Karolyna Buck signs with Montana Tech XC

Out of the striking Mission Mountain valley, an athletic luminary arises.

Mission multi-sport athlete Karolyna Buck is literally running to her next great adventure, a thrilling jump into the unknown. Buck recently signed a letter of intent to join the first-ever Montana Tech cross-country program, which will include a scholarship, beginning in fall of 2020.

The Orediggers’ cross-country coach Zach Kughn, who is tasked with pioneering this program, was sifting through track times looking for potential recruits. He said this is when he noticed Buck was a standout.

“She is a talented multi-sport athlete and I know she has untapped potential in distance running,” Kughn said. “She will make an immediate impact on our first team and help us build our program from the ground up.”

Buck said she is equally thrilled about this opportunity, and being a member of the original cross-country team at Montana Tech is like making history.

“I’m really excited that I get the opportunity to keep running and keep doing what I love,” Buck said. “I’m also really excited that it is the first cross-country program that Montana Tech has ever had and that I get to be a part of that. I think that’s really cool.”

Some of the track times that stood out for her are three of the school records she broke last season. During the Western B/C Divisionals she ran a personal and school best of 2:31.20 in the women’s 800-meter event. Then the following week at the Montana State AA/B Track Meet she broke the school record for the mile (5:49.14) and she was part of the school’s best 4x100 women’s relay team.

Buck came close to breaking the 800 school record her sophomore year, but came up short. She felt it was a huge accomplishment and manifestation of her hard work to achieve it the following year.

“It felt like such a relief,” Buck said. “I was like, yes! After all this hard work I finally got it.”

Buck also holds several other school track records and is all conference in track, cross country and volleyball. For the winter months she plays on the Lady Bulldogs basketball team.

To add to her decorated list of athletic accomplishments, Buck became the Montana Western B Divisional champion in her senior cross country season this past fall. She ran a personal and school-best time in the women’s 5,000-meter race. But she said placing first was not even a goal, given her qualifying times ranked her about fifth for the race.

“It was unexpected,” Buck recalled. “I was still happy to (likely) get all conference and be a part of that… But then as I started running I just felt so good.”

CLEARLY BUCK is a talented athlete, but her athletic endeavors have set her up for so much more in life. Notably she attained a quality of perseverance from competing for a small school that is not notably recognized for athletics at the present time – playing essentially for the experience.

“I think that Mission isn’t known for the best sports teams ever,” Buck said. “But all the people on my team, we’ve always worked hard and never gave up no matter what the outcome of the game was.

“I think that’s helped me in my life to not give up, that things will get better,” she added.

This grit she attained from her high school sports career will surely carry on with her as she moves into the next phase in life.

Before Coach Kughn contacted her, she was confused as to what her next step would be. She was getting attention from a few schools in various places outside of Montana to run cross country, but none of them had her jumping the gun.

When she heard about Montana Tech’s new cross country program it spiked her interest as it was the first in-state school to contact her. After a visit to the campus she could truly see a future there.

“Everyone was so welcoming and friendly,” she said. “I just felt like I fit in from the very first time going there.”

After signing the letter of intent, Buck went from feeling perplexed about life after high school to having a sense of calm knowing at least one aspect of her future is set. Her mother Nicky Buck also expressed a similar relief.

“I’m excited for her to have an outlet in college that affords her an opportunity to develop relationships away from the academics,” Nicky Buck said. “She will have a built-in support network that will be able to celebrate successes, academic and athletic, and well as be there to help her get through the tough times.”

AS WITH many student athletes, there is much more to Buck than her gifted athletic ability. The consensus around Mission is that she simply is an all- around good human being.

Despite time-consuming athletic commitments, she has achieved honor roll recognitions every quarter. She enjoys hands-on learning, with her favorite subject being science. She is currently in advanced biology and considering a possible future in nursing, although she expressed she is still figuring that out.

She also participates in the volunteer group Students Serving Community. She said her time spent among fellow volunteers has taught her to constantly be thinking of ways to help and serve the community.

“Karolyna has excelled at every sport she has ever attempted,” Nicky Buck said. “I feel as her mom, however, that her biggest strength is that she is such an amazing human. She is humble, so humble…

“Hearing how nice she is to others will never get old. She is someone who needs no praise or acknowledgement for doing wonderful things.”

Karolyna Buck has just one high school track season remaining, and then her future at Montana Tech awaits.

Moving away from those stunning Mission mountains will be tough, but at her Oredigger’s signing day it was clear she has unwavering support.

Surrounded by her family, boyfriend and the best of friends, she signed a commitment to her future.

Reporter Whitney England may be reached at 758-4419 or wengland@dailyinterlake.com