Wiregrass Ranch senior cross country runner Nikita Shah has been anything but average during her time as a distance runner, and her college recruiting process has been no different.
Shah had already received a scholarship offer from the University of Florida, but that’s nothing like the schools that have recently taken interest.
She took an official visit to Columbia University, and will be doing the same at Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) next weekend.
“She’s obviously very bright, but when her athleticism is opening new opportunities like these it’s really special,” said Bulls coach Don Howard.
Ivy League schools like Columbia and Harvard do not give athletic scholarships, but Howard said the programs’ coaches said she is their No. 1 and No. 2 recruit for this graduating class, respectively.
MIT, a Division III program, also does not give true athletic scholarships, but has Shah slotted as their top recruit, according to Howard.
Shah is currently tied with cross country teammates Hannah Eder and Emily Payne for the top grade point average in Wiregrass Ranch’s 2013 graduating class with a 4.65. She said she plans on pursuing a career in medicine.
Shah was named The Laker/Lutz News Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year the last two seasons. She finished 2011 by placing fourth at the Class 3A state meet and took third at the 3A track and field final in the 3,200-meter as a junior.
The Bulls top girls distance runner is already cutting her times from last year. She broke her personal record (PR) by four seconds by completing the 5-kilometer course at FLRunners.com Invitational Race of Champions in Titusville Sept. 29 in 17 minutes 48 seconds.
—Kyle LoJacono
