NATCHEZ — Dre McCoy has something of which to be proud and something for which to still aspire.

The Trinity Episcopal Day School junior won in three events Saturday at the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools Overall state track and field tournament in Jackson.

In addition to capturing state titles in the 110-meter hurdles, the 300-meter hurdles and the high jump, McCoy also set a Class AA record in the 300-meter hurdles, finishing in 41.07 seconds. He completed the 110-meter hurdles in 15.31 seconds and cleared 6 feet, 6 inches in the high jump.

“It feels good,” McCoy said. “Coming from a big public school (Port Gibson High School), I knew I had to live up to expectations when I came to Trinity.”

And when McCoy found out he could potentially break a Class AA record, he said it was a shock to him. But he didn’t have time to be shocked for long, as he had to finish his last leg of the event.

“When I came out of my last curve, my coach was yelling, ’18, 19 (seconds),’ and I knew I had to keep going,” McCoy said. “I knew I was moving at the right speed to set a new class record.”

And he almost set an overall MAIS record in the high jump. McCoy attempted to clear 6-foot-8 and 3/4 inches, but his hamstring hit the bar on the way down.

“I was like, ‘This cannot be happening right now,’” McCoy recalled.

But Trinity track coach Michael Kinney said there’s no doubt in his mind the rising senior will eventually break the overall record.

“He wanted it,” Kinney said. “It was just a single mistake. If he arched his back more and kicked his feet, he would have gotten it. It’s not a matter of whether he can clear it, but when he can clear it.”

And McCoy said he’s already looking ahead to next spring.

“I want it… I can’t explain it, I just want it that badly,” McCoy said. “I started running track in eighth grade, and I was always watching people go 6-8, 6-10, and I said I wanted to do that. Now, I want to be the person that other people look at.”

Part of McCoy’s ambition includes getting Trinity’s name in the record books, he said. After setting a Class AA record in one event, he said it was an honor to represent his school.

“I did it for everyone here at Trinity, all my family and all my friends,” McCoy said. “The Trinity people were saying, ‘Get the record for us,’ and I’ve always wanted to put the school I attended in the record books.”

As Kinney watched McCoy compete throughout the season, he said he knew right away what a special talent McCoy was.

“At our first meet in Centreville, as soon as he ran the hurdles and did the high jump, I knew we were going to state,” Kinney said. “He was dominating the competition. People were coming out of the high jump at 5-10, and he was warming up at 5-10.”

As good an athlete as McCoy is, Kinney, who teaches McCoy in one of his classes, said he’s just as good of a student.

“Dre McCoy is a model of what a student-athlete should be,” Kinney said. “He’s very humble, and that’s a rare trait these days.”

McCoy is the son of Gail Sherman and Arzell McCoy.