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After four years filled with lots of running, Peyton Couch’s hard work has paid off.

On Thursday in the Morristown West auditorium, Couch signed to continue her academic and running careers for the next four years at Carson-Newman.

“I feel like I have worked so hard to get to where I want to be in my academic and athletic career, so I am really excited that I made the decision to commit to run at Carson-Newman,” Couch said.

When deciding on where she wanted to spend the next four years, Couch looked right down the road at Carson-Newman. The proximity to home, as well as the culture around the Carson-Newman program, made her choice an easy one.

“I’ve always lived around it and have enjoyed it,” Couch said about Carson-Newman. “I really love the team that I got to meet and the coach. Everything about it, I loved it.”

Running in college hasn’t always been on Couch’s radar. In fact, when she started running in the eighth grade, she wasn’t even sure she would continue doing it.

“I first started running in eighth grade and didn’t really care for it,” Couch said. “Once high school started, I cared more about it because I realized how good I could be. I just tried to push myself every year, and now here I am.”

While the realization of her talent was there all along, it was Couch’s junior year when others began to take notice. Couch said that Carson-Newman reached out to her during her junior year, while other colleges followed during her senior cross-country season.

Couch’s senior cross-country season was a memorable one, as she finished in 14th at the Region 1-AAA meet to qualify for the State Meet for the first time. Couch finished in 148th out of 198 runners at the Class AAA State Meet.

As for her time at West, it’s been four years to remember for Couch.

“It helped me become the runner I am,” Couch said about her time at West. “Just the coaches and my friends and family that have supported me no matter what, it’s always helped. Also, I am really strong in my faith in God, so that has always really, really helped throughout my high school years.”

Couch still has her final semester left at Morristown West but is excited for the opportunity at Carson-Newman. Couch said she wants to major in marketing at C-N.

“I just want to keep working hard and try and get faster,” Couch said about preparing to go to Carson-Newman. “Just trying to keep my family close and keep my relationship with God.”