Colony Knights distance runner to compete for UAA

Tobias Buchanan is a distance runner. But the Colony Knights standout won’t have to go far for the next stop in his athletic career.

Buchanan, a senior, has signed his National Letter of Intent to attend UAA, and will compete on the Seawolves cross-country and track and field squads beginning in the fall.

“I’m excited to be close to home,” Buchanan said during a signing ceremony Monday afternoon at Colony High. “Especially for my younger teammates to keep in touch with and see how they’re doing too.”

Buchanan enjoyed a stellar running career during his four years with the Knights. As a junior, Buchanan helped the Knights win Division I state boys state titles in both cross-country running and track and field.

As a senior in cross-country, Buchanan was the runner-up in both the Region III and Division I state championship boys races. He also set a personal best in the Mustang Smokin Stampede, with a time of 16 minutes, 27 seconds.

Buchanan was third at both regions and state as a junior. He also was third in regions as a sophomore and fourth as a freshman.

In track, Buchanan finished fifth at state in the 3,200 meters and seventh in the 1,600 meters.

Buchanan, who will cap his prep career as a member of the Knights track team this spring, said he’s ready to take the next step in his running career.

“I think it’s a really good opportunity,” he said. “I’m excited to take all of the training to the next level. It feels like it’s kind of all paid off with how long I’ve been running/”

Buchanan said he has been running competitively since the fourth grade, but the thought of taking it to the next level became realistic as a high school athlete.

“When I got to high school, I thought maybe I could,” Buchanan said. “But just in the last year or two I’ve decided this is something I want to pursue.”

Buchanan said he explored other programs, but UAA was his main choice.

Buchanan will also be reunited with former Knights standout Matthew Rongitsch, who is completing his freshman year with the Seawolves. Rongitsch and Buchanan finished first and third in the 2023 Division I boys race, and helped Colony grab the team title.

“He’s a great friend,” Buchanan said. “I’m really glad I can continue to run with him.”

Contact Frontiersman managing editor Jeremiah Bartz at editor@frontiersman.com.