JAMESTOWN — Jamestown Community College’s (JCC) Arryanna Bardo (Cherry Creek, NY/Pine Valley HS) is advancing her academic and athletic careers at NCAA Division III Thiel College in Greenville, PA.

“I fell in love with the campus,” said an excited Bardo. “It goes beyond that, though. They have great administration, faculty, and professors at Thiel. I was planning to play soccer before switching to cross country and track after talking to the cross country coach,” she added.

Bardo originally came to JCC to play soccer, which she did as a freshman, starting all 12 games for the Jayhawks on defense. Her sophomore soccer season was canceled before it began, so she switched to cross country. A decision that altered her life for the good.

“It’s crazy!” said Bardo about the switch in sports. “I would not have thought that I would pick running of all things to continue my athletic career. It has changed me a lot as a person. It gave me a way to push forward and express my feelings through competition. Even though soccer ended, I had people pushing me in cross country to use my abilities to the best,” she mentioned.

What was truly crazy was how quickly she acclimated to the sport of distance running. Bardo earned all-region accolades thanks to her sixth-place finish at the regional championship. That run earned her a spot in nationals, where she finished 38th in the nation, which also created her favorite memory as a Jayhawk student-athlete.

“The entire trip to nationals with George (Sisson, JCC athletic director) and Haleigha Hardy. Crushing five plates of food after competing,” laughed the future Tomcat.

That leads to what the Pine Valley product will miss most about her time as a Jayhawk.

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“I will miss the athletic department as a whole. They have pushed me and helped me through so much. I was at my lowest when soccer ended, but the staff was there to support me and push me even when I thought I couldn’t,” she said.

When it comes to the student part of student-athlete, Bardo plans to study political science with a minor in pre-law. A workload that won’t be easy, but she feels JCC prepared her for it.

“The professors in Jamestown were always helpful, especially with smaller class sizes. You got the one-on-one experience, which was a blessing for me. From what I’ve learned about Thiel, it is similar to what I’ll have there,” added Bardo.

If joining the cross country team at JCC wasn’t enough to get Arryanna out of her comfort zone, she not only plans to run for the Thiel cross country team but also join track and field.

“Getting away from home and experiencing something new. I have never lived in a dorm before,” she said with a smile.

Bardo will move into Thiel College in August of 2026 and join the Tomcats for the fall semester.