Troy Fraley has made a verbal commitment to run cross country at Gonzaga University.

The Glacier standout will make it official early this week when he signs his national letter of intent.

Fraley, a senior, is the Wolfpack record holder in cross country and two track events.

“I was also looking at Washington and Boise State, but I really liked the smaller feel of Gonzaga, the coach (Pat Tyson) and I liked the team as well,” Fraley said.

“When I visited there (in late February), I just felt like I belonged.”

Fraley said it was a difficult decision to make. He delayed his collegiate choice by almost a month from national signing day.

“I wasn’t ready to make a decision at that point,” he said.

“I kept prolonging the decision process. I guess I wasn’t sure.”

With academic and athletic scholarships, Fraley will basically be on a full ride to Gonzaga.

“They offered me several months earlier,” Fraley said of Washington.

“That was hard to turn that down. Washington is a cool place.”

Fraley also had offers from Wyoming and Montana to name a few.

“He’s a high-level kid who will get faster,” Glacier coach Mike McLean said.

“He can move on to the big time — 5,000 meters or steeplechase.

“He’s absolutely a great fit,” McLean added.

“He knows Pat Tyson. He’s a scholar/athlete. He’s very coachable ... he hates to lose.”

Tyson ran at the University of Oregon and roomed with running legend Steve Prefontaine.

Fraley said Gonzaga finished third in cross country at their conference meet last year.

“I’m ready to move on and finish out my high school strong, that’s for sure,” he said.

Fraley placed third last fall at the Class AA state cross country meet. He finished fifth at state as a junior and seventh as a freshman.

In track, he placed third at state in the 1,600 and 3,200.

His school record times in those events are 4:22.7 and 9:25.1.

Fraley set the school record time in cross country (14:45) at the Mountain West Classic in Missoula last October at the University of Montana Golf Course.

Fraley has also enjoyed a successful run after his final prep cross country season. He finished second at the Foot Locker West Regional in Walnut, Calif., and 18th at Foot Locker Nationals in San Diego.

Last week at the Brooks PR Invitational at the University of Washington, he finished 12th in the two-mile run with a time of 9:16.01.

“I was pretty happy with the results,” he said of the two mile.

“I’ve had a cold for 23 days now, but the most important thing for me is I ran a 13 second PR.”

That race featured 17 top high school runners from 12 states.

Fraley plans to major in physical therapy at Gonzaga.