Anthony Shivers has shown much endurance in his Mexico High School career.

Since middle school, Shivers has run track and field, staying with the sport up until his senior season this year. He prolonged his career by signing to run in college for NAIA’s Evangel University in Springfield.

Shivers said he was attracted to the “full college experience” at Evangel as he wants to grow as a person and liked the coaches’ pitch of how the two-time all-state runner can be better in the future.

“The coaches there were just really nice to me and straight up with me, telling me how they can make me better and improve me,” Shivers said. 

In his track career, Shivers has competed in sprint events like the 100- and 200-meter dashes and the 4x100-, 4x200- and 4x400-meter relays. He earned all-state honors last year in the 4x400 relay with a seventh-place finish was all-state in the 4x200 relay in 2021 when the Bulldogs were eighth in the event.

Shivers and his 4x400 teammates have been atop the podium several times this season, but he has also shined in multiple sports like football and basketball. On the gridiron, Shivers dashed down the field as an all-conference and all-district running back, and he was also an anchor on the court as an all-conference and media all-district basketball player. But, track seemed like the proper path for Shivers when he decided in March.

“I didn’t know whether I wanted to do football or track or do both,” Shivers said. “Honestly, track was really easier on my body and something that I could easily improve in. I just wanted to go with that because it would be like way more easier to manage for me.”

Track head coach Bucky Green said Evangel should be a good fit for Shivers as he thinks the school will “nurture” him to be more successful. The Valor has sent several runners to the NAIA national championship meet the previous few years and thinks Shivers brings the mentality needed to reach those heights.

“Any program is going to be fortunate to have him because he’s such a hard worker,” Green said. “He just does what you ask him to do and trains on his own and is just a great all-around kid.”

While Shivers has shown instant explosiveness in the sprint events and when emerging from the backfield in football, Green said Shivers has much more to his credit from physical standpoint.

“He is going to be better in the longer sprints,” Green said. “He’s got good endurance and can run a good 400. He’s not really the leg speed to say he would be a wonderfully true sprinter in the 100 meters, but when you lengthen him out a little bit, then his power and endurance comes out more. It’s just his grit and competitiveness to do well.”

Green thinks now Shivers will focus on track all year in the indoor and outdoor season and will have shorter days in class, he has a good chance to improve. 

Shivers said Evangel has told him it’s likely he’ll be involved in the events he’s competed in as a Bulldog for years so there will be some comfort there. There will be new teammates to become accustomed to as a member of the Valor.

“(Track) has been keeping me in shape but also getting to meet a whole bunch of different people has changed the course of my life,” Shivers said. It’s been a great experience all throughout.”