Low-tech edition (About)
Home > Sports > Running Blog
Running Home | Weather Forecast | What is Redwood Empire
Track All-Time | Cross Country All-Time
Schedule | Archives | Links
HEALDSBURG'S SUMPTER COMMITS TO UC DAVIS Published on January 31, 2008 BYLINE: BOB PADECKY Sarah Sumpter, the Healdsburg senior who won the state DivisionIV cross country championship in November, verbally committed to UC Davis on Monday. ``It was pretty much a no-brainer,'' said UC Davis cross country coach Chris Puppione. ``Sarah is the most pleasant and genuine athlete I have ever met. But when she puts on those sunglasses, she becomes Arnold Schwarzenegger. She's going out there to eliminate people. ``She could run for us right now, not improve one bit in the next four years, and still be highly successful. Of course, Sarah would never be satisfied with that. That's why we have made a substantial commitment to Sarah.'' This is how substantial: Sumpter will receive an athletic scholarship that will pay 80 percent of her schooling as a freshman and a sophomore. She'll receive 100 percent as a junior and senior. ``I have never offered that much to an incoming freshman,'' said Puppione, a former assistant track coach at Cardinal Newman. Sumpter made a campus visit to Davis on Sunday and Monday. Without coaches present, Sumpter ran with the Aggies' cross country team both days. Davis' roster is sprinkled generously with Sonoma County runners. The men's team has K.C. Cody (Montgomery) and Calvin Thigpen (Maria Carrillo). The women's team has Amy Robinson (Maria Carrillo), Jennifer Martindill (Montgomery), Brittny Escamilla (El Molino) and Kim Conley (Montgomery). ``Every year I always look to home first,'' Puppione said. ``To me, Santa Rosa is home. And I know how good the coaching in the area is.'' The national letter-of-intent signing period starts next Wednesday and lasts until Aug.1.
|
Email story | Print story | Subscribe to paper
|