CHERRY TWP — Alyssa Deal is not quite sure how Jacksonville University discovered her, but she's certainly glad it did.

Deal, a 2006 graduate of Moniteau High School, will be moving south to Florida, where she will be a member of the cross country and track and field teams at the Atlantic Sun Conference school.

"I'm guessing they saw the results from states or the (District 9) finals," said Deal, who also starred in basketball for the Warriors. "I'm not sure how they knew me, but they sent me a questionnaire."

"During the season, they contacted her and were interested in her times," said Moniteau girls track coach Sue Scialabba. "The deal was if she had a good showing at states, that would depend on what she got."

The partial scholarship should account for slightly more than half of Deal's expenses at the Division I school.

Scialabba said Deal went for a visit about two weeks ago and immediately liked what she saw.

"When I talked to her, she said she signed a letter of intent," said Scialabba.

Deal left Moniteau as the school's all-time leading scorer in girls basketball, averaging 14.2, 17.1 and 15.8 points per game her final three seasons and totaled 153 3-pointers in that span.

She was a Keystone Shortway Athletic Conference and Butler Eagle first-team selection her junior and senior years. Despite that, she will try to make her mark in running.

Deal placed seventh in the 1,600-meter run at the PIAAClass AA championships last month with a time of 5 minutes, 14.25 seconds.

Her time of 5:07.09 in the first-day qualifier broke her own school record and is the second-fastest time recorded in Butler County in that event.

Deal was also the 1,600 champion at the District 9 championship meet and was the KSAC Girls Track MVP. She was a key piece to the Warriors nabbing the past two league championships.

Deal also placed fifth at the state meet in the 1,600 as a sophomore.

"I miss basketball already," said Deal. "I would have done anything to keep playing, but it didn't work out."

Deal's best chance to have played basketball would be at a smaller school, but none of her choices were a perfect fit.

"I really liked basketball, but a lot were smaller schools and they didn't have as good a program in my major (nursing).

"As soon as I heard 'Florida,' I thought about the great weather and the area. I knew I couldn't play basketball there. I figured I had to run,"Deal added.

Deal considered Robert Morris University and West Virginia University, and did hear from some other big schools, such as Georgia Tech, "but I really didn't put a lot of time in them. I waited too long. I was lucky to get what I did," said Deal.

Without basketball, Deal is optimistic she can now concentrate on her running and the results will reflect it.

"I think I can make great improvement with the training and the coaches," she said. "(Head coach Ron Grigg) knows what he's doing. They've won titles."

The Dolphins are the defending Atlantic Sun indoor and outdoor track champions.

"I think I'll be able to focus and get my times down. That'll make a difference," Deal added.

Scialabba agreed.

"I think she'll get into that frame of mind of running year-round," said Scialabba. "It's always been basketball or cross country or track. She has to do cross country and indoor now. That'll be good for her."