Eastern Wayne coach Leander Oates is mighty proud of Angus Dove.

He has the right to be.

He is proud because one of Eastern Wayne’s top student-athletes is headed to the Ivy League.

Dove signed a national letter-of-intent to run track earlier this week, and he recently left Goldsboro to attend Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, this Fall.

“I was looking up schools for my major, which is mechanical engineering, and Cornell was one of them,” Dove said. “I reached out to the track coach, and I was going up there to see the campus, so I met with him.

“After meeting with him, I thought I should pursue it more. I was invited up for an official visit, and then they offered me a spot.”

Dove has always dreamed of attending an Ivy League school, and he had no trouble meeting the school’s stringent academic requirements.

Dove works just as hard on the field as he does in the classroom. Dove is a rare student-athlete who can get stellar grades, excellent test scores, and play multiple sports.

“I developed a love for running track. I like being able to just run,” Dove said.

When Dove finally learned Cornell accepted him, he felt the weight come off his shoulders because he finally reached a goal he was running toward for years.

“I’ve lived in Goldsboro my whole life, so this will be a huge wake-up and new experience. That’s what I’m looking forward to,” Dove said.

Oates realized Dove’s potential the first time he saw him run. Sooner rather than later, Dove morphed into one of Eastern Wayne’s best runners. Dove said he is incredibly grateful for all support Oates and his other coaches have given him at Eastern Wayne.

During his four years at Eastern Wayne, Dove played soccer, football and ran track. He is a standout player on all three teams, and from kicking game-winning field goals to winning last second races, Dove had a memorable high school career.

“It’s just about doing it for the team,” Dove said. “I knew nothing going into it, except how to run, so my coaches worked on my speed and how to run properly. It’s not just as simple as going out and sprinting as hard as you can.

“My coaches have helped me tremendously.”

The Cornell staff sent Dove a workout designed to improve his speed. If that progresses, he could become a potential nightmare at the next level, with the ability to turn on the jets during longer races.

Getting into Cornell was important to Dove, so he could receive a top-notch education while still playing sports. At Cornell, Dove plans to pursue a degree in mechanical engineering.

And Dove’s story is not all about sports. It is about a gifted young man who chose to work incredibly hard on his athleticism and his academics.