If you would have asked Webbers Falls senior cross country runner Kailey Mannon if she would be a college runner, she likely would have told you that it wasn’t going to happen. Needless to say, she was surprised when Connors State College offered her an athletic scholarship to run with the Cowgirls.

Mannon signed with the Cowgirls in a signing ceremony Wednesday afternoon at Webbers Falls Event Center.

“I’m really excited,” Mannon said. “I didn’t think I was going to get it. I’m very excited about it. It really wasn’t my dream to run collegiately. This was my actual first year to run cross country, so I didn’t really see this (opportunity) coming.” Webbers Falls cross country coach Meghan Johnson knew Mannon has such an opportunity inside of her.

“Kailey has always pushed herself beyond what she even thought she could do,” Johnson said. “She does a great job at setting a goal for herself, then pushing past any pain and any discomfort to push that goal. I’ve really seen her grow as an athlete. I’m just excited for her to just take this challenge to the next level — and have a coach that can continue to encourage her to both not only grow physically but just in that mental growth that this sport brings.”

Mannon was going to attend Connors State College just as a student to help pursue her career goal of going into nursing. That made it an easy choice to accept the athletic scholarship from the Warner junior college.

“I planned on going to Connors State originally for nursing,” the Webbers Falls senior runner said. “That really helped me out (in choosing where to run collegiately).”

It also helped in all aspects that Warner is just a 10-minute drive to the west.

“It helped it is just down the road,” Mannon said. “That was a factor.”

Because Mannon will be so close, it will give Johnson and her current cross country runners a chance to go watch her and even get to run with her.

“We’re excited also to be able to continue to support her — both to include her in our summer training before Connors State takes over and attend some of her home meets, and have our team run in some of the same races she will run,” Johnson said. “To be able to support her as she continues will be huge for my continuing team.”

Earlier this spring, Webbers Falls’ other senior cross country runner, Cheyanne Herrier, signed to run at Murray State College in Tishomingo. On that day as well as Wednesday afternoon, Johnson said that seeing her two seniors sign letters of intent not only was big for Herrier and Mannon, but it can do nothing but make her cross country program better by showing her younger runners what can happen to them.

“To have these kids once again see that it’s not a one-time thing, like for Cheyanne and Kailey, but that it’s for everybody is big,” Johnson said. “All of my seniors have signed for a college (athletic) scholarship. It’s something that everybody, not just a few, can do.”