Abby Lazard picks KSU

This past weekend, Central Lafourche track standout Abby Lazard polished off a storied high school career at the Class 5A State Track Meet.

One day before her emotional, state championship-winning day, she officially finalized her plans to continue her career at the next level.

The Lady Trojans standout athlete announced that she has signed a National Letter of Intent to join the track program at Kennesaw State University, which is located approximately 20 miles north of Atlanta.

Lazard said she “cannot wait” to show off her leaping ability to her new track family.

“It’s exciting knowing that I’m going to be part of a bigger team and competing at a higher level,” Lazard said. “It sort of is like a dream come true because I’m moving up competition-wise and I want to continue to grow as an athlete.”

Lazard’s path to the college level comes after what has been a magical, award-winning high school career.

The standout jumper competed in the long, triple and high jumps for the Trojans. Since 10th grade, she was a regular member of the winner’s circle. Her medal collection totals “several dozen.” A precise count totaled 54.

That was before the slew of medals added to the collection in Lazard’s outdoor senior season.

“I have so many,” Lazard said earlier in the season, while combing through each medal. “They are all special in their own way.”

The icing on Lazard’s medal collection came in her senior season when she won the State Championship at the Indoor Track Meet – her first-ever state title.

“It feels good knowing that you’re the best at something,” Lazard said following that accomplishment. “To be the best in the state? That’s even better. This is just an awesome feeling.”

She followed up that performance by winning a bronze medal at this weekend’s outdoor championships.

From experiencing so much prep success, several colleges were hot on Lazard’s trail for the better part of the past year.

The Lady Trojan said her top three choices were Louisiana-Lafayette, Nicholls and Kennesaw State.

She said throughout the recruiting process, she didn’t have a true favorite.

“It was more of a three-way tie between those schools,” she said.

The tables titled toward Kennesaw after Lazard visited the school’s Georgia campus.

She said that she enjoyed the school’s campus and got along “very well” with her future teammates – something she labeled as important toward her final decision.

“You’d probably have to ask them,” Lazard said with a chuckle when asked what the school liked about her talent. “But I did find out I passed the test with them and the athletes.

“The test is a personality test. It was to see if I was compatible with them.”

The fact that Kennesaw also did their part financially to show Lazard how badly they wanted her on their team helped, as well.

“They offered me the biggest scholarship,” she said.

At Kennesaw, Lazard said the coaches will give her an opportunity to compete in the long, triple and high jump.

She said she cannot wait to improve her skills so that she can arrive in Georgia ready to do damage.

But for now, Lazard said she is more focused on getting some much-needed rest.

The Central Lafourche senior said she will relish her final summer in Louisiana and is looking forward to being “a big kid” while she still can.

“I will most definitely have to get used to sleeping in and being bored all day,” Lazard said with a laugh.

But when the boredom end and the calendar turns to August, Lazard said she cannot wait to begin the next chapter in her life.

“I’m very excited,” she said. “It’s going to be crazy adjusting because it snows in Georgia, but I’m still excited to go.”

Abby Lazard