Gateway sprinter Amaya Robinson to continue career on a familiar track

By: Michael Love
Sunday, April 17, 2022 | 10:01 AM

Amaya Robinson is building on the past and making the most of the present while lending an eye to the future.

The Gateway senior sprinting standout, a WPIAL medalist last year in the Class 3A girls 100-meter dash (sixth) at Slippery Rock, will make Slippery Rock her collegiate home starting in the fall after signing a national letter of intent last week.

It was a process that had its genesis in Robinson’s freshman year.

“My dad sat me down and said by next year as a sophomore, it would be time to start focusing on college,” said Robinson, who plans to study early childhood education.

“We came up with a database and did research on a couple hundred schools in Division I, II and III within an eight-hour driving radius.”

Robinson sent emails introducing herself, and she also made a YouTube channel highlighting her races. With feedback at her disposal, she went from there.

“In summer track, we always ran (at Slippery Rock), and my dad said, ‘I bet you are going to go there,’” she said. “I always thought California (Pa.) was where I was going to go.”

A couple of visits to campus and talks with the track coaches, members of the team, and students in her major, Robinson said, further swayed her decision.

“I really felt strongly that this was it,” she said. “We talked a little more with the coaches, and I signed.”

Robinson swept the 100 and 200 dashes in a section tri-meet with Plum and Penn Hills on April 13, and she was scheduled to run the 100, 200 and 1,600 relay in the rain and chilly temperatures at the Tri-State Track Coaches Association Championships the next day.

Robinson said she’s pleased with the way her season is progressing through the first couple of weeks.

“I definitely can tell I’ve gotten stronger, and that has helped me go faster,” Robinson said.

“Just practicing, training and lifting more in the offseason, and having that also with good coaching pushing me every single day, I feel I have a lot in the tank to lead me to good results.”

Gateway coach Tom LaBuff said he’s excited for what Robinson can achieve in her final varsity season with the Gators.

“In the 100, she already had matched her PR from past seasons,” LaBuff said last week prior to the section tri-meet and Tri-States. “Her starts are much better. We’ve had some crappy weather, and she’s still running well. She hasn’t put together a good 200 yet. It’s not been bad, but she just hasn’t been challenged.“

Margolis signs with Division II UPJ

Lexi Margolis capped her Gateway varsity basketball career in February, and the senior guard finished second on the team in scoring at 10.8 points a game and earned Section 4-5A second-team all-star recognition.

Now, with her national letter of intent signed with Division II Pitt-Johnstown, she said she is ready to take that next step and hopefully make her mark with the Mountain Cats.

“I had been on and off about playing in college, but towards the end of last year, over the summer, and into this year, it all really clicked, and I knew I wanted to play,” said Margolis, whose workout connection with former Imani Christian girls coach Ramon “Tru” Dixon led her to talk with Penn Hills grad and former UPJ standout Jamie Tabon.

“(Tabon) kept reaching out, and she came and watched me play once or twice. She really helped get the ball rolling with me and UPJ. I am very excited to see what I can do.

Margolis attended a game this season against Seton Hill and was impressed with what she saw from (coach Mike Drahos).

“I just kept hearing the coach say, ‘stay disciplined,’ and I just love that,” she said. “I love being disciplined when it comes to basketball and just earning it. They looked like they just had so much fun playing together. They played with confidence. That is kind of what I looked for.”

UPJ finished the 2021-22 season 13-17 overall and 10-12 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference.

The Mountain Cats upended No. 3 seed Seton Hill in the PSAC tournament before bowing out in the quarterfinals to eventual conference champion Gannon.

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.

Tags: Gateway