The 5-foot-8, 125-pound junior took second at Nike Cross Nationals this past season, the highest finish in meet history by an Arizona prep. Van Meerten crossed the line just 2.2 seconds off the title pace. He earned dual All-American honors after finishing fourth at the Brooks Cross Country Championships and also won the AIA Division II state meet in a course record time of 14:56.2, leading the Eagles to the team title. He smashed Mt. SAC Invitational course record in mid-October and the following month broke by 7.1 seconds the previous state meet course standard held by Tuba City High’s Billy Orman, the 2010-11 Gatorade State Player of the Year.
Van Meerten has maintained a 3.30 GPA in the classroom. He will begin his senior year of high school this fall.
A member of his school’s chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Van Meerten has volunteered locally coaching in a youth basketball league at the Boys and Girls Club.
