Bishop Verot cross-country runner commits to UF

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Cross-country
Cross-country star Mackenzie de Lisle. CREDIT: WINK News

Now, a Gator, but always a Viking.

Cross-country star Mackenzie de Lisle has run past the records during her high school career.

The Bishop Verot Catholic High School senior won a state championship last year. Now, she’s committed to running at the University of Florida.

Even before the sun rises, De Lisle is on the track with her teammates on the Bishop Verot High School cross-country team.

It’s safe to say you can find her running ever since she was a freshman. That’s when she laced her running shoes to become a runner instead of a gymnast.

“My whole mindset changed around competition. It turned more peaceful than pressure, so now I take the pressure as privilege,” De Lisle said.

In just three full seasons running track, De Lisle etched her name into school history by breaking four individual records.

“I see that and then go out to track practice, and I run some reps. Keeps me disciplined, keeps me motivated,” De Lisle said.

She even won a state championship last year in the 1,600, earning a ring, which she received on Friday.

Bishop Verot ring. CREDIT: Tyler Stowell

“I keep it in my room. Keep the case open to look at it every single day,” she said.

When it was time to pick a college, there was a clear checklist.

“We wanted someone she was able to trust,” said her coach Tyler Stowell. “Someone who wanted her as an athlete. Someone who was talking to her regularly.”

She found that with the University of Florida.

De Lisle’s decision was validated after listening to a speech from Gator legend and NBA champion Udonis Haslem.

“He said [to] go to the people that want you to be a better person, and yes, all the coaches [are] reaching out, but Coach Palmer and Coach Sam continually reached out to make sure I was doing OK, and I know when someone cares about you like that, they’re going to care about you when you’re in the program, so I was like I know that’s where I want to be. That night, I decided I’m going to commit there,” De Lisle said.

“Just really excited to see what she’s able to do. I think she’s just scratching the surface,” Stowell said.

When De Lisle looks at that ring, she told us she thinks about her goal to win another state championship.

She was presented with the ring on the field during the school’s football game last Friday.

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