Claire Turner fell in love with the University of Alabama campus during an unofficial visit last summer.
Her success the following cross-country season made the Crimson Tide fall in love with her too.
The Red Bank senior committed to run both cross-country and track for the Tuscaloosa, Ala., school next year, and will sign Wednesday on national signing day.
“It just feels great,” she said. “I’m relieved to have made this college decision. The coach seems to have a great program and I’m glad to be a part of it. I fell in love with the campus during my unofficial visit, then when I went on my official, I met the team and professors.
“I enjoyed being down there; I enjoyed the coach and I trust him.”
Turner was a three-time All-Stater in cross-country and won the Class A/AA state championship this past season. She won the Wendy’s Heisman Award for the state of Tennessee and was named Best of Preps City Runner of the Year.
She plans to major in psychology, with hopes of working for the FBI.
“I want to do research on the human brain and figure out why serial killers do what they do and act the way they do,” she said.
Turner also has a deep respect for Red Bank head coach Hugh Enicks, whom she thanked for his dedication to her training.
“I wouldn’t have had this opportunity if it wasn’t for him,” she noted.
Enicks says that Turner will be valuable addition for Alabama.
“As a high school graduate starting out in college, Claire has more credentials than anybody else I’ve had,” he said. “Now it’s up to her to take it to the next level and go where some others have gone.”
She will leave the Red Bank program on top, but will have to work to attain that same title for Alabama.
“Coach (Randy Hasenback) said that he has a bunch of really good girls,” Turner said. “I’m definitely going to have to fight to be in a scoring position on this team, but he told me that I have the strength to move up pretty fast.”