Dynasty McGee verbally commits to run at Penn State
Dynasty McGee
“They are the fourth best track school for girls in the country and they’re up north,” said McGee, who said Miami was the front-runner in her recruiting for a while. “But I really don’t like the hot weather. I like having all four seasons.”
Sweater weather isn’t the only reason McGee chose to be a Nittany Lion. Penn State has finished ranked in the top four in the country in outdoor track twice in the past three years.
“The track program is one of the best, it’s not too far from home, the girls are really nice, the academics are good. It just seemed like a perfect fit,” McGee said.
McGee was the MHSAA Division 1 state champion in the 400-meter dash and fourth in the 200 as a sophomore at Flint Southwestern. She also ran a leg on the Southwestern state champion 800-meter relay team and fourth place 1,600 relay team. As a freshman, McGee was runner-up in the 400, fourth in the 200 and ran a leg on Southwestern’s fourth place 1,600 relay team.
Last spring McGee’s family moved to Ypsilanti in order to be closer to her mother’s work at the University of Michigan Hospital.
“The drive was just getting too bad for her,” said Chinney McGee, Dynasty’s father.
At this summer’s AAU Junior Olympic Games, Dynasty finished fourth in the young women’s 400 and she has twice earned All-America status at the Nike Indoor Nationals. Dynasty ran for Lincoln High School last year, but did not compete at the state championships after a conflict over her participation with Team USA arose. She said she’s looking forward to finishing out her high school career at Ypsilanti and has set some lofty goals for her senior season.
“We’re not moving and there’s not going to be any more disagreements or disruptions,” Dynasty said. “I’m trying to get down to 53 (seconds, in the 400) and low 23 or high 22 (in the 200) and 20 (feet, for long jump.)”
The National Letter of Intent signing period for track and field begins on Feb. 2.
Pete Cunningham covers sports for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at petercunningham@annarbor.com or by phone at 734-623-2561. Follow him on Twitter @petcunningham.