Fayette senior Maddi Race signed a letter of intent on Friday to join the competitive cheer and track & field teams at Missouri Valley College next year.

Race joins the largest cheerleading recruiting class in Missouri Valley History. The Vikings won their seventh-consecutive Heart championship this year. She said one of the reasons she chose MVC was because their team felt like a family when she visited clinics. She also likes the close proximity to Fayette, only about a 40-minute drive away.

“It’s close, but not too close,” she said.

Race said she plans to major in nursing.

Head cheer coach Nick Lutz said Race fit right in with the team during campus visits. “We have a very unique group of individuals in all the best ways. It means a lot when we have someone who can walk in and fit right in with our culture and our team,” he said.

Assistant coach and cheer team recruiter Tori Pimentel said there was an immediate connection when Race visited. “She came to a campus visit. When kids have a connection right away, we know they are going to fit in well here. She came to a stunt clinic with us and fit right in.”

Race will likely be a member of the competitive cheer team but can also try out for the stunt team. All team members also cheer at basketball and football games.

As if a full-time cheerleading schedule wasn’t enough, Race will also compete on the Missouri Valley track team. She said running track has been a great stress reliever, and she doesn’t want to give it up next year.

Race competes mainly in the 200-meter dash and the high jump. She made it all the way to the state sectionals last year in the 200 with a personal best time of 28.82 seconds. Her best in the high jump is 4 feet, 5 inches.

This year she adds the 400-meter sprint to her event schedule, which is the most grueling race on the track.

“They said the 400 would really help my 200 times,” Race said. “So, it’s good practice in training for the 200.”

She set a goal of earning a trip to the state meet in the 200 this season, which opens today at Westran. In order to qualify, she expects to improve her time to 28 seconds or better.