GRAVETTE -- Senior sprinter and distance runner Jordan Neeley, who lived in South Carolina before her family moved to northwest Arkansas during her freshman year, will head back to that area. Neeley made that happen Wednesday when she signed her national letter of intent to run track and cross country at The Citadel, a military college in South Carolina.
"My whole family is from there," she said. "I love the area, and Charleston is gorgeous. I fell in love with the school at first sight, and ever since, that's where I wanted to go. The Citadel is an amazing school with a great business program.
"The track program there is great. I actually spent the night with some of the girls there and was part of the team. I'm looking forward to what is ahead of me," Neeley said.
Neeley ran for Bentonville her freshmen and sophomore year and LifeWay Christian school her junior year before coming to Gravette High School. And she's done well in cross country and in track and field events.
"After looking at (The Citadel) and visiting, I fell in love with the campus and the school," Neeley said. "After talking to the track coach, he offered me the opportunity to run for them. Not only do I have a track and cross country scholarship for The Citadel, I also have a National Army ROTC scholarship. This also played a part in my decision to go there," sha said.
Jordan is the daughter of Chris and Janie Neeley.
Her father, in comments just before her signing, said, "Jordan has been running her entire life. It's what she loves to do."
Neeley has mainly been a sprinter during her high school career, but she made the transition to cross country ranks in the fall and flourished. She finished 13th in the Class 4A state meet with a time of 21 minutes, 56.2 seconds, and helped Gravette finish fifth in its classification.
She has also done well in the track ranks, starting with her win in the 400-meter dash during last month's Panther Relays in Siloam Springs. She claimed three wins in her last meets, taking the 100, the 200 and the 400 during the Blackhawk Relays in Pea Ridge and the Pioneer Relays in Gentry, and has season-bests of 13.04 seconds in the 100, 27.12 in the 200 and 1:01.63 in the 400.
"I'm probably going to run cross country in the fall, then run the 200 and the 400 during track," Neeley said. "Right now, I'm still trying to pre-qualify for state. I need to get a 1:01.49 in the 400, so I'm training for that right now.
"When I get that, I'll be able to go to state. I'm training hard and getting ready for The Citadel now."
Brandon Ballard contributed to this story.
Sports on 04/20/2016