Forest Hills' Danielle Dumm signs to join Indiana (Pa.) cross country team
Nov. 15—SIDMAN, Pa. — All roads — and all trails — led Forest Hills Junior-Senior High School senior student-athlete Danielle Dumm to Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
A chance to continue her cross country career at a school with family lineage helped lure Dumm as she signed her National Letter of Intent on Monday morning in the school's library.
"I've just always followed in my brother's footsteps," Dumm said. "He went to IUP. I followed in my cousin's footsteps. She ran at IUP. I visited the school, and I just felt very at home."
Danielle Dumm, along with her twin sister Delaney Dumm, have helped the successful Forest Hills cross country and track and field teams surge throughout their careers.
Their cousin, Central Cambria graduate Paige Wess, competed on the Indiana (Pa.) cross country and track and field teams for three seasons. Wess led the 2018 Central Cambria cross country squad to a PIAA title.
"It's always just been my favorite," Danielle Dumm said of cross country running. "The people I ran with made it enjoyable. You're able to look at the environment and be outdoors, just being at peace."
Dumm advanced to the PIAA cross country championships three times. It was her dedication and dependability that stood out to Forest Hills cross country and track and field coach Tom Hunter.
"Four years, rock-solid," Hunter said of Dumm. "She's just somebody who's been committed to our program that you can always count on for four years. When you get somebody like that who's been a three-time state qualifier and a four-time all-area cross country team (Central Western) selection — that's why we've been so successful, is having people like her on the team."
Dumm will major in nursing at Indiana, which competes in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference at the NCAA Division II level. She will learn from coach Joey Zins at Indiana.
"I just loved the campus and everything," Dumm said. "The coach was amazing. He just made my choice so easy. The team was just so nice and welcoming."
Zins was on hand for Dumm's signing. He has followed Dumm's career for the past three seasons.
"I've been seeing Danielle run since she was a sophomore at the district meet in cross country back in 2020," Zins said. "I kind of became familiar with her as an athlete. Last year, we were in contact, and I've just kind of stayed in touch over the past eight to 12 months until we got to this point. She's been a successful runner throughout her high school career. I think she will add a lot to our team and program."
Hunter could count on Dumm's consistent production over her career.
"She's very committed," Hunter said. "All kinds of things that you can't count on from meet to meet, but with Danielle, we could. I think she'll bring that same commitment and dependability. She'll be very well-missed as far as replacing somebody like that. She's been great for our program. The younger runners see that and they want to emulate that and be like that."
Dumm is the daughter of Darrell and Donna Dumm.
