Fredericktown’s prestigious list of current student-athletes who have signed formal commitments to further their athletic and academic careers in college continues, as track-and-field athlete Sydney Wilson will move on after her Freddies’ track days to run and vault for the Division 2 Minot State University Beavers in Minot, North Dakota.
Wilson holds the Fredericktown Middle School record with her teammates running the 4x400 relay and is the Fredericktown High School record-holder in the pole vault with a height of 10’9”. She also has run a 400M in 1:03 and an 800M in 2:25.
Wilson’s signing ceremony took place at the Fredericktown track on April 21, supported by her family, coaches and close to 50 friends in attendance.
Wilson said she chose Minot State for what it can bring her and what she can bring to the school.
“I chose Minot State because it is a D-2 school that will challenge me with my athletics and provide an excellent education,” she said. “Minot is a smaller school, so that would allow me to develop genuine relationships with my professors, coaches and teammates. I hope it becomes a place that I can call home."
Wilson will be studying business and she said she is considering entrepreneurship or business management as a career after college.
Her goals for this track season at Fredericktown have included improvement and leadership. “My goal for this track season is to push myself a little more each day and to overcome the obstacles that athletes face,” she said. “As a senior, my leadership on this team is important and I want to leave a great example for all the younger girls.”
Wilson said she is excited about what lies ahead and she is quick to praise those who have helped her along the way.
“I am intrigued to start this new chapter in my life,” she said. “I want to say 'thank you’ to my coaches at Fredericktown, especially to coach (Bob) Geiger, who has known of my potential from the start, and who has pushed me to become the best athlete I can be. I acknowledge the huge support I received from Austin Hicks and Andy Nageotte, from Buckeye Pole Vaulting, who have not only taught me techniques, but allowed me to gain a real passion for it. I want to thank my family for supporting me and being there every step of the way. I will miss all the memories this team gave me, but I am excited to make new ones."
Wilson said pole vaulting runs in the family, and sharing the sport adds a dimension to the sport. “What makes pole vaulting special to me is that my older sister, Abby, and I started this together. She pushed me to reach new goals and our relationship grew as a result," Wilson said. “My little sister, Jaiden, will be a freshman next year, and I am so excited to watch her journey through track and field at Fredericktown.”
Fredericktown High School Athletic Director and Assistant Principal Adam Brown said Wilson is an outstanding student-athlete. “Sydney is a great role model for our younger students at Fredericktown,” Brown said. “She is the face of pole vaulting at Fredericktown due to her hard work and dedication to the sport."
Wilson joins such Freddies Class of 2023 student-athletes as: Kaid Carpenter (baseball and football, to MVNU); Brady Lester (baseball, to MVNU); Elsa Hoam (track, to Ohio Wesleyan University); Ashley Cockrell (track, to Ashland University); and Mason Hoeflich (wrestling and football, to Baldwin Wallace).
Others will be announced in future editions of the Mount Vernon News.
