Temple seniors Keri Ward and Lauren Bane wanted to extend their running careers at a school with high academic standards and a close-knit environment.They didn't have to look too far to find one.On Wednesday, Ward and Bane committed to compete in the cross country running program at Southwestern University in Georgetown. The two accepted academic scholarships to attend the college."I liked Southwestern because it's a strong school academically and I really enjoy the environment," said Bane, a National Merit Scholar. "Coach (Francie) Larrieu-Smith showed great interest in having me there to run."She has a lot of confidence in my ability and the ability of the team and it's exciting to be going there."Coach Larrieu-Smith, a former Olympic runner, appealed to Ward as well. by Tom Day