Bob Jones runner Martin signs with Gardner-Webb

Kacee Martin with her track and field teammates Wednesday, Feb. 1 Martin signed with Gardner-Webb University in North Carolina.

Bob Jones senior Kaycee Martin capped off a stellar career in cross-country and track by signing a scholarship to run for Gardner-Webb University. The highlight of her season was winning the Girls 5K in the Bob Jones Invitational held on campus last November.

She did not get the elusive state championship at Alabama Cross Country Championship held at Oakville Indian Mounds Park but she was the top finisher for the Bob Jones girl’s team that finished third that day.

In addition to being voted All-Section each of her 4 years on the cross country team she was selected Female Runner of the Year on the 2011 Huntsville Times Cross Country Team.

Gardner-Webb is a liberal arts university located 40 miles west of Charlotte, North Carolina in Boiling Spring. Martin said that she plans to major in broadcast journalism and one day be a sports sideline reporter.

But for now she will compete in her specialty events during the upcoming track and field season for Bob Jones.

During track season she runs on the 4 x 800 meters team, the open 800 meter race, the 1 mile and 2 mile race.

“In college I will be cross country and in track I will be running even longer distances such as the 10,000 meter on the track instead of the mile and 2 miles,” Martin said. “They are in the Big-South Conference. That was one thing I was looking for in a college. I wanted to compete in challenging meets but I wanted to be at a smaller school.”

Martin has some family ties to the area and that drew her to Gardner-Webb.

“When I went to visit the campus I just absolutely fell in love with it,” Martin said.

She was joined at the signing ceremony by the entire track team and Coach Robin Gaines.