Shamion Signs with Central Michigan University

By Patrick Browne

Danica Shamion, a standout multi-sport athlete at West Iron, has signed a letter of intent for Central Michigan University and next fall will be a Division I Collegiate athlete participating in track and field.

Shamion is an exceptional athlete with a desire to succeed. She was selected to the Dream Team in volleyball, First Team All UP in basketball, and saw nine Upper Peninsula Championship runs at the track and field finals. 
From the time Shamion was in second grade she was already earning a reputation as one of the fastest students in the school. 

“I was pretty fast and everyone was surprised when I would beat the fourth graders in races,” Shamion said. “I loved running and by the time I was in seventh grade I could beat all the boys. That’s when I realized I was pretty fast.”  

To say she is fast is an understatement. She is one of the most accomplished runners to come out of this area in decades and next year will have the rare honor of being a Division I athlete. 

To receive an athletic scholarship offer is extremely rare, with “less than 2% of all high school athletes receiving athletic scholarships to college,” according to the National Collegiate Athletic Association website.

Athletic Director and West Iron principal Mike Berutti reflected on Danica’s signing.

“She is an outstanding athlete, a very hard worker and she has a drive to be successful,” he said. “I am sure many good things are going to happen in the future.”

West Iron’s track and field coach, Kristi Berutti, was equally laudatory.

“I am so proud of Danica,” she said. “A Division I scholarship is such an honor. When Danica first started running for me she didn’t want to run the 400, but she’s an athlete that won’t say no and she ran it. To me, it is her best event. She set and broke her own school record and set an Upper Peninsula record, running faster than all other divisions. I can’t wait to see what she does at CMU.”

Central Michigan competes at the NCAA Division I level and is consequently tiered with the most competitive programs in the country. 

“The CMU coach wants me to compete in both the 400 meter and 200 meter races and they believe I can run 54 seconds in the 400,”  Shamion said. 

To compete at such an elite level is impressive, but certainly within her ability as she won the 100, 200 and 400 meter at the Upper Peninsula State Track Championship in June of last year.

“I love running and am looking forward to being at Central Michigan,” she said. “They have great people, great facilities and the best competition.”

At CMU she plans on pursuing the study of exercise science and kinesiology. In accepting the honor, Shamion recognized her coaches for their willingness to always push her to succeed, her father who always tries to get the best out of her and her classmates and teachers who work hard to inspire her to be her best.

“I am super proud of her,” stated her father and basketball coach, Eric Shamion. “I am looking forward to seeing her compete at the college level.”