ATHLETE OF THE YEAR: Leader of the pack
McKinney's success
extended to three sports and included state championship for D-1 bound runner
By: Josh Chapin Sports Editor August 3, 2014 8:15 PM CST
Michelle McKinney had a standing appointment when it came to Ohio’s cross county and track state meets.
Three times she qualified with cross country’s best. And, for all four of her years with Eaton High School track, she was still competing by season’s end.
McKinney leaves a lasting legacy of success at Eaton High School. A state champion in one sport, all-state in another and part of program history in a third, McKinney is the 2014 Myyon A. Barnes Athlete of the Year.
“It’s very difficult to find an athlete we’ve ever had, male or female, who accomplished all the things she accomplished in a four-year period at Eaton High School,” said coach Randy McKinney, who leads the Eagles’ track and cross country programs.
McKinney reached the pinnacle of high school athletics as a junior, winning Ohio’s Division III state title in the 800 in a time of 2 minutes, 11.8 seconds.
It was feat she very nearly repeated as a senior. McKinney again reached the podium in the 800, this time breaking her own school record with a time of 2:10.43 to finish second.
She wasn’t done quite yet. Two weeks later, McKinney represented Eaton one more time, becoming what is believed to be the first female Eagle to compete at the Midwest Meet of Champions.
McKinney excelled at the prestigious multi-state event. She won the 800 in a time of 2:14.52.
“I started off as a sprinter. I never imagined winning it,” McKinney said of a state title. “I thought I was going to play basketball in college. Times have definitely changed.”
One thing did not, and that was McKinney’s desire to compete beyond high school.
She’ll run both cross country and track for the University of Kentucky.
One of the Wildcats’ goals in recruiting McKinney?
“When they offered her a scholarship, the coach made it very clear — ‘Our goal is to win a national title in cross country and in track and field. You are a part of that plan,'” coach McKinney said.
“It’s exciting for her to fit into a program that doesn’t just have a goal of trying to be competitive in their conference. They want to try and win national titles. She’s the kind of person who thrives in that type of environment.”
McKinney was an all-state performer in cross country as a junior when she finished eighth at the state meet.
She made a return trip to the state meet in fall 2013, then went right into the most successful girls basketball season in Eaton’s history.
The Eagles claimed their first SWBL Southwestern Division title, compiling a perfect 12-0 record in the league.
Eaton finished 20-5, winning 20 games for the second straight season and advancing to a second consecutive sectional final.
“I would consider Michelle one of those rare, special athletes that come along every once in a while,” said Eaton athletic director Eric Silverman. “We were fortunate to have her at Eaton and to be able to watch her successes.”
The tenacious McKinney was the basketball team’s leading defender, routinely drawing the assignment of hounding the opposition’s top shooter.
“She can guard anybody. A tremendous defensive player, and that’s because she worked at it,” said Gary Peffly, who was Eaton’s head coach for McKinney’s junior and senior seasons. “She took great pride in what her role was with our team. It’s hard to convince people to take on a certain role. Everybody wants to score. She was satisfied in taking on the job of guarding the best perimeter player on the other team, and she took great pride in it.
“She wanted to shut them down, and usually was not very happy if she didn’t.”
Her first state meet made a big impression.
It was freshman year for track, and McKinney watched as thousands of fans filled the stands.
“It’s not just a typical high school meet,” McKinney said. “You’re competing with the best. I just remember seeing everybody else on the top of the podium, and higher on the podium than I was. It just made me want to work harder to get where they were.”
There wasn’t a time McKinney didn’t work hard. She had little free time, going from sport to sport.
McKinney also qualified twice for the indoor state track meet.
And, when she was working a part-time job, McKinney received numerous compliments from the community on her athletic exploits.
“You never know who is paying attention,” coach McKinney said.
“It’s tough to put into words what she accomplished. She’s turned a lot of younger kids on to the sport of running, and track and field and cross country. She’s had an impact in a way she’ll probably never understand.”
Coach McKinney, also Michelle’s uncle, is eager to watch her career unfold at Kentucky.
She, too, is ready to take that next step in her athletic career.
“I’m definitely excited,” she said. “I’m going to have a lot more intense runs and it’s going to be a lot harder. I’m excited to challenge myself.
“I know I’m going to get a lot better. I’m excited to see how much faster I can actually get.”
*Reproduced Palladium-Item, Richmond, IN Sports Article
By: Josh Chapin Sports Editor August 3, 2014 8:15 PM CST
Michelle McKinney had a standing appointment when it came to Ohio’s cross county and track state meets.
Three times she qualified with cross country’s best. And, for all four of her years with Eaton High School track, she was still competing by season’s end.
McKinney leaves a lasting legacy of success at Eaton High School. A state champion in one sport, all-state in another and part of program history in a third, McKinney is the 2014 Myyon A. Barnes Athlete of the Year.
“It’s very difficult to find an athlete we’ve ever had, male or female, who accomplished all the things she accomplished in a four-year period at Eaton High School,” said coach Randy McKinney, who leads the Eagles’ track and cross country programs.
McKinney reached the pinnacle of high school athletics as a junior, winning Ohio’s Division III state title in the 800 in a time of 2 minutes, 11.8 seconds.
It was feat she very nearly repeated as a senior. McKinney again reached the podium in the 800, this time breaking her own school record with a time of 2:10.43 to finish second.
She wasn’t done quite yet. Two weeks later, McKinney represented Eaton one more time, becoming what is believed to be the first female Eagle to compete at the Midwest Meet of Champions.
McKinney excelled at the prestigious multi-state event. She won the 800 in a time of 2:14.52.
“I started off as a sprinter. I never imagined winning it,” McKinney said of a state title. “I thought I was going to play basketball in college. Times have definitely changed.”
One thing did not, and that was McKinney’s desire to compete beyond high school.
She’ll run both cross country and track for the University of Kentucky.
One of the Wildcats’ goals in recruiting McKinney?
“When they offered her a scholarship, the coach made it very clear — ‘Our goal is to win a national title in cross country and in track and field. You are a part of that plan,'” coach McKinney said.
“It’s exciting for her to fit into a program that doesn’t just have a goal of trying to be competitive in their conference. They want to try and win national titles. She’s the kind of person who thrives in that type of environment.”
McKinney was an all-state performer in cross country as a junior when she finished eighth at the state meet.
She made a return trip to the state meet in fall 2013, then went right into the most successful girls basketball season in Eaton’s history.
The Eagles claimed their first SWBL Southwestern Division title, compiling a perfect 12-0 record in the league.
Eaton finished 20-5, winning 20 games for the second straight season and advancing to a second consecutive sectional final.
“I would consider Michelle one of those rare, special athletes that come along every once in a while,” said Eaton athletic director Eric Silverman. “We were fortunate to have her at Eaton and to be able to watch her successes.”
The tenacious McKinney was the basketball team’s leading defender, routinely drawing the assignment of hounding the opposition’s top shooter.
“She can guard anybody. A tremendous defensive player, and that’s because she worked at it,” said Gary Peffly, who was Eaton’s head coach for McKinney’s junior and senior seasons. “She took great pride in what her role was with our team. It’s hard to convince people to take on a certain role. Everybody wants to score. She was satisfied in taking on the job of guarding the best perimeter player on the other team, and she took great pride in it.
“She wanted to shut them down, and usually was not very happy if she didn’t.”
Her first state meet made a big impression.
It was freshman year for track, and McKinney watched as thousands of fans filled the stands.
“It’s not just a typical high school meet,” McKinney said. “You’re competing with the best. I just remember seeing everybody else on the top of the podium, and higher on the podium than I was. It just made me want to work harder to get where they were.”
There wasn’t a time McKinney didn’t work hard. She had little free time, going from sport to sport.
McKinney also qualified twice for the indoor state track meet.
And, when she was working a part-time job, McKinney received numerous compliments from the community on her athletic exploits.
“You never know who is paying attention,” coach McKinney said.
“It’s tough to put into words what she accomplished. She’s turned a lot of younger kids on to the sport of running, and track and field and cross country. She’s had an impact in a way she’ll probably never understand.”
Coach McKinney, also Michelle’s uncle, is eager to watch her career unfold at Kentucky.
She, too, is ready to take that next step in her athletic career.
“I’m definitely excited,” she said. “I’m going to have a lot more intense runs and it’s going to be a lot harder. I’m excited to challenge myself.
“I know I’m going to get a lot better. I’m excited to see how much faster I can actually get.”
*Reproduced Palladium-Item, Richmond, IN Sports Article