Jaxon Alonso, a senior at Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation (KRAI), has achieved a major milestone in his running career by signing a track and field scholarship with New College of Florida and becoming the first athlete attending Kirkland Ranch to signing a scholarship.
The agreement brings the distance runner to the Mighty Banyans, whose athletics program—now in its second year in the NAIA’s Sun Conference—continues to build momentum after launching several sports in recent seasons.
Alonso attends KRAI, a magnet high school focused on innovative programs in fields like cybersecurity, engineering, robotics, and more, which currently offers no full athletic teams (with select sports slated to begin in the 2026–2027 school year). Thanks to Pasco County’s athletic flexibility policies, students like Alonso can participate in sports at other public schools when their home school doesn’t offer the activity. This allowed him to compete in high school cross country at Pasco High School and now track at Zephyrhills High School.
At Pasco High, Alonso served as captain of the cross country team for both the 2024 and 2025 seasons, guiding his teammates through the rigorous demands of the sport. Cross country features 5-kilometer races on ever-changing courses—each with unique terrain, hills, weather, and layouts that test adaptability and endurance. His leadership and steady performances earned him Honorable Mention honors in both seasons, and he qualified for FHSAA regionals multiple times, posting consistent times around 19 minutes in key invitationals.
This spring marks Alonso’s first full track and field season. With Pasco High undergoing construction that impacts facilities, he competes with the Zephyrhills Bulldogs track team. His events center on the 1600-meter and 3200-meter races—classic distance events that build directly on his XC base—while he’ll occasionally anchor or contribute to the 4×800-meter relay for team points.
The scholarship to New College of Florida represents an exciting opportunity for both athlete and program. The Mighty Banyans, based in Sarasota, joined the NAIA and The Sun Conference in 2024–25, fielding inaugural teams across multiple sports. While cross country debuted in 2025, the indoor and outdoor track programs are expanding their presence, offering Alonso a chance to help shape a young program’s identity at the collegiate level. Competing in the competitive Sun Conference, he’ll bring his proven grit, consistency, and upside to a squad hungry for growth.
From captaining a high school XC team without a traditional home program to earning a spot on a rising NAIA roster, Jaxon’s path showcases determination and smart use of available opportunities. As he prepares to toe the line in college colors, the Pasco County running community—and New College fans—have reason to be thrilled about what’s ahead for this dedicated distance runner.
