Raising the bar: State record-holder continues to add to personal best

WASILLA — When Ceil Dunleavy started her career with the Wasilla High School track and field program, she didn’t put much thought into winning region and state titles. Instead, Wasilla’s four-year standout in the girls’ high jump, set a simple goal.

“Go up two inches every year,” Dunleavy said recently.

Dunleavy has been able to achieve that goal, improving by at least two inches every year. And Dunleavy has picked up a few titles along the way. Dunleavy enters the Region III Championships in Homer Friday as the three-time defending 4A state champion, and a region champ in two of the last three years.

“It wasn’t really in the overall plan, but it’s been really nice, a really nice surprise,” Dunleavy said of the championships. “The plan goes back to the first practice as a freshman. The coach asked what’s the overall goal for high school. I didn’t really think about winning state titles.”

In the next two weekends, Dunleavy has the chance to cap what is already an illustrious career with a couple of more golds. But regardless of what happens, Dunleavy has already etched her name in the Alaska track and field record books. Last year, as a junior, Dunleavy broke, what was then, the oldest mark in the Alaska girls’ track and field record book. She hit 5 feet, 6 ½ inches during the ASAA 4A state track and field meet at Dimond High School in May 2016. The mark topped the prior best, a jump of 5-6 by former Soldotna standout Renae Pickarsky in 1983. Dunleavy also became the first athlete in state history to win the girls’ high jump three times.

This year, Dunleavy has enjoyed continued success. She’s finished first in each of the six meets she’s competed in this season, and has set a personal record in each of the last two weeks. After hitting 5-7 May 6 at the Colony Invitational, Dunleavy reached 5-8 at the Palmer Invitational last weekend.

“I’m really grateful to accomplish that goal this past weekend,” Dunleavy said. “That was my overall goal.”

Five-foot-eight was the magic number for Dunleavy.

She made her high school debut April 4, 2014, at the Big C Relays in The Dome in Anchorage, and finished with a mark of 4-8. Less than two months later, Dunleavy capped her freshman season with a jump of 5-2, and her first state championship. As a sophomore, Dunleavy once again hit her initial goal of adding two inches each year. She hit 5-4 at the Palmer Invite, Region III Championships and state meet that year. She earned another state title.

As a junior, Dunleavy did it again, adding at least two inches to her best. She hit 5-6 at the Homer and Palmer meets, and 5-6.5 at state.

Now Dunleavy can set her sights higher.

“From now on, I’m going to try a bit higher from the 5-8,” Dunleavy said.

As she worked her way to becoming a three-time state champion, and now has the rare chance to win four straight state titles, Dunleavy said she has not let the pressure consume her. Dunleavy said, even when she’s around people who constantly want to talk about it, she doesn’t let it get to her.

“I’ve been accustomed to people expecting another championship. It doesn’t bother me at all. It’s nice motivation,” Dunleavy said. “I focus more on the next meet.”

Dunleavy said she tries to remain modest.

“I consider myself a humble person. I don’t always expect to get first place,” Dunleavy said.

Dunleavy’s senior year also included the opportunity to compete at the next level. Earlier this spring, Dunleavy signed her National Letter of Intent to attend Portland State University in Oregon, and she will compete in the high jump for the Division I Vikings.

“I’m really excited to start my next chapter there,” Dunleavy said.

Dunleavy said she was able to visit the campus, located in the heart of downtown Portland.

“It’s an amazing campus, right in the city. I met a couple of teammates, and they were super cool, super nice,” Dunleavy said.

Dunleavy said she started to think about the idea of competing at the next level early in her high school career, and became more serious about the possibility as a sophomore.

“It’s a huge honor to be able to go and compete with a Division I school,” Dunleavy said.

Dunleavy said she looked at other schools including Division I programs such as Idaho and Boise State, and Division II UAA, but Portland State proved to be the fit. Plus she could have the opportunity to make a difference right away.

“Portland seemed very excited to have me,” Dunleavy said.

Dunleavy said she plans to study accounting at Portland State and pursue a minor in Native American studies. Dunleavy, who lived in Kotzebue until she was 5, said she would like to return to Alaska after college and would love to find a way to bring her sport to the rural communities.

“I want to make a plan to somehow bring track do the villages. There’s a lot of untapped potential,” Dunleavy said.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.