Cheltenham's Bing ready to run at Rutgers

The paperwork wasn't signed on the date that was expected. But that didn't matter to Brandon Bing and his mother, Gwendolyn Bing.

On Mother's Day, Brandon Bing, a standout sprinter on the Cheltenham boys' track team, signed a full scholarship to run at Rutgers University.

"It took long enough," said Bing, whose chose the Scarlet Knights over Pittsburgh and Tennessee. "My mother is happier than I am."

Wanting to give his mother an early Mother's Day present, Bing had planned to sign his scholarship by the end of April.

Back then, however, Pittsburgh was the only school that offered a full scholarship. Rutgers was offering to pay 80 percent of his tuition.

So the senior was torn between choosing Rutgers, his preference, or accepting Pittsburgh's full scholarship.

Then the Scarlet Knights made Bing's decision easy by matching the Panthers' offer.

"I feel like Rutgers gives me the better deal," Bing said. "It's a full scholarship. It's close to home. And I will have an opportunity to play football."

Bing, a standout wideout and defensive back, doesn't hide that football is his favorite sport. Until December, track was just something to keep Bing in shape for football.

But when he didn't get any major college offers for football, Bing set his sights on getting in through track. As a result, he's blossomed into a premiere sprinter.

In March, he earned all-American honors with a fifth-place finish in the 200 meters at the Nike Indoor Nationals.

Bing heads into this weekend's PIAA District 1 Class AAA meet with the state's fastest outdoor time in the 200: 21.59 seconds. He also has the second-fastest time in the 400, 48.26.