Track star Parrish commits to Gators

Posted Mar 31, 2010 by Bill Ward

Updated Mar 31, 2010 at 06:34 PM

Chamberlain senior distance runner Mark Parrish, the Class 4A state runner-up in cross country last fall and one of the state’s top 3,200-meter runners in track this spring, has made a verbal commitment to the University of Florida.

Parrish said he has informed Gators distance coach Todd Morgan by telephone and will sign his paperwork with the school sometime next week. Parrish, Chamberlain’s valedictorian, said his final two candidates were Princeton and UF, but the Gators won out because of its balance of academics and athletics. UF has what is considered to be one of the nation’s top schools in his planned major—engineering—and the distance program has signed an incoming class that includes three-time 3A state cross country champion Matt Mizereck of Tallahassee Leon and Erick Montoya of Estero, a state runner-up in both track and cross country.

“With this many good guys coming in and guys like (former Sickles star) Derek Wehunt already there, they’ve got a chance of having a great team there,” Parrish said. “I liked the environment there a lot, the guys seem to really enjoy each other’s company and with my major, I’ve got a lot of options there, too. It’s really everything I’m looking for, both in my running and my studies.”

Parrish’s stock as a college recruit took a big step forward at last week’s FSU Relays, where he ran a 3,200 time of 9:09.26 to break a 36-year-old school record at Chamberlain and improve his personal best by 28 seconds. Although sixth in that race, he was the top finisher in 4A.