ROCHESTER, N.Y. (May 27, 2015) – Track & Field head coach Merl McGinnis has announced the addition of Kyla Whannell (Kenai, Alaska), who has signed a National Letter of Intent to continue her academic and athletic career at Roberts Wesleyan. 

Whannell is currently the top-ranked senior in Alaska for the 100m and is No.2 in the 20om. Competing for Kenai Central, the sprinter set a personal record in the 100m with a time of 13.01 at the Kenai Peninsula Borough Championships earlier this month. 

This past weekend, Whannell won the 100m (13.20) in the Region III Championships at the Class 4A level while taking second in the 200m (27.32).

"I am excited to have another sprinter of Kyla's caliber to join the program," said McGinnis. "I am looking forward to next year as this will be the best sprinting team I have had."

The future Communication major is an active member of her church's youth group and going on mission trips.  In 2014, Whannel was part of the inaugural Sister City Youth Sports exchange, which involved six Kenai Central student-athletes traveling to Akita, Japan. The trip was organized by her grandfather, Yasuko Lehtinen, who has taught the Japanese language for more than two decades in the Kenai Peninsula area.

Kyla will continue the presence of an Alaskan student-athlete competing on the Roberts Wesleyan Track & Field team as recent graduate Victoria Houser, a thrower, was a native of Eagle River, Alaska.