Kayleigh Perry finished 10th at the Blue Ridge Open last week in Boone, N.C., continuing her impressive sophomore season as a member of the High Point University women's cross country team.  It was the first time this season Perry wasn't HPU's top finisher despite being just four second off her personal best, a sign that the team is competing at a high level just in time for the Big South Championship.

“For a lot of the race I was in the lead pack,” Perry said. “At some point I started slowly falling back and I was pretty frustrated. I thought I was having a bad race but when I crossed the line and saw the time I was shocked to see I was within four second of my PR. It was a tough course too, so I am feeling pretty good about my last race before conference.”

In the first three races of the season Perry was HPU's best finisher, including a personal best time of 18:23 at the Big South Preview on Sept. 17. At the Blue Ridge Open she finished second on the team behind classmate Audrey Malloy. She said her success this season came after a tough preseason where she didn't feel training was going very well.

“I have exceeded every expectation I had for this season,” she said. “Especially after preseason where things just didn't go well for me. But I kept working hard and trusted that good results would come from that and they have. I have been placing well and my times have gotten better.”

The Panthers are 10 days away from the Big South Championship hosted by Coastal Carolina in Conway, S.C. and Perry has high expectations for herself and the team.

“Personally, I want to finish in the top three which will be a huge jump from 22nd last year,” she said. “I wasn't happy with my result at all last season. As a team we have been working very hard and really pushing each other. The obvious goal is we want to win but I think it is a real possibility.”

Perry has become a key piece of a High Point team she almost wasn't a member of at all. She originally headed to Navy for her freshman year but when she couldn't stop thinking about High Point she rushed to get here in time for preseason last year.

“I went to boot camp for the first month at Navy and knew right away it wasn't for me,” Perry said. “I went to bed every night thinking about High Point and wondering why I didn't come here. At first I kept it to myself because I didn't want everyone to think I was a failure. It was two weeks in before I could make my first phone call and I immediately called my parents and then coach Esposito.”

Perry was able to withdraw from Navy and get to High Point just in time for preseason, but the process was rushed.

“Everyone was really understanding about my decision to leave Navy but I had to hurry to be able to come to HPU. There was paperwork that got turned in just in time for me to get here. I showed up at preseason and half the team was surprised to see me and half didn't even recognize me.”

Perry looked different than she had when she came to HPU for her official visit because she had cut over 20 inches off her hair before she left for the academy, donating it to Locks of Love.

“It was difficult at the time, telling everyone at Navy I wanted to leave and hurrying to get to High Point but it was definitely the right choice. I am so glad I am here and I really can't imagine myself anywhere else.”