Hawkins track and cross country standout Kylie Adams signed a national letter of intent with Nelson University on Wednesday during a ceremony at the high school gymnasium. (Jack Stallard/Longview News-Journal)

HAWKINS — Kylie Adams, a track and cross country standout for Hawkins High School, will continue her academic and athletic career at the next level after signing a national letter of intent on Wednesday in front of friends, family, classmates and teammates at the high school gymnasium.

Adams, a two-time state qualifier in cross country and a regional qualifier in two events as a freshman, sophomore and junior in track, will compete at Nelson University.

Nelson is located in Waxahachie and competes in the Sooner Athletic Conference.

Adams won a district championship, placed third in regionals to qualify for the state meet and finished 30th individually at the UIL State Cross Country Meet this past fall.

She was injured and did not run cross country as a junior, but was district champion as both a freshman and sophomore — placing 14th at regionals and 92nd at the state meet as a freshman and finishing 17th at regionals as a sophomore.

On the track, she was district champion in the 3,200 and 1,600 meters and runner-up in the 800 as a junior, winning the area title in the 1,600 and placing second in the 3,200 before finishing sixth at regionals in the 3,200 and eighth in the 1,600.

She was second in the district in the 800 and 1,600, fourth at the area meet in the 800 and third in the 1,600 and 14th at regionals in the 800 and 10th in the 1,600 as a freshman.

As a sophomore, she was second in the 3,200 and 1,600 and fifth in the 800 at the district meet, placing second in the 3,200 and third in the 1,600 at the area meet and finishing eighth in the 3,200 and 15th in the 1,600 at regionals.

Adams was named to the Cross Country Coaches Association of Texas (CCCAT) All-Region list in 2021 and 2024, was the Hawkins cross country MVP in 2021 and 2022 and the Lady Hawks track District Runner of the Year in 2022, 2023 and 2024.

Joining Nelson University in the Southern Athletic Conference are Central Christian, College of the Ozarks, John Brown, Langston, Mid-America Christian, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Panhandle State, Southwestern Christian, Texas Wesleyan, Science & Arts, UNT Dallas and Wayland Baptist.