NORTH ROBINSON — Niyah Shipman has been serving patients in home nursing, as a part of a program from Pioneer Joint Vocational School.

For the next four years, Shipman will study nursing and perform on the track at Ohio Wesleyan University.

A two-time state qualifier at Colonel Crawford, Shipman signed her letter of intent with the Bishops.

It was a culmination of a successful career with the Lady Eagles. In fact, Shipman is trying to make her third appearance at the state track meet this season.

Shipman also played volleyball and basketball at Crawford, but she loves track the most.

“I like track because I’m not relying as much on my team,” Shipman said.

The results have been impressive. She reached the state meet in her sophomore and junior years.

As a sophomore in 2022, Shipman reached the final of the high jump. She made the podium with her second-place finish with a jump of 5-5, just three inches shorter than state champion Mallory Mullen of Springfield Catholic.

As a junior a year ago. Shipman reached state in the high jump and the long jump. She placed fourth in the high jump with a leap of 5-4. Champion Macy Miller of Fairborn won the title at 5-6.

Colonel Crawford coach Jody Grove said that Shipman’s work ethic has been the difference.

“She takes the sport really seriously,” Grove said. “I think, as a freshman, you come in with insecurity, and things like that. But once she had some success, and knew what she was able to do, that’s when things really took off and became very confident in herself.”

Shipman agreed with her coach that her work ethic has been the difference.

“I think I put hard work into both of my events; I’m always one of the first people in the locker room and I’m always one of the last people to leave every day,” Shipman said.

“So, I feel that I put a lot of time into a sport that I love, and I think it pays out pretty well,” she added.

Shipman said that she never dreamed she would be signing with a college when she began her track career.

“My freshman year, I did not take track seriously at all,” Shipman said. “I wasn’t very fast; there were two better jumpers before me high jumping. I was just kind of the third, fourth person to jump. I really didn’t care that much.

“When you have coaches who actually put the time and effort in it really shows,” she added. “And that’s kinda how it was with track. When I went into my sophomore year, I had coaches who supported me no matter what. Then, I decided to do it. Which really helped me decide to want to go further in track.”

She added that she really felt she could become a college track performer during her sophomore year.

“Probably about the middle of the season at Kiwanis, when I jumped 5-4 for the first time and I won that meet,” Shipman said. “It all kind of fell in line during that, and it just was something I wanted to do.”

Grove said that Shipman has a special bond with her coaches.

“There’s always a part of Niyah that’s going to give her high jump coach a hard time,” Grove said jokingly. But we wouldn’t expect anything different.

“She has a great relationship with the coaches and that’s kinda funny, kinda comical. She’s learned a lot, too. She knows when to stop and let him guide her and be serious about it. And that’s really helped her, too.”

Shipman said that Ohio Wesleyan has definite plans for her.

“They want me to do high jump for them,” Shipman said. “They offered me to do long jump for them as well, so if I wanted to do long jump I could. Which I’m planning on doing, and hopefully, getting better at that and training for that as well.”

Shipman said that her goals at Ohio Wesleyan are simple.

“I just want to get better than I am now and learn from a different coach,” Shipman said. “I love my coach that I had here, but everyone coaches differently and there are probably things that he doesn’t know how to help me with that maybe the college coach will be able to help me with and better myself throughout the years in college.”