After a standout career at Coupeville High School on the soccer pitch and track oval, Mallory Kortuem will run in college, as well. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)
In a non-pandemic world, Mallory Kortuem would be running for a state title next weekend.
The Coupeville High School senior, who holds four school track and field records, finished 2nd in the 400 last spring and would have been the odds-on favorite to wear the 1A girls crown this year.
While schools being shut down by COVID-19 prevented her from making a triumphant return to Eastern Washington, it’s not the end of Kortuem’s track career, however.
She has signed a letter of intent to run for Western Washington University, an NCAA D-II school, and will receive a partial scholarship.
The Vikings compete out of the 11-school Great Northwest Athletic Conference, which also includes Central Washington University and Seattle Pacific University.
Kortuem knows she’ll be running in the 400 for WWU, which has indoor and outdoor track seasons. After that, things are wide open.
“I am planning on trying the 200 as well, and I might be put on a 4 x 400 team,” she said.
“I have also been interested in trying the 800, which I would have tried this year, but I did not get the chance,” Kortuem added. “All I know for sure by the coaches is the 400.”
Mom Heather smooches the youngest of her three superstar children.
In between practices and meets, the Coupeville Sports Hall o’ Famer will study kinesiology, and may go into graduate school after her time at Western.
During her time at CHS, Kortuem was a standout soccer player as well as track and field star.
She departs holding school records in the 400 (58.02) and pole vault (8-10), while also being part of record-setting 4 x 100 (50.54) and 4 x 200 (1:46.13) relay squads, with all of those marks set during her junior campaign.
Kortuem earned four state meet medals through her junior season, one of just seven girls in CHS history to reach that mark since the school opened in 1900.
A college track career begins with putting pen to paper on your letter of intent. (Photo courtesy Kortuem)
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