Powell track and field standout Anissa Warner made it official Tuesday, signing on the dotted line in accepting an athletic scholarship to the University of Wyoming.

Warner had a number of other offers from Idaho, Idaho State, Boise State and MSU-Bozeman, among others, including some that would have allowed her to compete in track as well as volleyball, but while those were initially tempting, she looked at the reality of such a situation.

“I thought, ‘do I want to be mediocre at two sports or really put all of my time into one and be really good,’” Warner said. “I knew I’d be a lot happier in the long run doing just track.”

The distance also didn’t play much of a role as Laramie isn’t any closer than many of the suitors.

What it more came down to is that Warner is actually a legacy at Wyoming and would be following in her mom’s footsteps, as well as having the chance to compete at the Division I level.

“My mom did high jump at Wyoming and still is tied for the best jump for the school,” Warner said of her mom Chris (Lazz) Warner.

That mark is 5 feet, 7 inches, set in 1990 and tied in 2011, and is already within reach of the young Warner.

“She’s cleared 5-7 during the indoor season with the Cody team,” Chris said. “So I don’t think it will be too long before she’ll break my record.”

Joining the Cody indoor track and field team this past winter was a conscious, though tough, decision for Warner as it meant giving up her senior basketball season, but it was aiming to this goal.

“I love the other sports and will miss them,” she said. “But track has always been my favorite. I like being a part of a team, but that can be problematic sometimes. With track, it’s just me that’s competing and I love that aspect of it.”

The Cowboys recruited Warner specifically for the high jump, where she won the state championship during the indoor season with Cody, but she won’t be limited to just that.

“They said they will train me in the triple jump too, and when I’m ready I will be able to compete in that,” she said. “I’m not sure about long jump, but we will see how that goes.”

It isn’t just a matter of following in her mom’s footsteps athletically, as Warner’s field of study choice has partially been influenced as well.

“I want to major in biology and eventually become an oncologist,” she said. “My mom battled breast cancer and that really made me want to go into that and have a chance to make a difference for others who have to go through that.”

It is an adjustment for anyone moving from high school to college, all the more so for a student-athlete having to balance practice and competition with their academics.

“UW has a great tutoring and study program that is available and we have a set number of hours that we have to spend getting help,” she said. “More than anything, I’m extremely excited to see what’s at the next level. I can’t wait to be with a team and staff who really want to be there and get better.

“The facilities I’ve seen there are amazing,” she added. “It’s going to be an awesome experience.”