Prep Track & Field: Murray makes it official

The proverbial monkey is off Lindsey Murray's back.

After months of deliberations and what the Harrisburg High School senior called emails, upon emails, along with countless phone calls are all now a thing of the past as Murray signed a National Letter of Intent to continue her track and field career as she will attend Southern Illinois University-Carbondale starting in the fall.

The relief for Murray, however, comes in the way of this upcoming track season, knowing the three-time IHSA state qualifier in the pole vault can now put all her focus on her craft.

"Now that I've signed, I don't feel like I have any worries," Murray said Monday morning inside the HHS Media Center. "Now I can just concentrate about competing well this year."

Murray alluded to finding time to make visits during basketball season and the start of indoor track season made things quite a blur for her.

Along the way, Murray peaked interest from several Big 10, Southeastern Conference and American Athletic Conference schools. The choice to sign with Southern was just as much about competition as it was comfort.

"I know that SIU is where I am going to be the most successful," Murray said when she first gave a verbal to the Salukis back on February 13.

Murray cited SIU pole vault coach Brian Porter has being a major influence in her decision, adding he was the one coach she connected with the most.

With the Harrisburg High School track and field season set to get underway March 7 at the Carbondale Community High School indoor track meet, Murray's focus is climbing the ladder of success and trying to improve on a fourth place finish at this past year's IHSA State Track and Field meet.

"I've been working a lot on getting upside down, which honestly has been a three-year process for me," Murray said. "I'm getting better at it, but I need bigger poles so I can get higher. I'm working on my swing and my plant, but my plant is the one thing that needs to improve the most."

Michael Dann can be reached at mdann@dailyregister.com. Follow him on twitter: @spydieshooter.