A Velma-Alma High School track and cross country runner will sprint toward collegiate goals at Mid-America Christian University this fall.
Mallory Foster-Anderson signed her letter of intent Monday, March 24 to run track and cross country at MACU. She signed alongside her sister, Jessie.
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During the signing, the twins were surrounded by family, friends, coaches and administration at Velma-Alma High School.
Foster-Anderson said she will major in nursing and she wants to get her bachelor’s degree in nursing and science to become a registered nurse. She hopes to specialize in labor and delivery or women’s health.
Foster-Anderson said she’s ran track and cross country since the fifth grade.
She said she wasn’t a fan of playing softball and she comes from a family of runners.
Foster-Anderson said everything just blossomed and she figured out she liked the sport.
“Then I got good at it,” she said.
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For track, she said she ran the two mile relay with a time of 2:39. She said she hopes to get faster.
For cross country, Foster-Anderson runs a 12:50.
Last year, Foster-Anderson said she ran the mile in six minutes flat.
Aside from track and cross country, Foster-Anderson participates in cheerleading and served as a co-captain. She’s cheered since the fifth or sixth grade.
She also attends vo-tech for the nursing program.
“I want to be a nurse, so a lot of studying,” she said.
Foster-Anderson participated in the Miss Velma-Alma Pageant as well.
Foster-Anderson said she looks forward to meeting new people at the university and experiencing life outside her small town.
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“I know it’s smaller still, but it’s outside of the big city,” she said. “Just meeting new people and experiencing adult life as much as I can and just spreading my wings.”
Dana Lohrer, head girls cross country coach, said she coached both of the twins since their sophomore year. She said Mallory is a hard worker.
“She’s probably one of the best cross country teammates,” she said. “This year, she battled with an injury in her leg, but she was just like, ‘I’m running because I want to run for the team’.”
Lohrer said Mallory pushed through tears and pain to run her senior year for the team.
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“I really think she had some aspirations to be an All-Stater, but just battled injuries all the way through at different times,” she said. “It just hindered her, but she just kept going because she wanted to do it for the team.”
Lohrer said it’s huge to have a runner who would give their all for the team, as well as be there for the team.
“It’s not about self, it’s about the team and helping them and because of her just running through pain, this year, helped us to be able to be a state runner up team again for their senior year,” Lohrer said.
Jake McGuire, track coach, said while Jessie and Mallory have different personalities, but they have similar attributes as well. He said he hopes the best for each of them in college.
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While Mallory is more reserved, McGuire said she knows the pace she needs to set and how she needs to run.
Mallory said some her best track or cross country moments come from making it to state and participating in the relay.
“Everybody is sympathetic toward everybody else,” she said.
She said it feels like a big family.
For other students applying for scholarships and preparing for college, Mallory said to “just do it.”
“You may not think that you want to do it or it may not be for you, but just do it,” she said. “Go look at it and just give it a chance and you’ll like it.”
