happy to have a spring without athletic activities last year.
“I’ve been involved in sports all my life,” she said. “So this was the first time I didn’t have anything to do. After school, I didn’t have that release and had to find other things to do to spend time.”
After she finishes her senior season, Carpenter will be looking forward to the new experiences that college life brings.
“I’m looking forward to meeting new people and being in a new area,” she said. “I’ve been in Highland my whole life.”
