Addie Pendergast Of Sheridan HS Signs NLI To Compete In Track and Field At Stanford Univ.

One of, if not the fastest high school female athlete in Wyoming, will soon run for a college team from the west, that will soon race against a number of teams from the east.

Addie Pendergast of Sheridan High School has signed her National Letter of Intent (NLI) to join the track and field team at Stanford University.

At the 2023 Wyoming High School Outdoor Track and Field State Meet this past May, she set a new overall state record in the 400 meter dash with a time of 54.62 seconds.

Pendergast was also the 4A State Champ in the 100 and 200 meter dash races and was state runner-up in the 300 meter hurdles, which helped the Lady Broncs finish 3rd in the team standings.

At the 2023 Wyoming High School Indoor Track and Field State Meet this past March, she was the state champ in the 400 meter dash and was state runner-up in the 200 meter dash and the 800 meter run, which helped Sheridan place 1st in the team standings.

Pendergast says among the other schools she visited included Ivy League Schools Harvard and Pennsylvania University.

When she made her decision, she chose Stanford simply because it’s Stanford.

“I think the mix of athletic as well as academic success. I’ve been lucky enough to have people in my life who’ve supported me to get to where I am, so I think having a little bit of grace has probably helped the process as well.”

During her freshman year at Tongue River in 2021 she was the 2A State Champ in the 100 meter dash, the 400 meter dash, the 800 meter run, and was part of the 1600 sprint medley relay state championship team.

Those contributions helped the Lady Eagles easily win the 2A State Title.

In her sophomore year, Pendergast moved to Sheridan, but because of WHSAA rules, she could compete at various meets, but not at the regional or state meet that year.

She says before the starting gun goes off, after she crosses the finish line and everything else in between, there are many different aspects of a race that she enjoys.

“I think the excitement of a race, the competitiveness, but also being able to hug your competitors at the end and saying good job, so I think the mix of sportsmanship, the love for the sport that everyone shares and the competitiveness and technique that I feel.”

Pendergast says she is considering majoring in environmental science and public policy.

She will not participate in the upcoming indoor track and field season, instead she has chosen to play basketball.

Beginning next school year (2024-2025) Stanford will compete in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) against other eastern US teams such as Boston College, Florida State, North Carolina and Duke to name a few.

Addie Pendergast Wins 100 Meter Dash At 2023 WY High School Outdoor Track And Field State Meet:

Addie Pendergast Wins 400 Meter Dash At 2023 WY High School Outdoor Track And Field State Meet: