Nearly 13% of the current senior class at Girls Preparatory School was represented on stage inside Frierson Theater on Wednesday, when nine athletes who combined to win three state championships were celebrated for their upcoming opportunities in collegiate sports on the traditional national signing day.
A common bond shared between four of those student-athletes dated back to their varsity debut seasons for the Bruisers as eighth graders, when Frances Bohner, Gilly Shumate, Mary Wamack and Tessie Braman all finished inside the top 14 to help the GPS cross country team run away with a state championship at the TSSAA Division II-AA meet.
“When I look back at winning that state championship, I had no idea as an eighth grader winning a state championship was even feasible,” Shumate said. “Winning state was such a surprise and a great way to begin my cross country career. That moment just kept me on a path moving upward.”
Fast forward to February 2025, and Shumate now holds six school records — and the Davidson College signee still has her final season of prep track and field ahead of her this spring. Her records for the Bruisers are in the 5-kilometer (3.1-mile) run at 18 minutes, 15 seconds in cross country, while in track she has the top marks for GPS in the 1600-meter run (5:05), mile (5:22), 3200 (10:58), 2K steeplechase (7:35) and 4×800 relay (9:28).
The eight other signees honored by GPS on Wednesday were Bohner (Davidson swimming), Adelaide Bond (Wheaton swimming), Braman (North Georgia cross country and track), Mariah Ivery (Middle Tennessee track), Eileen Nash (Tennessee rowing), Cadence Nichols (UNC Asheville volleyball), Millie Sharplin (Georgia State swimming) and Wamack (Lee University soccer).