Ankeny Centennial hurdler Cael Woods has verbally committed to run track at South Dakota State.
Woods picked the Jackrabbits over some other schools in the Midwest.
“I looked at a couple schools mostly in the Dakotas and Minnesota, and it was a difficult decision to make,” he said. “But I loved everything about SDSU from the moment I got to campus. The coaches and athletes are super cool and nice, and we share a lot of similarities and hobbies.”
Woods is a six-time state qualifier for the Class 4A state meet. He has qualified three times in the shuttle hurdle relay, including an 11th-place finish in last year’s meet, when he helped the Jaguars to a tie for seventh place overall.
Woods qualified for state in four events as a junior. He placed eighth in the 400 hurdles in 55.07 seconds and 20th in the 110 hurdles in 15.56, and he also ran on the 16th-place 4×400 relay.
Woods is coming off a successful season on the football field, where he earned all-district second-team honors as a defensive back while helping Centennial to an 8-3 record and a trip to the Class 5A quarterfinals. He made 33.5 tackles and tied for the team lead with three interceptions, two of which he returned for touchdowns.
Woods was impressed by everything that he saw in Brookings.
“This decision was made easier by how much the community supports SDSU,” he said. “Everywhere you went, there were Jackrabbit flags and logos. The school itself was very nice with great academic programs of interest to me and impressive athletic training facilities. To be honest, it felt like a home away from home.”