DANVILLE – Rachel Wilson proves that it never hurts to ask.
The Danville track and field athlete knew she was going to go to Mount Vernon Nazarene University, and she knew she wanted to pursue a math-related degree. What she didn’t know was whether or not she’d be able to continue her athletic career. So she asked MVNU coach Ellis Gallion.
“I knew I wanted to go to the Naz because they have a really good math program,” Wilson said. “I love track, so I just contacted the coach and asked him if I could set up a meeting with them. I guess it just all went from there.”
It worked. Wilson announced that she’ll be running track at MVNU in a ceremony on Tuesday, May 13, at Danville High School.
Wilson plans to become a math teacher.
“I always liked math,” she said. “Then when we switched to remote learning, I talked to my math teacher (Hannah Howard) a lot about what I should do for my career. She suggested becoming a teacher. So I really started thinking about it and I just wanted to do it.”
Most recently, Wilson competed in the 100-meter, the 200-meter, the 4x200 relay and the long jump at the Knox Morrow Athletic Conference championship on Tuesday at Highland.
“She’s focused on her long jump,” Danville coach Hillary Hess said. “She had a PR (of 14 feet, 1.25 inches on Tuesday), so that’s good. She’s working on her speed so she can get faster in the 100 and 200.”
She also qualified for SpecTRACKular in the 4x100 and 4x200 relays.
It was the 2019 4x200 relay team that qualified for regional that was a key factor for Wilson, Hess noted.
“It was hard on the kids taking the year off,” Hess said. “So she’s been working really hard to get back to where she was two years ago.
“I think the Naz had their eye on her as a (sophomore with) that 4x200 team that went to regional two years ago, and she was in the top eight in the area in the 100 and 200. So I think that’s where the Naz started looking at her.”
Wilson uses athletics to stay focused on academics. That’s why she did three sports at Danville: volleyball, basketball and track.
“We’re excited that she’s local and we’ll be able to go support her at track meets,” Hess said. “She comes from a family (that) works on a farm, so she’s naturally been taught how to work hard. She’s always working hard at everything she does.”
