Newton’s Ray signs with Simpson College running teams

Cardinal senior picked Storm over a triathlon opportunity at Central College

By Troy Hyde

January 16, 2025 at 12:09 am CST

Newton senior Peyton Ray, seated third from the left, signed with the Simpson College women’s cross country and track and field teams on Wednesday at the high school. She was joined at her signing by (from left) her father Chad Ray, her sister Lillie Ray and her mother Amy Ray. Ray chose Simpson over a triathlon opportunity at Central College. She also declined an opportunity to swim for the Storm. “I visited Simpson three times. The first one was just a visit, the second one was with the swim coach and the third one was with the track coach,” Peyton Ray said. “Simpson just stuck out to me. I really like their campus, all of their facilities were really nice, all of the faculty members seemed liked they wanted to be there and the coaches seemed like they enjoyed what they were doing.” Ray was a swimmer in the fall and qualified for the state meet all four years. She competed in cross country in eighth grade but was on the track and field team the past three seasons. “It’s kind of weird, but if I didn’t swim I would do cross country in the fall,” Peyton Ray said. But I’ve been swimming since I was 5 years old. I just felt like it was time to be done with it.” Newton head girls track and field coach Rachelle Tipton competed at the NCAA Division III level at Central College. She knows what it takes for athletes to be successful at a place like Simpson. “It’s an extra step up from the training. She has to be ready to put in a little more mileage than she’s used to,” Tipton said. “But they are getting someone who’s always wanting to do her best. You can see on her face if she doesn’t have a time she wanted, she has the determination to get it the next time. She’s a really great teammate, too.” Peyton Ray plans to major in accounting. (Troy Hyde/Newton News)

Newton senior Peyton Ray signed with the Simpson College women’s cross country and track and field teams on Wednesday. She chose the Storm over a triathlon opportunity at Central College and plans to major in accounting.