SACRAMENTO, Calif. – St. Francis senior Lilly Enes will run for Ivy League school Yale next year.

“I am very, very excited,” said Enes.

Enes will join a Bulldog program coached by David Shoehalter, who led the program since 2011 and spent over 20 years on the Yale staff. He has coached multiple Bulldog student-athletes to All-Ivy, All-East and All-American honors, including Yale’s first IC4A champion in the hurdles since the 1970s and All-American Jihad Beauchman ’06 in the high jump.

Enes always identified herself as a soccer player but switched to track in her sophomore season.

“I am excited to run at the next level,” said Enes. “I never thought this would happen. Soccer has always been my sport so when I quit sophomore year and went to track, I never predicted anything would come from it.”

Enes had a breakdown season in her first season, running all the way to the Sac-Joaquin Section title in the 400 meters and an appearance in the state championships. She was All-Delta River League in the 400m and both relays and ran in all three events at states. The 4×400-meter relay finished third in the state as St. Francis finished 21st in the state.

Enes came to the attention of the Yale staff after her sophomore season at a summer ACT/SAT prep camp. A Yale graduate was working the event and helped her with a resume, noticing the strong academic and top track times. He helped her contact the Yale staff.

“It is a great athletic situation but has great academics,” said Enes. “I am excited about what it will bring for me in the future.

She is planning on studying political science or history.

Enes, after a junior season limited by injuries, is ready for her senior season.

“I really like it and no longer dread practice because I know it is going to be painful,” said Enes. “I am enjoying practice again and I like getting a workout in and running.”

Enes is looking to improve on her personal-best in the 400 meters and help the 4×400-meter relay make another state run.

“I am trying to PR this season and get my 400 into the 54 second range,” said Enes. “I want our 4×400-realy team to get first at state because I know we can do it.”