Fleming signs letter to attend Kent State

DAVE MOSIER/independent sports

Van Wert senior track and cross country standout Jared Fleming will be heading for Mid-America Conference (MAC) member Kent State in the fall with the signing of his letter of intent on Wednesday.

Fleming, the reigning state champion in the 800-meter run and a state qualifier several years in both track and cross country, will compete for the Golden Flashes in the fall.

Fleming said he liked the “family atmosphere” fostered by the Kent State coaches.
“I really liked how all the guys, they’re close friends,” Fleming said. “I liked that the girls’ and the guys’ teams are all one team, just like what we have here at Van Wert, so it’s nothing new.”

The 2012 cross country team co-captain also said he liked the competitiveness of the Kent State coaches and teams. “After sitting down with the coaches, I left the meeting fired up about where their mindset: their philosophy is ‘MAC championship or bust’ and that’s kind of how we are Van Wert with the WBL,” he said.

The VWHS senior said he had made visits to a number of schools, including North Carolina State, Miami of Ohio, Eastern Michigan University and Malone, but had narrowed his choice down to Kent State and North Carolina State by December. After a visit to N.C. State in January, Fleming said he decided on the Golden Flashes.

“It was just hard not to go with Kent State,” he said, noting the fact that the school is in Ohio would allow his parents to go to many of his meets.

While at Kent State, the two-time First Team All-Ohio runner said he plans to compete in both track and cross country and could run anything from the 800-meter, where he won the 2012 Ohio state championship in 1:54.01, up to 5,000-meter races.

Academically, Fleming, who holds the VWHS school record in both the 800- and 3200-meter runs, plans to pursue a major in sports administration and communications at Kent State. Noting that he was still “undecided” about what he might do after college, he did say that, at this point, he was interested in a career in broadcasting.

Fleming joined his parents, Jay and Kim Fleming, and coaches on Wednesday for a letter signing ceremony in the VWHS Media Center.