Track star VanDeGrift returns to Durant

Posted Jan 25, 2010 by Bill Ward

Updated Jan 25, 2010 at 11:52 AM

Grace VanDeGrift, a three-time medalist at the state track and field championships and defending Hillsborough County champion in the 1,600-meter run, has returned to Florida from her native Ohio and has enrolled again at Durant, Cougars athletic director Todd Long confirmed Monday.

According to VanDeGrift’s father, Ty VanDeGrift, the move back to the state was the result of a job change.

At last year’s Class 4A state track finals, VanDeGrift was sixth in the 1,600 meter run and, as a freshman in the 2008 finals, reached the medals podium in both the 1,600 and 3,200. She won last season’s Vernon Korhn Hillsborough County Championships in the 1,600-meter run with a time of 5 minutes, 22.92 seconds.

Despite nagging injuries at Durant, VanDeGrift was an individual state qualifier for the state cross country meet as a freshman and sophomore.

Last fall, she and her family moved back to their hometown of Lebanon, Ohio. That move was also prompted by a job change for her father. At Lebanon, Grace was a district champion in cross country and led her team to a district title. Those district crowns were the first for Lebanon in girls cross country. She also led Lebanon to second place in the conference championships and qualified for the Ohio state championships.