Kaitlyn Shea knew almost immediately it was where she wanted to go to college.
"When I visited, I really liked the coach, I really liked the people on the team and I really liked the town," Shea said Wednesday after she signed a letter of intent to run cross country and indoor track at Southeast Missouri State in Cape Girardeau.
Shea, a senior at Helias, has been a standout in both cross country and track with the Lady Crusaders.
"I'm excited for the chance to get it to the next level," Shea said. "I always dreamed of running in college, but I was a little skeptical. But now I get the chance to do it."
In cross country, Shea earned all-state honors in all four of her seasons at Helias. She was eighth in the Class 3 championships last fall, leading the Lady Crusaders to a third-place finish as a team. She was 14th at state as a freshman, 16th as a sophomore and 12th as a junior.
"I knew that Kaitlyn was a very talented runner early in her career but has continually progressed due to her work ethic and tenacity," Helias cross country coach Mary Haskamp said. "I am very proud of her accomplishments, but more proud of the young lady she has become."
Shea is the first Lady Crusader to sign with an NCAA Division I school in cross country since Becca Miller in 2004.
In track, Shea was fifth in the 3,200-meter run and seventh in the 1,600-meter run as a junior after qualifying for state in both of those events as a sophomore.
"Kaitlyn is a hard worker and a fierce competitor," Helias track and field coach Chip Maelstrom said. "She has a positive drive that pushes her and her teammates to get better with every workout and she's been a model leader both on and off the track."
Shea has about six weeks remaining in her high school track season and she has some goals to accomplish.
"I want to break the mile and two-mile record and help the 4x800 relay team medal at state, that would be really cool," Shea said.
Shea plans to major in nutrition and minor in Spanish at Southeast Missouri State, a member of the Ohio Valley Conference. The Redhawks finished third in the conference indoor track and field championships earlier this year.