Many know Lexi Marion, recognizing her for a variety of qualities, including her incredible work ethic in running, her drive to do her best in all that she does, and the warm smile she brings to practices each day. On Thursday, November 20, Davie’s Learning Commons was full of support for Marion as she signed with Winthrop University, a D1 school in Rock Hill, SC, to further her running career in both cross country and track and field.
The room quickly filled with Lexi’s friends, family, and teammates, all anxiously anticipating the moment when she made her official commitment. Among these people was Alyssa Marion, Lexi’s twin sister, who actively shows up to support her and her journey as she carries her career to college. Alyssa looks up to her sister, and admires the work that Lexi has accomplished in her high school career.
“She’s been a great leader on the track team, all four years of high school, and she’s especially been great this year with this new freshman group,” Alyssa said. “She just shows a lot of spirit and heart for the sport, which is something you don’t find a lot lately.”
Lexi has spent countless hours working to improve the team over the years, and in doing so has brought a lot of attention to the sport through her dedication. Many admire her presence and dedication to the team, specifically the freshmen who have been impacted by her leadership and inclusiveness.
“Lexi has been a role model for me this season and has provided a motivation for me during races,” freshman Addalyn Steelman, Lexi’s teammate, said. “She always pushes me to finish when I feel like quitting and is always so supportive and encouraging towards our team, which creates a positive environment for myself and the other girls.”
After years of influence on Davie’s team, Marion is excited to take her next step towards her collegiate career. Following the signing, Marion expressed great enthusiasm in her decision to commit to Winthrop. Marion visited several colleges and was overall very pleased with the experience Winthrop had to offer her.
“I love the team atmosphere there, and I like the school. It has the major I’m interested in [exercise science], and I felt really good vibes from the team and the people there.”
Additionally, Marion has seen much support from her family and teammates in her experience at Davie. Her parents have always shown up to meets, and Marion notes that her parents “supported anything that I wanted to do.” Marion is always appreciative of the time her parents commit to watching her run and is looking forward to spending time with her new teammates throughout college.
Among the many who attended was Marion’s coach, Rob Raisbeck. Raisbeck has had the opportunity to coach Marion for all four years of her high school career and observed her improvement at every meet. Always cheering for her from the sidelines, Raisbeck has greatly enjoyed having Marion on his team.
“She has demonstrated tremendous dedication to our team,” Raisbeck said. “Even when we didn’t have a lot of other girls she could train with, she was still out here every day working as hard as she could. As a coach, I really appreciate her contributions to our team.”
With Marion stepping down from her position as a team captain to pursue collegiate running, Raisbeck is upset to see her leave; however, he expresses great excitement in watching her further her career.
“She’ll leave big shoes to fill because she’s been such a big part of our program for four years,” Raisbeck said. “She’s been a good mentor to our younger runners, and I think that because of Lexi’s influence, our younger kids will be able to make contributions due to how they saw Lexi dedicate herself during the years.”
As Marion begins to look towards her future career, she is able to reflect on the many blessings that she’s had the opportunity to receive. She still has both her indoor and outdoor track seasons ahead and hopes that they will be filled with fast times and great memories. Leaving behind a huge role to fill, Marion leaves memories and a passion for running that will shape the minds of young runners for years to come.
