It’s not quite a rags-to-riches tale, but Allison Swope’s transition into a college athlete is just as remarkable.
Less than a year ago, Swope had never run a competitive race in her life. Friday, she completed a whirlwind few months by signing an official letter-of-intent to join the cross country and track teams this fall at Lenoir-Rhyne University.
“It’s all pretty surreal,” Swope said after the signing ceremony in Polk County High School’s library.
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Having done some club swimming while growing up in Mesa, Ariz., Swope decided last summer to give running a try while in the area to visit her mother and stepfather, Cathy and David Arnold. Immediately, she was hooked, and decided in July to move from Arizona to Polk County.
“I found about Polk County and I met Coach (Alan) Peoples,” recalled Swope, now known as “Arizona” to teammates and coaches. “After one practice, he invited me to join the team. I fell in love with the coaches and with the team and I decided to stay here.”
Swope quickly became one of the Wolverines’ top five runners during the fall cross country season, finishing 13th in the Western Highlands Conference meet, then helped the Wolverine 4×800-meter relay team place second in the state indoor track championship. She also placed seventh there in the 1000-meter run and helped the 4×400-meter relay team finish eighth.
“I think she’s the first we’ve had to come out as a senior and run as well as she has and get the chance to run in college,” Peoples said. “She came in and did well. Very well.
“She is a coach’s dream in that she absorbs knowledge like a sponge. She wants to do and wants to do and wants to get better. I don’t think the word quit is in her vocabulary. Coach (Jenny) Wolfe has done a great job with her in the distance events. She’s just a great kid.”
Peoples said Swope would likely run anywhere from 800 to 3,000 meters for Lenoir-Rhyne’s track program while also competing with the cross country team. The Bears’ track team has had six top-two finishes in the South Atlantic Conference since 2007.
Swope joins a growing group of former Polk County athletes to sign with Lenoir-Rhyne, with Alec Philpott and Chase McMurray (football), Lyric Flood (women’s soccer) and Wes Brady (baseball) having signed in the past two years.
Swope, who wants to major in nursing with minors in child psychology and youth ministry, is ready for the challenge.
“It’s exciting. I’m the first one in my family to become a college athlete,” she said. “I never thought of myself as having such potential or finding such a good group of friends. I thank them for encouraging me and supporting me.
“I genuinely love running. It’s become everything to me.”
