Conway's Rea decides to continue career at UCA

Arkansas' No. 1 pole vaulting college prospect, Conway senior McKinley Rea, has given her oral commitment to the University of Central Arkansas.

Rea, who is the favorite to win the pole vault at both the Class 7A state meet and the Meet of Champs this spring, turned down nine other scholarship offers from schools across the nation. She narrowed down her list to two schools, which included South Alabama, before choosing UCA.

"It feels like a weight has finally been lifted from my shoulder after I decided where I was going to go to school at," Rea said. "Now, I don't have to worry about where do I have to go and who's watching me. I feel like I can do better now that I don't have that extra pressure on me."

Rea won the pole vault last spring at both the 7A-Central meet and the 7A state meet, while placing second at the Meet of Champs. She is scheduled to compete in the Razorback Invitational this weekend for the Arkansas Vault Club, where the best-of-the-best from the region are expected to compete. Rea is going into that event seeded third.

"I'm very proud of her, whether it's academics or its athletics," said Shawn Rea, her father. "She's done everything that she has needed to do to earn a college scholarship. That was her goal before the indoor season started - was to name a college "

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Rea had a busy summer competing in the Nike Outdoor Nationals at St. Charles, Mo. In the offseason, she did short run drills to improve technique. Her first time jumping at a bar was on Dec. 20 when she cleared 11-9 at the Arkansas Vault Club training center at Black Springs. She won the high school girls division and she outjumped everyone in the women's open division, which included scholarship athletes from Arkansas State.

"I've been working very hard," Rea said. "This summer, I trained at Parisi Speed School and worked out there at least twice a week. I feel like that has helped me a lot. Every since the Nike Outdoor Nationals, I've been training every Sunday and I hope to keep that up."

Rea also helps the Lady Cats on some of the relays, including the 4x100. She is expected to be one of the highest point-getters on the team this spring.

"Anywhere you go, you try to look at how many points you can score. She has just been solid every where that we've went," Conway track coach J.R. Ross said. "At the state indoor meet with 35 teams there, she's gonna score points. In the state outdoor meet, she's gonna score. It's good to go to those things and know that you have got points. That's what she's been the last three years, real steady."