Although the Panthers’ track and field season is coming to a close, Allison Burton ‘22 is not finished with her time on the track; she’s off to Fordham to continue her career. Burton has been a vital part of Prep’s running community, occupying a varsity spot in both cross country in the fall and track and field in the spring. After running 5Ks during the colder months, Burton transitions to compete in the high jump, 400m dash, and the 4 x 400m relay near the end of the year to rack up points for Prep.

“I was put in track because my parents didn’t know what to do with my energy . . . In sixth grade, I found my love of high jump, and I stuck with it,” said Burton. Her commitment to running began in the third grade, and with 9 years of experience now under her belt, she works hard each season to hit new personal records.

After balancing offers from multiple universities, Burton has committed to running and jumping for the Division I Fordham University Track & Field program in New York City.

When prompted about the college recruitment process Burton said “It’s kind of hard navigating it at first, but once you’ve contacted a coach, keeping that constant contact up and being diligent in responding to emails and text messages is all it is. It’s also important knowing that you’re not only choosing a school for athletics but also choosing one for academics.”

Burton may be competing in a particularly unique event at Fordham that requires a well-rounded skill set and capability in several very different areas. “I may be running the heptathlon, which is not an event in high school track. It’s seven events combined into one event, spread over two days,” said Burton. The women’s heptathlon consists of the 100-meter hurdles, high jump, shot put, and 200-meter dash on the first day, and the heptathletes compete in the long jump, javelin throw, and 800-meter run on the second day.

Burton competes in this event in the summer through her club team, High Voltage. Although the heptathlon is not an event in Washington state’s high school league, USATF, the national governing body for track and field allows athletes to compete in more obscure events such as this through club teams.

Although Burton will soon be moving on to Fordham, she will not graduate without making an impact on Prep’s athletic community. Last spring, Burton jumped an impressive height of 5’ 5” in the high jump, breaking the previous school record of 5’ 4”.

“I didn’t even know that I had broken a school record. Coach Scott informed me afterward. All I knew was that I jumped a new PR . . . Having all my teammates out on the field that day who were also jumping and being a source of inspiration for me was really helpful, especially while having a mental block with that height,” explained Burton.

Her athletic record has made Prep history, and her influence on the team has been just as impactful.

“Allison is always willing to push herself and her teammates. I admire her perseverance and willingness to work hard. We’ll all really miss her next year,” said teammate Lucia Trius ’25.

Burton has made strides during her four years at Prep, and Fordham will gain an experienced runner and dedicated teammate this coming fall.