Wagner is ready to depart high school days, move on
Nathan Wagner’s high school career may have ended, but his running events will continue throughout the summer. Wagner has been a standout in cross country and track at Uniontown High School and he has been training for several summer marathons. In his spare time, he has continued running and lifting weights in preparation for the summer events. He plans to keep on competing as a young adult.
The son of Gerald and Lynn Wagner, he was selected as Uniontown’s top male scholar/athlete in the 2010 graduating class and will be recognized at the second annual Fayette County Sports Hall of Fame banquet, to be held at 6 p.m. Saturday, June 26, at Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus.
Wagner said he appreciates the honor, but will be unable to attend the banquet because of a family obligation.
At Uniontown, he also participated in soccer as a freshman and sophomore and was a member of the National Honor Society, Spanish Club, Ski Club and Students Against Dangerous Decisions. He is also employed on a part-time basis at the Coal Baron Restaurant.
Wagner will attend the University of Pittsburgh’s main campus in the fall and pursue a course of studies in bioengineering. If his schedule allows, he will seek a walk-on berth on the Pitt cross country team. His long-range plans are to work professionally in prosthetics or stem cell research.
Wagner’s sister, Lauren, is a 2008 UHS graduate and attends Waynesburg University, while his younger sister, Hanna, will be a freshman at Uniontown in the fall.
Wagner said Uniontown cross country and track coach Joe Everhart has had the biggest influence on his life.
“I wouldn’t enjoy running if it wasn’t for him,” Wagner said of Everhart. “He’s nice and drives you to be the best. He’s a very good person and his kindness rubs off.”
For the most part, Wagner is ready to leave his high school days behind and move on to the next steps in his life. “I’m pretty excited (about college). I’ve definitely had my fill of high school,” he said.
Wagner has received several scholarships and said he was pleasantly surprised to be selected as a scholar/athlete from Uniontown because he wasn’t aware that such an honor existed.
His advice to fellow students is to “manage your time well. Athletics is big, but academics are bigger. Always make time for studies after sports.”