Collinsville High School sprinter Jessika Sillas recently agreed to continue her career at McKendree University.

Left to Right: TaRael Kee (CHS assistant track coach), Jessika Sillas, Julie Rhodes (Sillas’ mother)

The future accounting major chose McKendree “because it is close, but far enough away and it is a good school with a nice campus.”

Sillas earned honorable mention on the Southwestern Conference All-Conference team her junior year in the 100 and 200-meter dashes, as well as the 4×100 and 4×200-meter relays.

McKendree’s track program, which recently moved up to Division II, is moving in the right direction, Sillas said. Collinsville High School Assistant Track Coach TaRael Kee sees a bright future for the program.

“They have been making some great signings lately and they have a great, young coach in Coach (Michael) Mendez,” Kee said.

Julie Rhodes, Sillas’ mother, said the original plan for Sillas focused on another sport.

“I think we both had our hearts set on basketball,” Rhodes said.

After reducing her work hours to part-time so she could see all of her daughter’s basketball games, Sillas informed her mother that she would be quitting basketball to focus on track.

“It was a long road, but it paid off in the end,” Rhodes said.

Sillas work ethic played a large part in earning her a track scholarship, Kee said.

“I’m excited to see someone who works hard every single day be rewarded for it,” Kee said. “It’s good to see that hard work still pays off.”