Miami Trace High School senior Kaelin Pfeifer, seated, fifth from left, signs a letter of intent to attend Ohio Dominican University Monday, March 20, 2023. With Pfeifer for the special event are (front, l-r); brother Braxton Langley, stepfather Jason Langley, sister Lydia Langley, mother Brittany Pfeifer, Pfeifer, father Derek Pfeifer, stepmother Kierstin Pfeifer, sister Kallie Pfeifer; (back, l-r); grandfather John Evans, nana Pam Betts, sister Aubrey Pfeifer, uncle Dustin Pfeifer, grandfather Thomas Pfeifer and sister Maddy Garrison. Not pictured, grandmother Linda Evans.
Pfeifer
Kaelin Pfeifer, a senior at Miami Trace High School, has announced that she will be continuing her education and her athletic career at the college level.
Pfeifer on Monday, March 20, signed a letter of intent to attend Ohio Dominican University in Columbus, Ohio where she will be a member of the track and cross country teams.
“Kaelin is an incredible athlete and part of our team the last couple of years,” Miami Trace head track and field coach Brent Noes said. “We have big expectations for her again this year. We’re really excited she’s made this commitment to carry on her track and field career at Ohio Dominican. I think she be an integral part of the team right out of the gate her freshman year. I think she’ll make an impact.
“She is a four-event Regional qualifier for us in Division I last year in Columbus,” Noes said. “Those events were the 100 and 200-meter dashes, the 4 x 1(00-meter relay; District champions) and the 4 x 4(00-meter relay. She’s already been competing with that type of calibre of athlete that she’ll be seeing at Ohio Dominican.
“We’re really excited to see her hard work paying off for her and she’s making the Miami Trace Panther program proud,” Noes said.
The coach made the difference in choosing to attend Ohio Dominican, Pfeifer said.
“It was the coach that really stuck out to me,” Pfeifer said. “Then I went on an overnight visit there and that really sold it for me; being around the players and just meeting the team.
“I’m doing track and cross country (in college),” Pfeifer said. “For track, I’ll probably specialize in the 400 and 800; I’ll do more mid-distance than sprints.
“I have to credit coach (Brent) Noes and coach (Jeff) Smallwood and coach (Jeff) Creamer,” Pfeifer said. “Coach Smallwood was my coach for three years when I first moved here. Coach Noes and coach Creamer have been my track coaches the last two years. They’ve helped me tremendously.”
After her final high school track season, what is the plan to prepare for her first collegiate cross country season?
“I’m going to have to hone in on the workouts over the summer,” Pfeifer said. “Especially for cross country. Now I do 5-k (5,000-meters or 3.1 miles). In college it’ll be 6-k and stuff like that. I’ll have to work a little bit harder than I do now, but, I don’t think that will be a problem.”
As for a favorite subject in high school, Pfeifer responded, government.
Pfeifer said her favorite teacher at Miami Trace is Joanna Stitt (anatomy and physiology).
As for a major course of study, Pfeifer said she was undecided at this time.
“I’m looking to go more like the business rout, but I’m not for sure, though,” Pfeifer said.
“I have to thank my parents, my uncle and my grandparents,” Pfeifer said. “I’d like to thank my siblings. My friends, the people who surround me, I really think that they played a big part in getting me to this point. I could not have done it without all of their support and help.”
