Plant’s Christenberry commits to Clemson

Posted Jan 27, 2012 by Bill Ward

Updated Jan 27, 2012 at 10:32 PM

Just a couple of years ago, Travis Christenberry thought he would probably be just another high school runner who posted some decent times and had some fun running cross country and track. A college career? Well, that just didn’t enter his thinking too often.

But here he is, a Plant senior and, as of Friday, committed to accepting a scholarship to a standout Division I school. Christenberry, a third-place finisher at last fall’s Class 4A state cross country finals and a first team member of the Tampa Tribune’s all-Hillsborough team, made it official Friday when he informed Clemson University distance coach Brad Herbster he would take him up on his offer to run for the Tigers.

“I’m really happy that I’ll be running in college,” said Christenberry said. “No, I never really thought I’d have a chance to do this when I was a freshman or sophomore. But ever since I came here halfway through my ninth grade year, I started dropping my times and getting faster and faster.”

One of the most exciting aspects of competing for Clemson, Christenberry says, is the chance to continue running with friend and training partner Max del Monte, a senior at Chamberlain. He just committed to Florida State, which means Christenberry will see del Monte at several meets these Atlantic Coast Conference schools compete in, including the ACC championships.

Christenberry said he was sold on Clemson after he and his father, Chris Christenberry, went to visit the school. Travis was already lured by the school’s engineering program, a major he wants to pursue. But after meeting Herbster for what was suppose to be a half hour tour of the campus, they wound up spending several hours seeing nearly everything the school had to offer, including its outstanding athletic facilities.

“After that, I knew that’s where I wanted to go and who I wanted to run for,” Christenberry said. “It was a great trip.”

Christenberry was the Hillsborough County cross country championships runner-up to del Monte. He was also the 4A-District 6 champion and third in his region. At the state meet, he was projected to finish somewhere in the top 10 but turned on a great second half of the 5-kilometer race to take third in 15 minutes, 42 seconds. He still has a track season ahead of him, where he hopes to lower his personal bests for the 1,600 (4:34.19) and 3,200 (9:40.94).

Photo: Plant senior Travis Christenberry heads to the finish line of the Class 4A state meet in third place at Little Everglades Ranch in Dade City. Photo by Bill Ward/The Tampa Tribune.