June 9, 2005

LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – The Lock Haven University Cross Country and Track and Field teams announced their 2005-06 recruiting class today (June 9).  The list, made up of 21 student-athletes, is one of the deepest recruiting classes in the history of the program.  Loaded with distance runners, cross country head coach Aaron Russell and track and field head coach Mark Elliston feel they have added the depth needed at the middle distance events as well.

“Our weakness the last couple years has been in the middle distance events,” said Russell, “and we feel we’ve really added some young men and women who can have an immediate impact in the conference.”

“This was a very solid recruiting season,” said Elliston, “and I know that the needed depth in a few events will be much improved.”

The 21-name list consists of 12 men and nine women.  Six men will compete on the track, while the other six will run for both coaches.  Five women will run both cross country and track, and two women throwers and two sprinters were added to the team.

Women:
Katiera Carey - Mid Distance/Cross Country - Montoursville, Pa./Montoursville
Was a member of Montoursville’s 4x800 (AA) team that was second at the District IV Championships and a finalist at the 2005 Pennsylvania State Outdoor Track & Field Championships.

Roseida Cotto - Mid Distance/Cross Country - Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty
Was a member of Liberty’s 4x400 meter relay team that was the District 11 runner-up, as well as their 4x800 meter relay team which took third at districts … Both teams participated in the Pennsylvania State Outdoor Track & Field Championships … Rosie also finished 22^nd at the District 11 AAA Cross Country Championships.

Alyssa Douma - Distance/Jumps/Cross Country - West Milford, N.J./West Milford
Combining a prowess in both jumping and mid-distance events, Douma took second in the 800 meters, third in the triple jump, and fifth in the 1600 meters at the recent North I Group III girls Championships in New Jersey.

JaKia Gumby - Throws - Middletown, Pa./Middletown
Was a AA state medalist (7^th) in the discus at the Pennsylvania Outdoor Track & Field Championships in addition to finishing 10^th in the shot put … At the AA District III Championships, she was second in the discus and third in the shot put … This summer, Gumby will be representing the United States as one of twenty outstanding student-athletes competing in the "Down Under Sports Tour" held by International Sports Specialists

Jessica Kratzer - Throws - Liverpool, Pa./Greenwood
Was a fifth-place finisher in the AA discus at the Pennsylvania State Outdoor Track & Field Championships … Kratzer also finished 11^th in the javelin … She was the AA District III Champion in both the discus and javelin … A versatile athlete, Kratzer is also a proficient shot putter and pole vaulter.

Chelsea Morse - Jumper/Sprinter - Beaver Dams, N.Y./Campbell-Savona Central
Was a New York Sectional Champ and 9^th at the New York State Championships in the high jump.  Morse holds several area meet high jump records.

Rebekah Schrader - Distance/Cross Country - Wysox, Pa./Towanda
Was a sixth-place finisher at the AA District IV Cross Country Championships last fall … Schrader went on to finish 36^th at the Pennsylvania State Championships … In addition to placing third in the 800 meters at the AA District IV Outdoor Track & Field Championships, Schrader was also a member of the fourth-place 4x800 meter relay team which qualified for the state championships.

Shala Simms - Mid Distance/Cross Country - Upper Darby, Pa./Upper Darby
Finished 16^th in the 800 meters at the Pennsylvania Indoor Track & Field State Championships … Outdoor, she finished 6^th in the District I AAA Championships … Simms also qualified for the Cross Country State Championships last fall.

Ashley Solyan - Hurdles - Baden, Pa./Ambrid
Was a qualifier for the Pennsylvania State Outdoor Track & Field Championships in both the 100 meter hurdles and the 300 meter intermediate hurdles … At the WPIAL championships, she was a top four place finisher in both hurdle events … Solyan is also a solid sprinter.

Men:
Austin Craven - Distance/Cross Country - Pottstown, Pa./Owen J. Roberts
Austin took 13^th at last fall’s District I AAA Cross Country Championships before going on to medal with his 24^th place finish at the Pennsylvania State Cross Country Championships.

Wayne DeMore - Sprints - Langhorne, Pa./Neshaminy
In addition to helping qualify two relay teams for the Pennsylvania Outdoor Track & Field Championships (4x100, 4x400), DeMore took fourth at the AAA District I Championships in the 100 meters and advanced to the semi-finals in the event.

Austin Hart - Distance/Cross Country - Horsham, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham
Taking 14^th at the AAA District I Cross Country Championships for Hatboro-Horsham last fall, Hart went on to medal at the Pennsylvania State Cross Country Championships with his 22^nd place finish.

Kristofer “Kip” Horbel - Mid Distance/Cross Country Ephrata, Pa./Conestoga Valley
Last fall’s 37^th place finish at the Pennsylvania State Cross Country Championships set the stage for an amazing spring for Horbel … Beginning with an eighth-place finish at The Penn Relays in the 4x800 meter relay, he and his Conestoga Valley teammates went on to win the AAA District III 4x800 meter championship … They then recorded the fastest high school 4x800 meter time in the United States at the Pennsylvania State Outdoor Track and Field Championships with Horbel anchoring the team to a state title.

Benjamin McConnell - Mid Distance - Danville, Pa./Danville
Took two titles (400 meters, 800 meters) and a runner-up spot (4x400 meter relay) at the AA District IV Outdoor Track and Field Championships … Went on to finish second in the 400 meters at the Pennsylvania State Championships and claimed a state title in the 800 meters. 

Kyle Murray - Distance/Cross Country - Jamison, Pa./Central Bucks South
A medalist at the Pennsylvania State Cross Country AAA Championships last Fall after finishing 15^th, Murray went on to medal in the mile at the Pennsylvania Indoor Track and Field Championships with an eighth-place finish … Outdoor, he took 18^th in the 3200 meter final at the state championships.

Nicholas Paiva - Jumps - Ogdensburg, N.J./Wallkill Valley
Won the North I Group II New Jersey Triple Jump title this Outdoor Track & Field Season.

Cristian Pates - Mid Distance/Cross Country - Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty
Took third in the mile and second in both the 4x400 and 4x800 meter relays at the AAA District 11 Championships before moving on to compete in all three at the Pennsylvania State Outdoor Track and Field Championships … Finished 13^th at last fall’s AAA District 11 Cross Country Championships.

Brandon Pomerantz - Distance/Cross Country - Holland, Pa./Council Rock North
Headlining a stellar senior campaign, Pomerantz finished fourth at the AAA Pennsylvania State Cross Country Championships and then anchored his Council Rock North teammates to a national title in the 4xMile at the Indoor Track and Field High School National Championships … Outdoor he anchored his team to a third-place finish in the Distance Medley Relay at The Penn Relays and went on to win the AAA District I 1600 meter championship … At the Pennsylvania Outdoor Track and Field Championships Pomerantz capped his season with a runner-up finish in the 1600 meters.

Matt Tshudy - Sprints - Mount Joy, Pa./Donegell
Took eighth place in the 100 meters at the AA District II Outdoor Track and Field Championships … Was also a state qualifier in the 100 meters his junior year as well as being the top sprinter in his league.

Shawn Tom - Pole Vault/Hurdles - Wellsboro, Pa./Wellsboro
Was a District IV AA pole vault champion and finished 5^th at the PIAA State Championships.

Scott Driscoll - Pole Vault/Sprints - Sunbury, Pa./Shikellamy
Won the pole vault at the District IV AAA Championships and finished 9^th at the State Meet …  Will also be utilized as a sprinter and relay member in the indoor and outdoor seasons.

 

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