NEW PORT RICHEY - Danielle Coyle and Samantha Jacobsen have run their last race together - in high school.
The River Ridge tandem now turns their sights toward college. Coyle recently signed with Jacksonville University; Jacobsen said she will run for St. Thomas University in Miami.
"They both are very committed athletes," girls track coach Dave Heywood said. "They've been working together for four years now. They've had each other to work with, which I think has helped them both."
Coyle's prep career isn't done yet. The senior still has the 800- and 1,600-meter races to run at Friday's Class 3A state championships at the University of Florida's Percy Beard Stadium.
She will graduate with the school cross-country record in the 5 kilometers (19 minutes, 23 seconds), and Friday will chase former Royal Knights' star Jacki Wachtel's 1,600 meters school record of 5:08.52. Coyle's personal best in the 1,600 is 5:10, and she holds the school 800 record of 2:19.35 set this season.
Coyle has long had her eye on Florida Southern College in Lakeland, having built relationships with the coach and runners there. But while the Division II Moccasins compete in track meets, they don't have an official track team or go to nationals. Coyle held out hope of finding a school that fielded both teams.
Jacksonville coach Jose Fernandez gave her that choice, calling her in mid season, then meeting with Coyle at the Florida Relays in Gainesville. Over spring break she visited the campus. Two weeks ago she signed. She will receive partial athletic and academic scholarships and wants to major in exercise science.
"I really liked the campus," she said. "It was beautiful and it just seems like a good school. The coaches seem very knowledgeable. I met with the girls and they're extremely nice. It just seemed like a good fit for me."
Coyle will run the 800 and 1,500 in track next season for the Division I Dolphins. "That's my main sport," Coyle said. "That was another big plus for the school."
Jacobsen won the Sunshine Athletic Conference cross country title as a sophomore. She said being able to compete in both cross country and track also was important to her. St. Thomas coach Lupe Merlos approached Jacobsen at the Walt Disney Invitational during cross country season.
"He seems like a very, very good coach," Jacobsen said, "and this particular program sounds like my type of program, a rebuilding program."
Actually, it's a building program. This is the NAIA Bobcats' first track season and Jacobsen said she is thrilled to help start a new program.
"Take what you get and try and build a great program out of it," Jacobsen said, "and just do your best and try and make some success out of it."
Jacobsen, who wants to major in elementary education, said the private college awarded her an athletic grant and she will benefit from the Florida Bright Futures scholarship program. She had her mind set on a south Florida school from the beginning.
"I was actually a hard choice between St. Thomas and (Florida International)," she said. "But I just looked at the facts. What am I going to like better, a big school or a small school where I can really focus on being me and not worry about everybody else?
