Another high prized Florida high school distance recruit is now off the board for potential college coaches.
Amber Schulz, the defending FHSAA 4A state cross country champion from Timber Creek High School in Orlando, has made her college decision mid-way thru her final high school cross country season.
Schulz, a 17:44 5K best performer in cross country with track PR's of 10:43 in the 3200-meter run and 5:08 in the 1600-meter run, announced on her social media accounts on Monday that she has committed to High Point University in North Carolina.
A private school that competes as a mid-major Division 1 program in the Big South Conference, the school is definitely a good fit for a talent like Schulz who has overcome a lot during her high school career to still be running at a high level as a senior. She has publicly shared and been open about her battle early in high school with an eating disorder as well as injuries to inspire others going through similar adversity, including her most recent injury that had her sit out the majority of the 2021 outdoor season.
When healthy, Schulz is one of Florida's best distance runners as shown with her comeback to racing this fall including a runner-up finish of 18:55 at the Cecil Field Summer Classic as well as another 18:55 performance in a victory at the Winter Springs Invitational.
In her other two races this season, Schulz has also shown willingness to be a team player in holding back her effort to help pace teammates to faster times including this past weekend at the West Orange Invitational helping teammates Hannah Kacer (9th, 19:49) and Vivian Byrnes (11th, 19:58) to their first sub 20-minute races of the season while cruising in between them in tenth place at 19:49. Timber Creek won the team title with the help of Schulz's pacing duties and the squad seems to be coming together as the pre-season 4A state title contenders projected to be.
The women's head cross country and distance track coach Remy Tamer will definitely be encouraged to welcome a selfless runner who is willing to set aside individual aspirations to use a pack running strategy to help the team cause instead. Prior to his arrival at High Point in 2016, Coach Tamer actually was at Florida State University as a volunteer then part-time assistant coach as well as coaching high school teams at Maclay School in Tallahassee.
So with the Florida connection in his time spent in Tallahassee, Coach Tamer had to be aware of Schulz's performances and talent including how impressive her 17:45 time on the state meet course at Apalachee Regional Park was. Schulz is the first major recruit from the state of Florida for Coach Tamer and could open a pipeline for other Florida runners to consider and follow Schulz to the state of North Carolina.
Look out for an interview later this week with Schulz on her college decision and senior year so far.
