Butler senior Alexia Mechling, center, flanked by parents Jeff and Kim Mechling, signs a letter of intent to continue her academic and high jumping career at Penn State University. Golden Tornado girls track and field coach John Williams looks on.

BUTLER TWP — The choice was not a difficult one for Alexia Mechling.

After 13 years of dance and five years of track and field, it was time to commit to one.

Track and field — the high jump, in particular — won out.

“It wasn't hard for me to give up dance. I just wasn't into it anymore,” Mechling said. “The high jump was better for me mentally, It just clicked a lot more.”

Mechling left dancing a year and a half ago. Her senior year this past spring was the only season she did solely track.

It resulted in a scholarship to attend Penn State University for the Butler graduate, where she will compete in the high jump and major in kiniesiology, the study of anatomy and body movements.

“You could see the difference in Alexia this year,” Butler girls track and field coach John Williams said. “Her freshman and sophomore years, she would go hard, but she would get tired.

“I'm an advocate of kids doing multiple activities in high school, but doing track and dance in the same season is tough. That's a lot on the legs.”

Mechling also competed in the triple jump for the Golden Tornado, but will focus on the high jump in college. She has been competing in that event since seventh grade.

“Her background in dance made her a natural there,” Williams said. “High jump and dance use similar body movements.”

Mechling hit her personal-best jump of 5 feet, 5 inches this spring. She placed fifth at the WPIAL Championships and qualified for the PIAA meet in Shippensburg.

She was also part of three WPIAL girls track and field team championships at Butler. There was no track season her junior year.

“I felt like I had to commit to track my senior year,” Mechling said. “This was my last year and I wanted to contribute as much as I could.

“Being part of a team with so many good athletes helped me. In meets against smaller schools, the toughest competition would be my own teammates at times. They really make you work hard to win.”

Mechling also considered Saint Francis University before deciding on Penn State.

“I wanted to go to a big school and see what the coaches there could bring out of me,” she said.

Penn State is also suitable for her course of study. Mechling hopes to get into a career as a physical therapist or chiropractor.

“She's using this opportunity to help further her education,” Williams said. “Her performance this past year gave her this chance.

“With the COVID year taking away a year of development for these kids, there is still some untapped potential. That's definitely true in Alexia's case.”

Penn State's women's track and field team finished sixth in the Big Ten Championships this spring. Two members of the team — Maddie Holmberg (heptathlon) and Madison Smith (javelin) — went to the 2021 Olympic Trials. Three members of the Nittany Lions' men's team went as well.

Penn State head coach John Gondak has been with the program eight years and has coached 53 first team All-Americans and 52 Big Ten champions. His athletes have broken 66 Nittany Lion records.

Fritz Spence, the team's jumps coach, has been with Penn State 16 years and coached 25 All-Americans, eight Big Ten champions and nine athletes who placed among the top five at the NCAA Championships.

“I can't wait to work with those people,” Mechling said. “I'm excited about it.

“My goal is to continue improving and reach my peak. I'd love to go to the Big Ten Championships. It may be tough to do that my freshman year, but I want to get there.”