University alum, current Syracuse runner, Drew Zundell, becomes 3rd WV runner to ever record sub-four minute mile

Feb. 16---- Copy Link — Facebook — LinkedIn — Share on X Former University High School state champion and current Syracuse Orange athlete Drew Zundell accomplished many notable feats during his high school running career.

Now a Division I runner at the collegiate level for SU, Zundell continues to write his name in the record books, most recently joining rare company when it comes to natives of the Mountain State.

Over the weekend at a meet in Boston, MA, Zundell became only the third runner from WV to record a time of under four minutes in a competitive mile.

The SU sophomore crossed the finish line in 3:59.04 to write his name in the history books of not only WV, but Syracuse University as well.

"I think that it's an honor to have something permanent in state history, " Zundell said. "Records get broken, and it really just becomes a matter of time before you're gone. But running sub-four makes me part of the list, and no matter who else comes or who does it next, I will always be on it. I will always be the third person to do it. The moment got so much more special when Chris Fox was there to see it, too. Coach Fox helped build Syracuse into what it is today, and helped put our state on the running scene. So for him to be there, and see it happen, it was for our state, and for me to do it for the program he built, just really felt like a full-circle moment for me."

As mentioned, former SU coach and one of the other two names Zundell joined is Chris Fox, who was on hand in Boston to see Zundell break the mark.

Drew says sub-four minutes became a real possibility after running 4:03 earlier in the season at Cornell. He also says that he surely thinks there were some signs leading up to the race that were coincidentally seen this week.

"I kind of jokingly texted my dad about all the '3s' I had seen going into the race, " he said. "Third race of the season, I would be the third West Virginian to do it, and a bunch of other obscure things that had 3s in it. So it was definitely something that I was thinking about going into the race."

With the rest of the track season ahead, and two more seasons wearing the orange, Zundell says his time at Syracuse has already changed him for the better, both as an athlete and a person.

"In running, but all the aspects of my life, I've been taught how to be a pro here at Syracuse, " he said. "Be professional in all of the things that I do, my training, sleep, nutrition, but also punctuality, and getting your work turned in, getting your business figured out, stuff like that. There are so many more things that are as important as that, but I could talk about them for days."