Each citizen in Loveland makes up an important piece of the community, but in saying that it’s up to the citizen as to what they do with their role as an important piece of that community. This is what makes up a community’s “D.N.A.”

Over the past three years, Loveland Magazine has been in search of community members that truly play an important role in Loveland’s D.N.A.

by Cassie Mattia

Loveland, Ohio – One of the best Loveland High School Track and Field athletes of all time achieved a student athlete’s ultimate dream…a ticket to compete collegiately!

Recently graduated, Miya Brines will be training as a Heptathlete at the University of Iowa proving to her teammates, coaches, and fans something they knew all along; she has a bright future filled with more Track and Field milestones ahead of her. There’s no denying that Brines will go down in Tiger history making her a part of “What’s In Loveland’s D.N.A!”

Brines grew up in Loveland and began her love for Track and Field in Junior High School. Both her parents, Chad and Lisa, and coaches immediately saw that Brines was going to excel in Track and Field as her ability was already above and beyond athletes competing against her. As Brines continued to dedicate herself to fine-tuning her god-given ability, LHS’s Track and Field coaches knew they were about to encounter one special individual as she entered into her Freshman year as a Tiger.

The LHS coaches and Brines parents couldn’t have been more right as in 2018 Brines achieved 1st Team All-ECC (Eastern Cincinnati Conference) in the 4×100 meter relay. As Brines became more experienced and dove even deeper into training, she began to hit goals that she would’ve never dreamed of achieving! In 2019, Brines was awarded 1st Team All-ECC in the long jump, made it to the State Meet in the 100-meter hurdles breaking the school record that was previously held in 2016 with a time of 14.70 seconds. Brines coaches and teammates were not only impressed but were also inspired as Brines’ ability to be a team leader went beyond anyone’s expectations causing her other teammates to thrive in their own Track and Field events.

Right before the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020 Brines qualified for Indoor Track and Field Nationals in the 60-meter hurdles, long jump, and the 4×200 meter relay. Unfortunately, Nationals ended up being canceled leaving Brines frustrated but motivated to achieve even more her Senior year at LHS.

This year Brines made her mark in Tiger history! She not only broke her own record in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 14.39 seconds but also broke the high jump school record that was previously held in 2016 with a jump of 5 feet 6.5 inches. Her successful Senior season led her to take the top spot in the ECC in 5 categories; the 100-meter dash (12.32 seconds), the 200-meter dash (25.27 seconds), the 100-meter hurdles (14.39 seconds), the high jump (5’06.50), and the long jump (17’10.05). Brines also achieved a spot on Ohio MileSplit for Division 1 ranking 14th in the 100-meter dash, 8th in the 200-meter dash, 3rd in the 100-meter hurdles, 2nd in the high jump, and 6th in the long jump.

With all of Brines unbelievable achievements, leadership skills (even while having to sit out the rest of her Senior season due to a grade 3 stress injury/reaction in her tibia and fibula), as well as her ability to overcome the most challenging hurdles, there’s no doubt that Brines has claimed her spot as a part of Loveland’s D.N.A!

After writing about Miya multiple times over the past few years and receiving a very touching email from her father Chad I just knew that we had to do a special on-camera interview featuring Miya, her coaches, and one of her closest teammates, Mikayla Loomis.

So without much further ado here is another rendition of “What’s In Loveland’s D.N.A” featuring LHS Track and Field superstar, Miya Brines in an exclusive Loveland Magazine TV on-camera interview!

For more inspirational stories featuring individuals who without them Loveland wouldn’t be what it is today, tune into “What’s In Loveland’s D.N.A?”

Read more of our, What’s in Loveland’s DNA” stories…