Illinois Prep Zach Kinne Transfers To Pa.'s North Allegheny


Zachary Kinne, scheduled to be one of the top returning distance runners in Illinois, will spend his final season in Pennsylvania, where he'll transfer to one of the better programs in the state. 

The former Neuqua Valley (IL) distance stud, who was fourth at the IHSA Class 3A Championships last November and owned the state's top returning mark in the 5K and third fastest effort at 3-miles, has shipped off to North Allegheny (PA), a traditionally strong program in the Commonwealth, MileSplit Illinois first reported

The late career switch was set in motion by a job relocation for his father. 

Kinne topped out at 15:13.40 at the 5K distance last September and earned a best of 14:33.00 for three miles. He finished 12th at NXR Midwest, won the IHSA 3A Regional in West Aurora and crossed the finish first at the Hornet/Red Devil Invitational. 

In the spring, Kinne was eighth overall on the track in the Texas Distance Festival 5K, producing a career best time of 14:47.01, while he clocked a 4:14.52 full mile and went 9:03.55 for 3200m at the state championships, finishing second.

Neuqua Valley, no doubt one of the top boys programs in Illinois, is losing its best runner.

But the Tigers won't complain. The Pennsylvania squad, located just 15 miles north of Pittsburgh, finished 12th at the PIAA 3A Championships last fall and return junior Daniel McGoey, who was third in the race and owns the third fastest returning time in the state (15:30.70).

The team also returns five of its top seven, signaling a clear power shift in Pennsylvania with the addition of Kinne. 

The former Illinois standout would arrive in Pennsylvania as one of its top runners almost immediately. His 5K is tops among all returners in the state--though the terrain of the Commonwealth could offer a least a minor hiccup.


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