Zack Gilbertson, the NCHSAA 4A Cross Country State Champion, has announced his commitment to the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) for the fall of 2023.
What a season it has been for the Pinecrest senior. Although he was already a two-time all-state cross country runner, the one thing that Gilbertson has had his sights set on heading into the 2022 season was the state title.
He started off his season hot, picking up wins at Providence Cross Country Invitational and his first two conference meets. In fact, Gilbertson's only non-win of the season came at Friday Night Lights where he finished runner-up. The NCRunners Elite XC Invitational is when Gilbertson's season really took a turn. After getting the win in what might have been the deepest field all season, he, and everyone around the state, knew he might be the one to beat come state championship season. And boy, was he.
After cruising through the SAC Conference Championship and 4A Mideast Regional victoriously, there was just one more race on Gilbertson's plate.
All his hard work over his career paid off, as he took home the NCHSAA 4A State Championship this past weekend at Ivey Redmon, running 15:28.67.
Gilbertson is not the only top recruit from North Carolina headed to Ole Miss, as NCHSAA 4A runner-up Caden Townshend announced his commitment to Ole Miss a few weeks ago.
"Caden and I have been talking about being teammates ever since the indoor season of our junior years. He actually told Coach [Adam] Smith about me."
Like Townshend, Coach Smith played a crucial role in landing Gilbertson.
"Coach Smith is amazing, as soon as he picked me up it was like talking to a friend...After Coach Smith reached out to me he texted me pretty much everyday to go to Ole Miss."
Gilbertson credits the team for being so welcoming of him on his visit: "From the second I met them I could tell they were brothers."
Gilbertson is gearing up for the indoor track season, where he finished runner-up in the 1,600m at the last state championship.
He has been running since his middle school days, in 7th grade he won the NC USATF 11-12 3,000m championship. In 8th grade he won the NCRunners Middle School Elite 1,600m, and was runner-up in the 1-mile run at New Balance Outdoor Middle School Nationals.
Ole Miss was runner-up at the SEC Championship in 2021.
Personal Bests:
800m: 1:56.42
1,000m: 2:33.42
1,600m: 4:17.93
3,200m: 9:20.62
5,000m (XC): 15:23.50