The 5-foot-10, 145-pound junior won the 3000-meter run at the University of Washington High School Invitational with a time of 8:31.70 this past winter, which ranked as the nation’s No. 5 prep performance indoors in 2020. The state’s reigning Gatorade Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year, Merchant won the 1600 and 3200 at the Division 2 state championship meet outdoors in 2019, while also anchoring the victorious 4x400 relay quartet and the second-place 4x800 foursome.
Merchant has maintained a 3.77 GPA in the classroom. He will begin his senior year of high school this fall.
Merchant has volunteered locally on behalf of Anchorage Rescue Mission and youth running programs.
