Nick Cross Working Toward Becoming Elite Sprinter


LYNCHBURG, VIRGINIA--Nick Cross came to The VA Showcase with a simple mission. 

Get work done. 

And after two days, the DeMatha Catholic (MD) High School senior and Florida State University commit can say he's accomplished that very broad goal. 

At this time a year ago, Cross, who stands at 6-feet and 206 pounds, was barely a month into his first indoor track and field season, having just completed a very successful junior football campaign--one in which he began to field offers from some of the top Division I programs in the country, including Alabama, Auburn, Florida and Penn State. 

An unpolished Cross still managed to post a third-place finish in the 55m in 6.43 seconds, then later cut that effort down to a PR of 6.33 at New Balance Nationals Indoor. 

A year later, the difference was clear. Cross looked much cleaner off the blocks and even went up in distance, picking up a heavy workload as he raced in the 55m, 300m and led off the team's prized 4x200 relay. 

The result was a job well done, as Cross won the 55m by tying his 6.33 second PR, was second in the 300m in 35.25 seconds and paced DeMatha out to an early lead in the 4x200 relay before Bullis School (MD) set a national record in the event--the Stags, meanwhile, finished second and just four-tenths away from a school record in 1:27.92.

"It prepares you well, being able to race against top talent," Cross said. "It makes us know what we have to work on for future meets leading up to nationals. It's good to come to a meet like this in this part of the season." 

Cross' future continues to be football. He's a four-star recruit who has the potential to become an NFL talent in a few years time, but his work in track is beginning to pay off, too. In time, his development in the sprints could help him hone in on his current 4.43 second 40-yard dash time and his 38.50-inch vertical leap. 

His goals remain simple: To PR. 

"Get under 6.3, get in the 6.2 range. I ran 6.6 last year in the 60m," he said. "I hope what I can do this year. First year on the track last year going 6.6, I feel like I can go way faster this year."