Warsaw senior distance star Mia Beckham has chosen to run at Butler University next year.

WARSAW – It’s been a great few days for Warsaw star runner Mia Beckham.

The senior distance ace was outstanding Saturday in placing third overall in the New Prairie Semistate to earn her fourth straight berth to the State Finals.

Then, Monday night, Beckham announced that she will be taking her immense abilities to Butler University next year to compete for the NCAA Division I Bulldogs in cross country and track.

“I just had a feeling that it was the right place for me,” said Beckham of Butler. “I like the team and the coach there.”

Beckham committed to Butler after taking her official visit to the Indianapolis school on Monday.

Beckham turned in her personal-best effort Saturday as she covered the tough 5K course at New Prairie High School in a top time of 18:20 to place third in a field of 180 runners. Beckham will compete in the State Finals on Saturday in Terre Haute for the first time as an individual after the Tigers failed to advance as a team from semistate. Warsaw, which placed ninth on Saturday, had qualified for State each of the past six seasons. The top six teams from the semistate advance to the State Finals.

Beckham, who was fourth at the semistate a year ago,  has had some senior season for coach Matt Campbell’s program. She won her third straight Northern Lakes Conference Meet championship at Ox Bow Park back in September. She then claimed the individual title at the Culver Academy Sectional on Oct. 7 in a time of 19:37. That was her first individual sectional title as she had not run at the sectional meet previously in her prep career as she was held out to rest. Warsaw won its seventh straight sectional title. Beckham then won the individual title at the Culver Academy Regional for the third straight year on Oct. 14 in a time of 19:04 to lead her team to its fifth straight regional championship.

Beckham also had an outstanding track season last spring for the Tigers. She ended it by placing seventh in the 1,600 at the State Finals in Bloomington in June.

Campbell thinks that his ace will be a good fit at Butler.

“It’s a really good school academically and I think that Mia made a good choice,” said Campbell. “I think that she will fit in and contribute there right away. There’s still a lot left in her tank. I also like that she will be close to home so that I can continue to watch her compete.”