2016 WVU Track and Field Guide

Meghan Jean-Baptiste

Marsielle McBeam

Hannah Stone

Kelly Williams

Brianna Kerekes

Amy Cashin

Tori Bertrand

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Contents

TABLE OF

Spotlight ����������������������������������������������������������������� 2

2014-15 Review

A Winning Tradition ������������������������������������������������� 3

A Look Back at 2014-15 ��������������������������������������� 52

In the Community ��������������������������������������������������� 4

2014-15 Schedule ����������������������������������������������� 54

Strength and Conditioning ��������������������������������������� 6

Record Book

Athletic Training ����������������������������������������������������� 7 Facilities ����������������������������������������������������������������� 8 Big 12 Conference ������������������������������������������������� 9 Student- Athlete Development ����������������������������� 10 Campus Life ��������������������������������������������������������� 12 Mountaineer Excellence ��������������������������������������� 16

All Time Records ��������������������������������������������������� 56 Indoor Top Five Performers ����������������������������������� 58 Outdoor Top Five Performers ��������������������������������� 60 Campus Records ������������������������������������������������� 62 Atlantic 10 Champions ����������������������������������������� 63 ECAC Champions ������������������������������������������������ 63

Coaching Staff

Big East Champions �������������������������������������������� 64

Managing Editor Joe Swan

Sean Cleary ��������������������������������������������������������� 20

NCAA Champions ������������������������������������������������� 66

Editor/Writer Samantha Strejeck

Shelly-Ann Gallimore ������������������������������������������� 23

WVU All-Americans ����������������������������������������������� 67

Page Layout/Design Laura Doolittle, Bob Slater, Provations

Erin O’Reilly ��������������������������������������������������������� 24

All-Time Coaches and Captains ���������������������������� 72

Support Staff ������������������������������������������������������� 24

West Virginia University

Mountaineer Profile

President E. Gordon Gee ��������������������������������������� 74

2016 Roster ��������������������������������������������������������� 26

Director of Athletic Shane Lyons ��������������������������� 75

Profiles ����������������������������������������������������������������� 27

Media Information ������������������������������������������������� 76

2016 Preview

Senior Staff/Head Coaches ����������������������������������� 77

2016 Season Preview ������������������������������������������� 46

Athletic Facilities ��������������������������������������������������� 78

Contributors: Lisa Ammons, John Antonik, Nick Arthur, Ashley Bailey, Nick Davidson, Grant Dovey, Michael Fragale, Charlie Healy, DJ Jamiel, Troy Lewis , Kaitlyn Lopez, Russell Luna, Shannon McNamara, Bryan Messerly, Mike Montoro, Amy Prunty, Amy Salvatore and Cheryl Wire.

Contributing Photographers: All-Pro Photography by Dale Sparks, Nick Arthur, M.G. Ellis, Dan Friend, Erin Irwin, E.J. Linger, Brian Persinger, Steve Prunty, Megan Raymond, Niesha Shafer, Samantha Strejeck, Raymond Thompson, WVU Athletic Communications Archives, WVU Photo Services. © 2016 West Virginia University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics West Virginia University is an Equal Opportunity/ Affirmative Action institution. The indicia depicted are registered trademarks of West Virginia University.

Reproduction of any material appearing herein is prohibited without approval of the West Virginia University Intercollegiate Athletics.

Q & A with Sean Cleary �������������������������������������� 50 2015-16 Indoor & Outdoor Schedule ��������������������� 50 West Virginia University is on probation until February 17, 2017, for violations involving impermissible telephone and text communications that occurred in a number of our athletics programs. Level II violations occurred in the following sports programs: women’s gymnastics, football, women’s basketball and women’s soccer. On a smaller scale, 10 other sport programs, including baseball, men’s basketball, women’s diving, women’s rowing, men’s soccer, men’s swimming, women’s tennis, women’s track and field, women’s volleyball, and men’s wrestling and programs, also engaged in impermissible text and telephone-related activity.

The penalties prescribed in this case, which included recruiting communication restrictions, off-campus recruiting restrictions and the loss of a scholarship in the sport of football, were served in the 2013-14 and 2014-15 academic years. Additional information can be found at the following link: http://www.ncaa.org/sites/default/files/West%20Virginia%20Public%20Inf%20Decision.pdf

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Choosing to become a Mountaineer student-athlete is special.

Without a professional sports team in the state, folks across the state and throughout the region love West Virginia University athletics.

Mountaineers have the unique opportunity to represent themselves, their teammates and their university to news media, alumni, friends, family and the general public. Your interaction with these groups is also part of your educational process.

If you take advantage of these opportunities, it can have a positive effect, not only on your career as a student-athlete at West Virginia, but also on your life after you have donned the Old Gold and Blue.

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Tradition

A WINNING

Few programs across the country can equate the level of success the Mountaineers have enjoyed over recent years.

Widely regarded as one of the most respected programs in the nation, the notoriety does not come without merit.

Since taking over in 2007, coach Sean Cleary has allowed an already proud program to increase its output of honors as the number of All-American, regional and conference awards have climbed the past six years.

Under Cleary, 15 student-athletes have garnered AllAmerica honors, while 33 athletes overall have achieved the honors in the history of WVU track and field.

The number of national honors in recent years are a reflection of the talent level of the program, which has achieved a top-20 finish in both indoor and outdoor track and field from 2008-11.

Over the past four seasons, WVU athletes have achieved 28 individual conference titles and 17 athletes have qualified to participate at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, including a school-best seven in 2011.

Off the track, the Mountaineers excel academically, as 13 CoSIDA Academic All-Americans, including three from this past season (2014-15), have been claimed since 2007.

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Community IN THE

Winning and working hard are important to the West Virginia University track and field team.

But becoming successful and positive role models in the community is just as significant.

ch year, the Mountaineers work to give back to Morgantown and surrounding communities.

The WVU track and field team has donated its time to helping the Jerry Lewis Telethon that is aimed toward helping kids with muscular dystrophy and related diseases. The Mountaineers do their part to help the cause by volunteering their time and answering telephones, which are constantly ringing with donors.

The team also regularly donates its time and knowledge by hosting and teaching local youth track clubs the fundamentals of the sport.

Along with strengthening the youngsters’ skills, they also teach the participants the importance of good sportsmanship, courage, determination and hard work.

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Coach Cleary’s student-athletes can also be found reading to children at local elementary schools in the “Read Aloud” program. During their visits, the student-athletes read to students in several classrooms and encourage them to apply themselves to their studies.

Mountaineer coaches and players take part in Relay for Life of Monongalia County, the American Cancer Society’s signature activity, which offers everyone in the community an opportunity to participate in the fight against cancer.

The WVU track and field teams’ commitment in the community makes being a Mountaineer even more special.

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Conditioning

STRENGTH AND

West Virginia’s strength and conditioning staff ensures all student athletes are on year-long programs designed to continue improving the fitness capabilities needed in their sports To keep athletes in peak physical condition, West Virginia offers a variety of training areas and an array of strength programs designed to increase performance.

All student-athletes will also have their own program individually calculated and updated throughout the year.

Equipped with excellent amenities and staffed by some of the finest strength coaches in the nation, athletes who come to West Virginia know that they are in good hands when it comes to their athletic capacity.

For track and field runners, the entire year is carefully planned and tailored to the track and field season to prepare for optimal performance during the season and peaking at championship meets.

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Training

ATHLETIC

The West Virginia athletic training program looks to get its student-athletes back on the field in a timely manner, while providing quality health care for its student-athletes and coaches.

The scope of the athletic training services encompass various domains including injury recognition, treatment, rehabilitation, prevention, education, and counseling that will enable the athlete to maintain an optimal quality of life beyond the span of athletic competition.

Multiple athletic training rooms are available for student-athletes furnished with the latest in technology and equipment.

The athletic training staff works in conjunction with the team physicians and athletic administration to assure the student-athletes receive quality care throughout their careers at West Virginia University.

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Facilities In the fall of 2015, nine public entities, including West Virginia University, committed to collaborate in building a state-of-the-art aquatic and track complex at Mylan Park.

Recognizing the need for larger-level track and field amenities, the community and WVU are working together to make this possible. The $25-30 million facility, will be a community facility for all ages. It also will serve as the home to WVU’s swimming and diving, cross country and track and field teams.

The 4,000-meter track complex will include nine lanes with seating for 1,000 fans and spectators.

In addition, there will be a jogging loop and sand volleyball courts, as well as a walking trail.

Plans for an opening in the fall of 2017, officials hope to host future NCAA and Big 12 Championships at the new complex.

Over the years the Mountaineers have competed indoors at the WVU Shell Building, beside the Coliseum, which features a track as well as adequate room for field events. Just outside the doors of the WVU Shell Building is the outdoor track facility. When weather permits, West Virginia is lucky enough to have top-notch facilities located side-by-side.

Athletic training and strength and conditioning facilities are also located in the Shell Building, giving the Mountaineers the perfect place for training and competition purposes.

Each season the Mountaineers hold events such as the Marty Pushkin Track Classic, the WVU Invitational and the Gold-Blue Open, all featuring teams from across the state and the east coast.

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Conference

BIG 12

In 2015, totaled 10 Mountaineers on the podium after the two-day Big 12 Indoor Championship. Four Mountaineer freshman earned spots on the podium and posted topfive finishes at the outdoor championship, while WVU finished ninth in the conference.

Five freshman – Jillian Forsey, Amy Cashin, Renee Maisonneuve, Millie Paladino and Shamoya McNeil earned All-Big 12 accolades.

The Big 12 Conference is comprised of 10 institutions and many of them share traditional rivalries throughout their histories.

Member universities include – Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas, Texas Tech and West Virginia.

The Big 12 is a strong conference that, like WVU, values quality academic and athletic programs, and has a great tradition of success.

The conference office is headquartered in Irving, Texas.

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STUDENT-ATHLETE

West Virginia University offers a variety of services and programs to help student-athletes maximize their academic potential. Department staff members work with coaches, on campus student service providers and faculty to help student-athletes meet the unique demands of the classroom, the supporting arena and the personal-social challenges they face as developing adults While many of the headlines center of the Mountaineers’ accomplishments on the playing field, West Virginia athletes have also made some noteworthy strides in the classroom. Some of those strides include of 11 consecutive years where the department has had at least one first team Academic All-American.

To help its student-athletes achieve academic success, one of the nation’s finest facilities resides in the WVU Coliseum - The Athletic Academic Performance Center.

The 8,000-square foot facility provides individual and group study areas, a plethora of computer stations and the latest in fingerprint technology used when signing in.

A total of 488 student-athletes were represented in 2014-15 on the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll, of which 43 of them registered a 4.0 GPA. Additionally, seven student-athletes were named recipients of the fifth annual Dr. Gerald Large Academic Achievement Award, which is the Big 12 Conference’s highest academic honor. Over 500 student-athletes were honored on WVU’s Garrett Ford Academic Honor Roll. Implemented in 1989, the Garrett Ford Academic Honor Roll was created to recognize students who have achieved a grade point average of 3.0 or better. Since the program began in 1989, nearly 4,000 student-athletes have earned a place on the honor roll. Ford retired in 2011 after 44 years of service with the WVU Department of Intercollegiate Athletics.

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CAMPUS Life

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Character

Public, land-grant institution, founded in 1867.

Research Classification

Research University (High Research Activity) as classified by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.

Research Funding

WVU faculty generate more than $127 million annually in sponsored contracts and research grants.

WVU System Operating Budget More than $1 billion.

Accreditations

By the Higher Learning Commission and dozens of specialized academic accrediting agencies.

Governance

The WVU Board of Governors is the governing body of WVU. The Higher Education Policy Commission in West Virginia is responsible for developing, establishing and overseeing the implementation of a public policy agenda for the state’s four-year colleges and universities.

Location

Morgantown, W.Va., population 30,293, rated “No. 1 Small City in America” by BizJournals.com for its exceptional quality of life. Within easy traveling distance of Washington, D.C., to the east, Pittsburgh, Pa., to the north, and Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio, to the northwest. Other recent rankings: 20th of “50 Best College Towns in America” by Best College Reviews; 24th of “50 Best College Towns to Live in Forever” by CollegeRanker; a “Top Campus Worth Traveling for” by FlipKey.com; and one of “25 Best Places to Retire to in the U.S.,” by Forbes. Morgantownwv.gov/ about/awards

Student Profile

Fall 2015 enrollment, on WVU campuses statewide, was 31,514; 28,766 in Morgantown.

Academic Excellence

WVU ranks nationally for prestigious scholarships – 24 Rhodes Scholars, 22 Truman Scholars, 40 Goldwater Scholars, two British Marshall Scholars, four Morris K. Udall Scholars, five USA Today All-USA College Academic First Team Members (and 11 academic team honorees), 12 Boren Scholars, 14 Gilman Scholars, 43 Fulbright Scholars, three Department of Homeland Security Scholars and 22 Critical Language Scholars.

Degrees Granted

In 2013-14, WVU awarded 5,997 degrees; 1,533 graduate and 196 professional.

Faculty and Staff Profile

Excellent faculty—18 of whom have been named Carnegie Foundation Professors of the Year—guide and mentor students.

■ instructional faculty: 2,464 ■ graduate assistants: 1,707 ■ total main campus employees: 8,179 ■ total WVU System employees: 8,669

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Academics

15 colleges and schools offering 193 bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral and professional degree programs in agriculture, natural resources and design; arts and sciences; business and economics; creative arts; dentistry; education and human services; engineering and mineral resources; law; media; medicine; nursing; pharmacy; physical activity and sport sciences; public health; plus the WVU Honors College, University College and programs at Potomac State College and WVU Institute of Technology. wvu.edu/ Academics/

Student Living Experience

The First-Year Experience helps students navigate their first year at WVU. Elements include residential colleges and Adventure West Virginia, an outdoor freshman orientation program. All WVU students benefit from a vibrant array of student life programs, including a Festival of Ideas lecture series, bringing the world’s top minds to campus to share their experiences and knowledge; WVUp All Night, a weekend package of safe, fun and healthy activities; an award-winning Student Recreation Center; and the Mountaineer Parents Club, helping families stay connected with their students’ education and life at WVU. Living and Learning Communities are student communities in certain residence halls formed around a theme or specific field of study. Students can live with others who share their academic and social interests. studentlife.wvu.edu

Freshman Class Profile

2014 average ACT of 24, SAT (math and critical reading) 1052, and high school GPA of 3.42.

Transportation

University buses operate free on a year-round basis as does the Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) system—a computer-directed system that glides along 8.7 miles of guideway between Downtown, Evansdale and Health Sciences Center campuses. In addition, Morgantown’s Mountain Line bus service offers free rides to students and employees. WVU ID is required for all services. transportation.wvu.edu

Safety

WVU offers 24-hour security protection. Students can download LiveSafe, a free app that is an on-the-go way to connect with authorities. The Univeristy also sends urgent news through WVU Alert text messages. emergency.wvu.edu/alert

Student Organizations

Students can choose from more than 475 student organizations, and participate in an active intramural program and many club sports. studentactivities. wvu.edu

Study Abroad

Last year, 706 WVU students traveled to over 60 nations around the world in University-led study abroad programs and international exchanges.

Best College Reviews ranked WVU as having a top50 study abroad program. internationalprograms. wvu.edu/

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Academic Innovation

Hundreds of distance education classes are available. elearn. wvu.edu/

Civic Engagement

The Center for Service and Learning develops and organizes service learning and volunteer opportunities for students and faculty and consults with academic units on incorporating civic engagement into the curriculum. WVU has earned the Carnegie Foundation’s Community Engagement Classification, putting WVU in the 6% of higher education institutions that Carnegie recognizes for engagement. service.wvu.edu/

Scholarships and Aid

Each year, WVU awards over $34 million in scholarships to more than 7,100 students from West Virginia and around the nation.

There are many different types of scholarships available based on academic record, financial need, group affiliation or some combination of these factors. In 2013-14, over $394 million in financial aid was given out. The average financial package was $16,291. West Virginia residents may be eligible for the PROMISE scholarship in addition to WVU awards. A new campaign is under way to raise $50 million for student scholarships.

Honors College

The WVU Honors College encourages a style of learning and living at WVU that is tailored to the highly motivated, excelling student’s special requirements. Innovative, challenging courses, designed to stimulate creativity and to provoke in-depth discussion, are offered in small class settings. Students may participate as Presidential Honors Scholars or Dean’s Honors Scholars; both options provide enhanced experiences. /honors.wvu.edu/

University College:

The University College is a home base for exploratory students, general studies students, nontraditional students, McNair Scholars, academic success initiatives and undergraduate research opportunities. It focuses on academic and career advising, with the goal of guiding students to a major by their sophomore year. universitycollege.wvu.edu

Internships

WVU offers hundreds of ways to gain valuable on-the-job experience and networking contacts. careerservices.wvu.edu/

Parents Club

The Mountaineer Parents Club, with more than 22,000 members in clubs across the state and nation, fosters success by connecting parents and family members with the student experience. The organization sponsors events on and off-campus, has a newsletter, a toll-free helpline (1-800-WVU-0096), parent electronic news, and a Parent Perks program. Membership is free. parentsclub.wvu.edu

Athletics

A member of the NCAA, WVU competes at the Division I level in 18 varsity sports, 17 of which are members of the Big 12 Conference.

Teams make regular post-season bowl appearances in football, including winning the 2012 Discover Orange Bowl, and NCAA tournament appearances in men’s and women’s basketball, including a trip to the Sweet 17 in 2015; women’s soccer won its second consecutive Big 12 tournament championship and made its 15th straight NCAA appearance in 2014; women’s basketball was the Big 12 regular-season champion in 2014 and advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament, The WVU rifle team won its 17th national title in 2015, and in 2014 became the first WVU athletic team to visit the White House on NCAA Champions Day. WVUsports.com

Facilities

WVU’s mix of historic and modern facilities includes 460 buildings on 13,481 acres. Eleven main campus buildings are located on the National Register of Historic Places, and WVU operates eight experimental farms and four forests throughout the state, in addition to WVU Jackson’s Mill State 4-H Camp near Weston. jacksonsmill. ext.wvu.edu/

Libraries

Five library facilities—Downtown Library Complex, Evansdale Library, Health Sciences Library, Law Library, and West Virginia and Regional History Center—contain over 2.4 million books, electronic access to 365 databases, over 500,000 eBooks and 47,300 online electronic journals. Library staff offer in-person and online assistance. libraries.wvu.edu

Admission and Application Timeline

Admission is based on a combination of high school GPA and ACT or SAT scores. Applications are processed beginning September 15 for admission the following fall. March 1 is the deadline for West Virginia residents to submit PROMISE Scholarship applications.

WVU has a rolling admissions policy, and while there is no official application deadline, applicants who apply later in the year may be deferred to the spring semester. admissions.wvu.edu

Visitors Center

Located on the Morgantown Waterfront, the Visitors Center features unique, cutting-edge displays and traditional West Virginia hospitality. Operating hours: 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Monday-Friday; 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Saturday (closed Sundays and most University holidays). Guided tours with friendly knowledgeable student guides Monday-Friday at 9:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. and Saturday at 10:00 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., except home football Saturdays. Phone: 304293-3489. visit.wvu.edu

Alumni

Chartered in 1873, the WVU Alumni Association is made up of more than 190,000 graduates worldwide in some 60 nations. alumni.wvu.edu

Private Support

Chartered in 1954, the West Virginia University Foundation is a private nonprofit corporation that generates, administers, invests and disburses contributed funds and properties given by individuals, corporations and philanthropic foundations in support of WVU and its nonprofit affiliates. Last year alone, donors contributed nearly $100 million in cash and in-kind donations. www.wvuf.org

Extension

Throughout the year in West Virginia’s 55 counties, WVU Extension Service faculty and volunteers work with more than 624,000 West Virginians, many of whom participate in 4-H, agriculture, home gardening, health, firefighter training and community development to improve lives and communities; 4-H alone reaches one in four West Virginia youths. ext.wvu.edu.

Divisional Campuses

Potomac State College of WVU – Keyser, W.Va.; 800-262-7332; potomacstatecollege.edu/ West Virginia University Institute of Technology – Montgomery, W. Va. wvutech.edu Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center – Charleston, W.Va.; hsc. wvu.edu/charleston Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center East – Martinsburg, W.Va.; hsc.wvu.edu/eastern

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MOUNTAINEER

Excellence

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2014-15 West Virginia Athletics In Review TEAM RECORDS Baseball: 27-27, 9-13 Big 12; T-7th place Big 12 Cross Country: 2nd at Big 12 Championship; Finished No. 8 at NCAAs Men’s Basketball: 25-10, 11-7 Big 12; T-4th place Big 12; NCAA Sweet 16 Women’s Basketball: 23-15, 7-11 Big 12; T-7th Big 12; WNIT Runner-Up Football: 7-6; T-4th place Big 12; AutoZone Liberty Bowl Gymnastics: 14-9-1, 1-1-1 Big 12; 2nd place Big 12; 5th Place NCAA Morgantown Regional Rowing: 7th place at Big 12 Championship Men’s Soccer: 11-7-1, 3-1-1 MAC Women’s Soccer: 16-2-4, 7-0-1 Big 12; Big 12 Regular Season & Tournament Champions; NCAA First Round Men’s Swimming and Diving: 3rd Big 12; 2 NCAA Qualifiers: 2 swimmers Women’s Swimming and Diving: 4th Big 12 Rifle: 11-1, 8-0 GARC; GARC Regular Season & Postseason Champions; NCAA Champions Women’s Tennis: 9-13, 0-9 Big 12 Women’s Track: Indoor-9th Big 12; Outdoor-9th Big 12; 7 NCAA Qualifiers Volleyball: 16-14, 6-10 Big 12; 6th place Big 12 Wrestling: 9-9, 0-3 Big 12; 4th at Big 12 Tournament; 4 NCAA Qualifiers TEAM CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS Rifle, GARC Regular Season & Postseason Champions Women’s Soccer, Big 12 Regular Season & Big 12 Tournament Champions NCAA CHAMPIONS Rifle Team Maren Prediger, 2015 NCAA Air Rifle Champion NCAA TEAM QUALIFIERS Cross Country Gymnastics Men’s Basketball Rifle Women’s Soccer NCAA INDIVIDUAL QUALIFIERS Maggie Drazba, outdoor track Amy Cashin, outdoor track Kaitlyn Gillespie, outdoor track Brianna Kerekes, outdoor track Andrew Marsh, men’s swimming and diving Shamoya McNeil, outdoor track Zeke Moisey, wrestling Michael Morales, wrestling Millie Paladino, outdoor track Bubba Scheffel, wrestling Jake A. Smith, wrestling Tim Squires, men’s swimming and diving Kelly Williams, outdoor track INDIVIDUAL INTERNATIONAL TEAM HONORS Michaela Abam, women’s soccer, United States Under-20 National Team Michael Bamsey, rifle, Great Britain National Team Pierce Bradshaw, swimming and diving, USA National Junior Open Water Team Kadeisha Buchanan, women’s soccer, Full Canadian National Team Bria Holmes, women’s basketball, USA Basketball Team Trials Meelis Kiisk, rifle, Estonian National Team Ziva Dvorsak, rifle, Slovenia National Team Elizabeth Gratz, rifle, USA National Junior Team Jon Hammond, rifle, Great Britain National Team Dan Hermsmeier, rifle, USA National Development Team Ashley Lawrence, women’s soccer, Full Canadian National Team Nick Marable, wrestling, USA National Team Amandine Pierre-Louis, women’s soccer, Canadian Under-20 National Team Maren Prediger, rifle, German National Team Garrett Spurgeon, rifle, USA National Junior Team WVUTrackField

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NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP AWARDS Garret Spurgeon, rifle, NCAA Rifle Top Performer Award STUDENT-ATHLETES DRAFTED Mario Alford, football, Cincinnati Bengals (NFL), seventh round (238th overall) Andy Bevin, men’s soccer, Seattle Sounders (MLS), fourth round (80th overall) Mark Glowinski, football, Seattle Seahawks (NFL), fourth round (134th overall) Taylor Munden, baseball, Miami Marlins (MLB), 27th round (806th overall) Shaquille Riddick, football, Arizona Cardinals (NFL), fifth round (158th overall) Blake Smith, baseball, Washington Nationals (MLB), 24th round (734th overall) Kevin White, football, Chicago Bears (NFL), first round (7th overall) COACHING AWARDS & HONORS Nikki Izzo-Brown, women’s soccer, Big 12 Coach of the Year; NSCAA All-Central Region Coach of the Year Marlon LeBlanc, men’s soccer, MAC Coach of the Year Jon Hammond, rifle, Rifle Winter 2015 CaptainU Coach of the Year Sammie Henson, wrestling, Amateur Wrestling News Rookie Coach of the Year Bob Huggins, men’s basketball, Big 12 Coach of the Year; Jim Phelan National Coach of the Year; West Virginia State Sports Writers Coach of the Year FIRST TEAM ALL-AMERICANS Mario Alford, football, FWAA, Phil Steele Michael Bamsey, rifle, NRA Air Rifle, NRA Smallbore Kadeisha Buchanan, women’s soccer, NSCAA/Continental Tire, Soccer America MVP Ziva Dvorsak, rifle, NRA Air Rifle, CRCA Jillian Forsey, cross country, USTFCCCA Kaitlyn Gillespie, cross country, USTFCCCA Elizabeth Gratz, rifle, NRA Air Rifle Dravon Henry, football, ESPN True Freshman Thomas Kyanko, rifle, NRA Smallbore Jean-Pierre Lucas, rifle, NRA Smallbore Maren Prediger, rifle, NRA Air Rifle Zeke Moisey, wrestling, NCAA Garrett Spurgeon, rifle, NRA Air Rifle, NRA Smallbore, CRCA Juwan Staten, men’s basketball, Lute Olson Kevin White, football, AFCA FBS Coaches’ Association, Athlon Sports, CBS Sports, NFL Network, SB Nation, Scout, Sports On Earth, Sporting News FIRST TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE Mario Alford, football, Phil Steele All-Big 12 Jordan Anderson, volleyball Michael Bamsey, rifle, All-GARC air rifle, smallbore & combined score Andy Bevin, men’s soccer, All-MAC Kadeisha Buchanan, women’s soccer (unanimous selection) Nate Carr, men’s swimming and diving Frank Csonka, men’s swimming and diving

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Maggie Drazba, cross country Ziva Dvorsak, rifle, All-GARC air rifle & combined score Jillian Forsey, cross country Katie Gillespie, cross country Ross Glegg, men’s swimming and diving Mark Glowinski, football, Associated Press, Phil Steele All-Big 12 Elizabeth Gratz, rifle, All-GARC air rifle, smallbore & combined team score Bria Holmes, women’s basketball (unanimous selection) Karl Joseph, football, Coaches’ All-Big 12, ESPN.com Thomas Kyanko, rifle, All-GARC smallbore Josh Lambert, football, Associated Press All-Big 12, ESPN.com All-Big 12, Phil Steele All-Big 12 Ashley Lawrence, women’s soccer (unanimous selection) Andrew Marsh, men’s swimming and diving Jamie Merriam, men’s soccer, All-MAC Alex Obendorf, men’s swimming and diving Maren Prediger, rifle, All-GARC air rifle Mike Proietto, men’s swimming and diving Kate Schwindel, women’s soccer Garrett Spurgeon, rifle, All-GARC smallbore & combined score Quinton Spain, football, ESPN.com All-Big 12 Max Spencer, men’s swimming and diving Tim Squires, men’s swimming and diving Juwan Staten, men’s basketball Patrick Sunderman, rifle, All-GARC air rifle Kevin White, football, Coaches’ All-Big 12, Associated Press All-Big 12, ESPN.com All-Big 12, Phil Steele All-Big 12 Chase Williams, men’s swimming and diving

CONFERENCE MAJOR AWARDS Michaela Abam, women’s soccer, Big 12 Newcomer of the Year Andy Bevin, men’s soccer, MAC Player of the Year Kadeisha Buchanan, women’s soccer, Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, Big 12 Tournament Defensive MVP Ziva Dvorsak, rifle, GARC Shooter of the Year, GARC Senior of the Year Elizabeth Gratz, rifle, GARC Rookie of the Year, WVU GARC Scholar-Athlete of the Year Ashley Lawrence, women’s soccer, Big 12 Tournament Offensive MVP Joey Piatczyc, men’s soccer, MAC Freshman of the Year Shaq Riddick, football, Coaches’ Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year REGIONAL AWARDS Michaela Abam, women’s soccer, NSCAA/ Continental Tire All-Central Region Second Team, The Guardian Ken Giles Amateur Athlete of the Year Award for Brampton, Ontario Jordan Anderson, volleyball, AVCA All-Midwest Region First Team Nikki Attea, volleyball, AVCA All-Midwest Region First Team Andy Bevin, men’s soccer, NSCAA All-Great Lakes Region First TeamECAC All-Star Second Team

Nikki Izzo-Brown, women’s soccer, NSCAA Central Region Coach of the Year Kadeisha Buchanan, women’s soccer, NSCAA/Continental Tire All-Central Region First Team, ECAC All-Star First Team Kyle Davis, baseball, ABCA/Rawlings All-East Region Second Team Maggie Drazba, women’s cross country, USTFCCCA All-Mid-Atlantic Region Jillian Forsey, women’s cross country, USTFCCCA All-Mid-Atlantic Region Katie Gillespie, women’s cross country, USTFCCCA All-Mid-Atlantic Region Mark Glowinski, football, ECAC All-Star Team Brynn Harshbarger, women’s cross country, USTFCCCA All-Mid-Atlantic Region Bria Holmes, women’s basketball, WBCA All-Region 5 Team Bob Huggins, men’s basketball, NABC UPS Division I District 8 Coach of the Year Karl Joseph, football, ECAC All-Star Team Ashley Lawrence, women’s soccer, NSCAA/ Continental Tire All-Central Region First Team Nick Marable, wrestling, Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame Male Professional Athlete of the Year Sydney Scott, women’s cross country, USTFCCCA All-Mid-Atlantic Region Juwan Staten, men’s basketball, NABC All-District 8 First Team, USBWA All-District 10 Team Lisa Stoia, women’s soccer, NSCAA Central Region Assistant Coach of the Year Kevin White, football, ECAC All-Star Team

NATIONAL AWARDS Andy Bevin, men’s soccer, Senior CLASS Award Finalist Kadeisha Buchanan, women’s soccer, Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy Semifinalist, Canada U20 Player of the Year Sammie Henson, wrestling, National Wrestling Hall of Fame Inductee Averee Fields, women’s basketball, Hair Achievement Award for February 2015 Josh Lambert, football, Palm Beach County Sports Commission Lou Groza Award Finalist Kate Schwindel, women’s soccer, Senior CLASS Award Finalist Juwan Staten, men’s basketball, Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award Finalist, Senior CLASS Award Finalist Clint Trickett, football, Davey O’Brien Semifinalist Kevin White, football, Tallahassee Quarterback Club Foundation Biletnikoff Award Finalist, Maxwell Award Semifinalist Kelly Williams, cross country, NCAA Division I Women’s Cross Country Elite 89 Award FIRST TEAM ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICANS Andy Bevin, men’s soccer, Capital One Academic All-America; NSCAA Scholar All-America Thomas Kyanko, rifle, Capital One Academic All-America At-Large David Palley, swimming, Capital One Academic All-America At-Large

2016

CoachingStaff MOUNTAINEER

Sean Cleary ��������������������������������������������������������� 20 Shelly-Ann Gallimore ������������������������������������������ 23 Erin O’Reilly �������������������������������������������������������� 24 Support Staff ����������������������������������������������������� 24

SEANC leary

HEAD TRACK & FIELD AND CROSS COUNTRY COACH

10TH SEASON / 24TH WITH PROGRAM

Sean Cleary, one of the sport’s most talented and knowledgeable coaches, is in his 10th season at the helm of the West Virginia University track and field team after being associated with the program for more than 20 years. With his expertise in mentoring, training, conditioning and recruiting, Cleary has quickly built West Virginia’s programs into a national powerhouse with numerous All-Americans and multiple all-conference runners.

Coming off some of the most successful seasons in WVU track and field history, Cleary continues to validate his reputation as one of the top coaches in the nation. As a head and personal coach, Cleary has mentored 25 of the 37 AllAmericans who have come from West Virginia.

Last season, seven Mountaineers qualified for the 2015 NCAA East Region Preliminary Championships, as each ranked in the top 48 of the East Region in their respected events. After racing in the preliminary championships, former Mountaineer Kaitlyn Gillespie advanced to the NCAA National Championships after placing fifth in the 10,000-meter run. To cap her collegiate career Cleary guided her to a ninth-place finish with a personal best and the second-fastest time in program history of 33:44.08 to receive All-America status.

At the 2015 Big 12 Outdoor Championship Gillespie became the Big 12 champion in the 10,000 meters and ran a career best of 34:10.60, the second fastest in program history. Cleary led four Mountaineer freshman to top-five finishes as they earned spots on the podium.

In 2014, three Mountaineers qualified for the NCAA Championships under Cleary’s watch, with two earning AllAmerica status. Stormy Nesbit was named a First Team AllAmerican after an eighth-place finish in the triple jump, while Allison Lasnicki recorded the second-fastest time in school history in the 10,000 meters (33:46.22) to earn Second Team All-America distinctions. Cleary also oversaw the qualification of five student-athletes to the NCAA East Regional and helped eight post top-five finishes at the Big 12 Championships.

In 2013, Cleary coached two All-Americans in Jordan Hamric and Kelly Williams. Williams earned accolade during the indoor season, while Hamric did so at the Outdoor Championships. As per usual, the Mountaineers excelled in the classroom under the direction of Cleary. A total of 20 student-athletes were named to the 2013 Academic All-Big 12 Track & Field First and Second Teams. Four freshmen earned Academic All-Big 12 Rookie Team recognition, 39 Mountaineers were named to the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll for the spring semester and 40 were named to the Garrett Ford Academic Honor Roll.

The 2012 Mountaineer squad sent Chelsea Carrier-Eades and Jessica O’Connell to the NCAA Championships where

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both earned All-America honors. In addition, 10 athletes qualified for the NCAA East Regional and 18 were sent to both the Big East Indoor and Outdoor Championships.

Maintaining a presence in the league scene, WVU placed fifth at the conference championships in which 10 athletes scored points to earn All-Big East honors. An expert spokesman of athletics and academics, Cleary has also set up a training regimen that allowed four athletes to earn Academic AllAmerica accolades.

In 2011, the Mountaineers earned their fourth consecutive Top-20 finish in indoor and outdoor track, a year in which 13 All-American performances were turned in by eight athletes, including four from the eight-time All-American CarrierEades. At the conference level, eight WVU athletes were crowned Big East champions and Cleary and his staff were given the Big East Coaching Staff of the Year award. Cleary also was one of eight finalists for the USTFCCCA National Coach of the Year award.

In 2009-10, Cleary aided the WVU track and field team to the national spotlight as it finished the season listed at No. 5 on the Terry Crawford Program of the Year Award list, given to the top programs in terms of finishes in track and field, cross country and academics.

Carrier-Eades was also named the Mid-Atlantic Field Athlete of the Year after earning two Big East titles and breaking the school record in the pentathlon at the SykesSabock Challenge on Feb. 5.

Cleary helped WVU greats Marie-Louise Asselin, Keri Bland and Clara Grandt earn All-America honors in three sports in the same season (cross country, indoor track and outdoor track).

The 2008-09 track team was a testament to his success as it finished the year with four athletes qualifying for national meets and three qualifying for the NCAA Championships.

Grandt led the team as she earned her first All-America honor for finishing fourth in the 10,000-meter finals. The West Union, W.Va., native was also named Mid-Atlantic Region Track Athlete of the Year by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) for her efforts throughout the season.

In his first season as head coach, Cleary saw Asselin and Bland claim Big East indoor titles in the 3,000-meter and 1,000-meter, respectively, while the distance medley relay (DMR) team set a Big East meet record while winning the indoor crown. The DMR went on to place fourth at nationals and Asselin placed seventh in the 3,000-meter to earn AllAmerica honors. He also helped Grandt break a 28-year record in the 10,000-meter at the ECAC Outdoor Championships and saw Carrier-Eades win her first league title in the 100-meter hurdles during her freshman outdoor season. Bland finished the 2008 outdoor season by earning All-America honors in the 1,500-meter to become the first female in WVU history to earn All-America honors in three sports in the same year (cross country, indoor track and outdoor track).

Cleary led his 2008 nationally ranked cross country squad to a fourth-place finish at the NCAA Championship, the

highest finish in school history, and guided Asselin and Bland to their second consecutive All-America honors.

At the conference level, Asselin became the first individual champion in school history at the Big East Championship, where the team finished second. Asselin, Grandt and Bland were named to the All-Big East team. For his accomplishments in leading the Mountaineers, Cleary was named the 2008 NCAA Mid-Atlantic Region Coach of the Year for the third time in his career and for the second-consecutive season by the USTFCCCA. In addition to his teams’ accomplishments in 2008 and 2009, perhaps the most significant achievement was in the classroom as the cross country and track teams received recognition by the NCAA for their latest multi-year Academic Progress Rate (APR) scores. Both teams posted multi-year APR scores in the top 10 percent of all squads in their respective sports.

Cleary’s first season in charge of cross country was a record-setting one as well, as the Georgetown, Ontario, native guided the 2007 cross country team to its first Big East Championship in school history. Cleary had a then-school record three All-Big East performers in 2007 and brought WVU back into the top 25 of the national polls for the first time since 2004.

Before taking over as head coach, Cleary previously served as the distance coach in 2005 and 2006 and was a full-time assistant from 2001-04, serving as the primary coach and trainer for the cross country team during that span. Prior to the 2001 season, Cleary served as a graduate assistant coach for eight seasons at WVU. In 2006, Cleary brought a young team along nicely before season’s end. That squad claimed a sixth-place finish at the 2006 Big East Championship, improving from 12th the year before. Then, perhaps one of the biggest surprises of the 2006 Mid-Atlantic Regional Championship was the finish of Cleary’s group. Despite having more than 60 percent of the roster comprised of freshmen, WVU registered a fourth-place finish at regionals after spending all season ranked between 10th and 12th in the regional polls. Four of WVU’s top five

finishers were freshmen.

In the 2005 outdoor track season, Cleary coached five NCAA regional qualifiers. In 2005, Jennifer Kemp won the NCAA Regional Championships in the 800-meter, while Jennifer Davis was the 3,000-meter ECAC champion. Megan Metcalfe won the national championship in the 5,000-meter, becoming the third women’s track athlete in school history to win an individual national championship.

From 1998 to 2004, WVU’s distance medley relay team qualified for nationals, seven-consecutive years, the secondlongest streak in the nation under Cleary’s watch.

Cleary worked closely with former head coach Martin Pushkin in building the women’s cross country team into a national contender. Cleary was responsible for the recruitment and mentoring of NCAA mile champion Kate Vermeulen as well as All-Americans Rebecca Stallwood, Merissa Sexsmith and Metcalfe. Metcalfe became Cleary’s second national champion, 37th All-American and 102nd NCAA qualifier.

Under his guidance, Cleary’s coaching produced several All-Americans, including four-time All-American Bob Donker, NCAA cross country All-Americans Wynston Alberts, Mike Dudley and Steve Bohan, two-time NCAA qualifiers Jeff Metcaff and Bohan, NCAA qualifier Ian Collings and 5,000-meter All-American Mark Vilardo.

Cleary, who holds a USATF Level I Certification, is the primary recruiter for the cross country squad, attracting the best in-state, out-of-state and international athletes. Cleary is also responsible for scheduling all meets and serves as the director for home meets.

He was a member of the Mountaineer cross country team in 1991 and 1992, and helped the 1991 squad capture the Atlantic 10 cross country title as he earned all-conference honors his last season, while helping West Virginia to a second-place conference finish.

Cleary attended Central Oregon Community College, where he helped lead the team to the National Junior College Athletic Association title. Cleary received a bachelor’s degree in physical education from WVU in 1992. He resides in Morgantown with his wife, Heather and his son, Patrick.

SEAN CLEARY Coaching Experience West Virginia University, 1993-Present ■■ 10th season as Head Coach ■■ 24th season overall with the program ■■ Coached/mentored 25 of the 37 All-Americans at WVU ■■ A cumulative team GPA of 3.45 during the 2015 season ■■ Two former graduate qualifiers for 2016 Olympic Trials (Clara (Grandt) Santucci, Aubrey Moskal) ■■ One All-American in 2015 (Kaitlyn Gillespie) ■■ Three All-Americans in 2014 (Stormy Nesbit, Allison Lasnicki, Sarah Martinelli) ■■ Two All-Americans in 2014 (Stormy Nesbit, Allison Lasnicki)

■■ Two

All-Americans in 2013 (Jordan Hamric, Kelly Williams) ■■ Two All-Americans in 2012 (Chelsea Carrier-Eades, Jessica O’Connell) ■■ Five ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-Americans ■■ Seven Capital One Academic all-district honorees over past two seasons ■■ 2009-10 BIG EAST ScholarAthlete Sport Excellence Award – Marie-Louise Asselin ■■ 10 NCAA Regional qualifiers in 2012 ■■ Two-time Mid-Atlantic Field Athlete of the Year (2010-11) – Chelsea Carrier ■■ 2008-09 Mid-Atlantic Track Athlete of the Year - Clara Grandt

■■ 2008-09

BIG EAST Indoor Most Outstanding Track Performer - Keri Bland ■■ 2008 1,000 NCAA APR score ■■ 24 BIG EAST champions ■■ Five ECAC champions ■■ Numerous NCAA National qualifiers Running experience West Virginia University, 1991-92 ■■ Helped 1991 team to Atlantic 10 title ■■ Earned all-conference honors in 1992 Education West Virginia University, 1992 ■■ Bachelor’s degree (physical education) Family ■■ Wife, Heather and son, Patrick

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RECENT MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS UNDER CLEARY TRACK Coached/Mentored 25 of WVU’s 37 All-Americans Three All-Americans in 2014 (Sarah Martinelli, Stormy Nesbit, Allison Lasnicki) Coached former WVU runners to Olympic Trials: Clara (Grandt) Santucci (2012, 2016) and Aubrey Moskal (2016) Three CoSIDA Academic-All Americans in 2015 (Kaitlyn Gillespie, Kelly Williams, Jillian Forsey) 11 Academic All-Big 12 First Team and two Academic All-Big 12 Second Team-Eight All-Americans over the last three seasons-Five Cosida All-Americans since 2012 Three All-America performances between Chelsea Carrier-Eades and Jessica O’Connell in 2012 10 individuals sent to NCAA East Regional and 18 to Big East Indoor and Outdoor Championships in 2012-Four CoSIDA Academic All-Americans in 2012 (1st team: Kate Harrison, Kaitlyn Gillespie; 3rd team: Kaylyn Christopher, Ahna Lewis) 13 All-America performances by eight athletes during the 2011 indoor and outdoor seasons Sent a school-record seven athletes to the NCAA Outdoor Championships in 2011-Eight Big East champions in 2011 and tied school-record 12 athletes sent to regionals Eight All-Americans in 2010 Listed at No. 5 on the Terry Crawford Program of the Year list 10th place at NCAA Indoor Championships 16th place at the NCAA Outdoor Championships Fourth-place finishes at Big East Indoor and Outdoor Championships 2010 Mid-Atlantic Field Athlete of the Year, Chelsea Carrier-Eades Five conference champions in 2010 Four NCAA Qualifiers in 2008 2008-09 Mid-Atlantic Region Track Athlete of the Year, Clara Grandt 2009 Big East Indoor Most Outstanding Track Performer Nine Big East champions in 2009 Four USTFCCCA All-Academic team members in 2009

MARIE-LOUISE ASSELIN ■■ 2007-10 All-American ■■ 2010 All-American in three

sports (cross county, indoor track and outdoor track) ■■ 2010 ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic all-District first team ■■ 2010 Big East Scholar-Athlete Sport Excellence Award ■■ 2010 runner up at NCAA Indoor Championships (5,000-meter) ■■ 2010 runner up at the NCAA Outdoor Championships (5,000-meter) ■■ 2010 Big East Indoor Champion in the 5,000-meter run ■■ 2007, 2008, 2009 Cross Country All-American ■■ 2008 Big East individual cross country champion ■■ 2008-10 All-Big East team ■■ 2007-10 All-Mid-Atlantic Region team ■■ 2008 ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-District first team ■■ 2007 seventh at NCAA track and field Championships in 3,000-meter ■■ 2007 3,000-meter Big East indoor track and field champion ■■ 2007 ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-American national third team

KERI BLAND ■■ Third-team

CoSIDA Academic All American in 2011 ■■ Third-team All-American in the 1,500-meter run in 2011 ■■ 2007-10 All-American in all three sports ■■ 2009 Big East Indoor Championship Most Outstanding Performer ■■ Set school and Big East Championship meet record in mile event at 2009 Indoor Championships ■■ First WVU female to become AllAmerican in three sports in same year ■■ 2007, 2008, 2009 Cross Country All-American ■■ 2008-10 All-Big East team ■■ 2007-10 All-Mid-Atlantic Region team

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■■ 2008

ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-District second team ■■ 2008 1,000-meter Big East indoor track and field champion ■■ 2008 10th in NCAA outdoor 1,500-meter

CLARA GRANDT ■■ Two

time Olympic Trial qualifier (2012 and 2016) ■■ 2010 All-American in three sports ■■ 2009 Cross Country All-American ■■ 2009 NCAA Mid-Atlantic Region Track Athlete of the Year ■■ 10,000-meter ECAC outdoor meet record ■■ NCAA outdoor qualifier in 5,000-meter and 10,000-meter ■■ 2008 Team USA Cross Country team member ■■ NCAC Champion ■■ 2008 All-Big East team ■■ 2008 All-Mid-Atlantic Region team

DISTANCE MEDLEY RELAY

■■ Eighth at 2010 NCAAs/All-American ■■ Fourth at 2008 NCAAs/All-American ■■ Big East meet record and school record

CHELSEA CARRIER-EADES ■■ 2012

All-American in the heptathlon (third, 5,839 points) and 100m hurdles (7th, 13.10) ■■ Broke school record in the 100m hurdles with a 12.78 in the semifinals round at the 2012 NCAA Outdoor Championships, breaking her previous best of 12.93 from the 2012 Big East Championships ■■ Won heptathlon at the Texas Relays for a second consecutive year, first female to accomplish the feat ■■ Placed 13th in the 100m hurdles semifinals at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials ■■ In 2011, broke records in the 60m hurdles, pentathlon, 100m hurdles and heptathlon ■■ First team All-American in heptathlon and third team All-American in

the 100m hurdles in 2011 in the 60m hurdles during the 2011 indoor season ■■ 2010 two-time All-American (Pentathlon and 60-meter hurdles) ■■ 2010 Mid-Atlantic Field Athlete of the Year ■■ 2010 Big East Indoor Champion in the Pentathlon and 60-meter hurdles ■■ 15th in the pentathlon event at the 2009 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships ■■ 2009 100-meter hurdles Big East outdoor champion, ECAC and NCAA qualifier ■■ 60-meter hurdles ECAC indoor champion ■■ NCAA Regional qualifier ■■ All-American

KATELYN WILLIAMS ■■ Third

team All-American in the high jump in 2011 ■■ NCAA qualifier in the high jump during the outdoor season in 2010 ■■ Penn Relays high jump division champion in 2010 ■■ NCAA Regional outdoor qualifier as a freshman

KAITLYN GILLESPIE ■■ 2015-

Earned Second Team All-America honors in track and was a threetime All-American in cross country ■■ Big 12 title in the 10,000-meter run ■■ Holds the second fastest time in outdoor program history in the 10,000 meters (33:44.08) ■■ 2015 - No. 3 on WVU’s topfive outdoor performance list in the 5,000 meters (16:00.27) ■■ 2015 Capital One Academic All-America honors ■■ 2015 Academic All-Big 12 First Team honors ■■ 2015 Academic All-District

SHELLY-ANN Gallimore ASSISTANT COACH

EIGHTH SEASON / 10TH YEAR OVERALL

Shelly-Ann Gallimore enters her eighth season as an assistant coach with West Virginia University’s track and field coaching staff after working with the Mountaineers for two seasons as a graduate assistant.

Her duties include designing and administering training plans for the horizontal and vertical jump groups, as well as assisting with meet management for all home track meets.

Under her tutelage, she has coached a USA Juniors trial, several NCAA Regional qualifiers in the high jump and NCAA Championship qualifiers in the triple jump.

In 2015, Gallimore coached Shamoya McNeil to a qualifying triple jump mark of 12.81 meters, and a season best at the NCAA Preliminary rounds. McNeil was ranked at No. 24 in the event going into the championship.

In 2014, Gallimore coached Stormy Nesbit to First Team AllAmerica status and an eighth place showing in the triple jump at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Oregon. She also helped Marsielle McBeam and Hannah Stone to top-five finishes in the High Jump at the Big 12 Championships.

She helped Nesbit break the school record in the triple jump as she earned a 13.07-meter jump at the 2012 ECAC Championships. Three long jumpers (Chelsea Carrier-Eades, Nesbit, Meghan Mock) placed second through fourth at the Big East Outdoor Championships, and high jumper Sydney

Cummings earned a career-best height of 1.77 meters at the NCAA East Regional, the fourth-best height in WVU history.

In 2011, she was instrumental in helping high jumper Katelyn Williams and long jumper Meghan Mock earn their first ever All-America honors through close supervision and strength and conditioning modifications.

In 2010, Gallimore aided multi-event student-athlete Chelsea Carrier-Eades with her jumps as she earned her first-ever AllAmerica status in the pentathlon and Mid-Atlantic Field Athlete of the Year honors during the indoor season.

During the outdoor season, Gallimore saw junior Katelyn Williams to the NCAA Outdoor Championships, as the first high-jumper to represent WVU at the national championships since 1990.

In 2009, she aided Williams to the 2009 Canadian Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Toronto, where she cleared 1.71-meters, while Natasha Redman jumped a personal-best 1.75-meters at the Duke/Asics Invitational to qualify for the NCAA Regionals.

Gallimore, a native of Kingston, Jamaica, was successful as a student-athlete winning a 2001 NCAA Championship in the triple jump. The All-American also was a two-time SEC champion in the triple jump for Auburn. After her 2004 graduation, Gallimore spent time as a volunteer coach at her alma mater.

Gallimore also has years of international experience under her belt. She placed seventh in the triple jump at the 2000 World Juniors as part of the Jamaican National Team.

Gallimore earned her bachelors’ degree in marketing from Auburn and her master’s degree in physical education from West Virginia in 2008.

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ERINO ’Reilly ASSISTANT COACH

THIRD SEASON / THIRD YEAR

Erin O’Reilly is in her third season as an assistant coach with West Virginia University after joining the staff in August 2013.

Last season, she helped guide seven Mountaineers qualify for the 2015 NCAA East Region Preliminary Championships, as each ranked in the top 48 in their respected events.

At the 2015 Big 12 Outdoor Championship, O’Reilly helped coach four Mountaineer freshmen to top-five finishes as they earned spots on the podium. She helped guide Kaitlyn Gillespie’s All-America honors after finishing ninth in the 10,000 meters at the NCAA Championship.

Her familiarity with WVU has been beneficial to the program along with the student-athletes as the program continues to excel. O’Reilly was a part of four individual NCAA appearances with the Mountaineers, along with the team’s eighth-place finish at the 2014 NCAA Cross Country Championship.

She works primarily with the long-distance sprinters and middle-distance runners for the track and field and cross country teams. She helped three Mountaineers to All-MidAtlantic Region distinctions, three All-Big 12 recognitions and two All-America honors in the 2014 season.

In her first season, O’Reilly oversaw three individual qualifiers to the NCAA Championships and five qualifiers to the NCAA East Regional.

O’Reilly was a member of the Mountaineer team in the early 1990s and graduated from WVU in 1993 with a degree in physical education. She was an integral part in the coaching of former Mountaineer, Ailene Smith to All-America status in 2000-01. Smith is a two time All-American as a member of the distance medley relay team and in the 4x800 relay.

As a runner, she garnered many accolades, while also serving as a team captain for cross country and track.

O’Reilly finished third at the Atlantic 10 Championships as a junior and was named to the A-10 All-Conference Team. She was the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) champion and a NCAA provisional qualifier in the 1,000 meters her senior year. She held seven school records in cross country and track by the end of her career.

The Canton, Ohio native served as a member of Coach Cleary’s staff from 1994-2002. During that time, the Mountaineers registered 22 All-American honors and 13 Mid-Atlantic Region distinctions in cross country and track combined.

In 2003, O’Reilly joined the Boston College coaching staff as an assistant and held the position for 10 seasons. While on staff, she helped guide the Golden Eagles to multiple ECAC titles and numerous appearances at the NCAA Championships.

O’Reilly earned her Master’s Degree in athletic coaching education from WVU in 2004.

Support Staff

CaseyZIMMERMAN

Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainer

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SamanthaSTREJECK

ChrisDUNAWAY

ConnorMcNAMARA

Dr. MattLIVELY

AmyHILE

Graduate Assistant Athletic Communications

Sprints Strength Coach

Assistant Equipment Manager

Medical Doctor

Athletic Trainer

SandyCOLE-DEMENT

BubbaSCHMIDT

CindySMITH

NettiePUGLISI FRESHOUR CheneTOWNSEND

Assistant Director, StudentAthlete Academic Services

Equipment Manager

Administrative Assistant

Sports Nutritionist

T R ACK & FIEL D

Graduate Assistant

2016

Profiles

MOUNTAINEER

Roster ������������������������������������������������������������������ 26 Profiles ���������������������������������������������������������������� 27 Seniors ���������������������������������������������������� 27 Juniors ���������������������������������������������������� 33 Sophomores �������������������������������������������� 36 Freshmen ������������������������������������������������ 42

2016 ROSTER

26

Name

Event Yr. Ht.

Tori Bertrand

Pole Vault

5-7

Sr.

North East, Md.

Danique Bryan

Long Jump

5-6

Fr.

Clarendon, Jamaica

Amy Cashin

Mid-Distance

5-5

Jr.

Werribee, Austrailia

Allie Diehl

Distance

5-4

So.

Chardon, OH

Maggie Drazba

Distance

5-1

So.

St. Marys, W.Va.

Sara Finfrock

Pole Vault

5-4

So.

Kennett Square, Pa.

Jillian Forsey

Mid-Distance

5-4

So.

Stephenville, Newfoundland and Labrador

Anna French

Distance

5-4

Fr.

Madelin Gardner

Pole Vault

5-5

So.

Peyton Hampson

Mid-Distance

5-8

Jr.

Brynn Harshbarger

Distance

5-2

So.

Jordan Hess

Pole Vault

5-8

Fr. Lancaster, Pa.

Olivia Hill

Distance

5-5

Fr.

Meghan Jean-Baptiste

Multi Event

5-4

So.

Fairfax, Va.

Candace Jones

Mid-Distance

5-5

Fr.

Bristow, Va.

Brianna Kerekes

Sprints

5-5

Jr.

Morgantown, W.Va.

Corinne Kule

Distance

5-4

So.

Chardon, Ohio

Rebekah Lafata

Pole Vault

5-7

So.

Morgantown, W.Va.

Renee Maisonneuve

Distance

5-3

So.

Timmins, Ontario

Marsielle McBeam

High Jump

5-8

Sr.

St. Ann, Jamaica

Sarah McCauley

Distance

5-4

Sr.

Belington, W.Va.

Shamoya McNeil

Jumps

5-5

So.

Portland, Jamaica

Millie Paladino

Distance

5-0

So.

Morgantown, W.Va.

Peyton Panger

Distance

5-4

Fr.

Charleston, W.Va.

Faith Penny

High Jump

6-0

Fr.

East Islip, N.Y.

Andrea Pettit

Distance

5-4

Fr.

Morgantown, W.Va.

Savanna Plombon

Distance

5-8

Sr.

Frederick, Md.

Chaqieta Robinson

400 Hurdles/Sprints

5-5

Fr.

Baltimore, Md.

Sydney Scott

Distance

5-3

Jr.

Denver, Colo.

Hannah Stone

High Jump

5-7

Sr.

Thurmont, Md.

Paige Szabat

Distance

5-3

Jr.

Wadsworth, Ohio

Krista-Gay Taylor

High Jump

5-11

Fr.

St. Andrew, Jamaica

Bria Welker

400 Hurdles / Sprints 5-6

So.

Ridgeley, W.Va.

Rebecca Wendt

Distance

5-10

So.

Whitby, Ontario

Kelly Williams

Distance

5-9

Sr.

Chesterland, Ohio

Megan Yuan

Distance

5-8

Jr.

Thunder Bay, Ontario

T R ACK & FIEL D

Hometown

Plymouth, Minn.

Williamstown, W.Va. Waynesburg, Pa. Morgantown, W.Va. Scott Depot, W.Va.

Seniors

TORI

SR. | 5-7

POLE VAULT NORTH EAST, MD. 2015 (Jr.)

Outdoor Season ■■ Placed 20th in the pole vault with a mark of 3.50 meters at the Jesse Owens Classic ■■ Vaulted 3.65 meters at the UNF Spring Break Invitational, placing second ■■ Placed second with a mark of 3.35 meters at the Ohio Cherry Blossom ■■ Placed 21st with a mark of 3.20 meters at the Mason Spring Invite ■■ Recorded an outdoor-best vault of 3.83 meters at the WVU GoldBlue meet, finishing in first place Indoor Season ■■ Won the pole vault with a mark of 3.82 meters, recording an indoor season best at the Akron Invite ■■ Placed fourth in the pole vault, marking 3.75 meters at the Thundering Herd Open

Bertrand

■■ Took

first in the pole vault, marking 3.75 meters at the Marty Pushkin Classic

2014 (So.)

Outdoor Season ■■ Placed 10th at the Akron Invite with a vault of 3.22 meters ■■ Placed 11th at the George Mason Invite with a mark of 3.20 meters Indoor Season ■■ Vaulted 3.15 meters at the PSU Relays to finish sixth overall ■■ Placed 11th at the YSU Invite with a mark of 3.10 meters ■■ Personal-best vault of 3.51 meters at the WVU Gold-Blue, placing second overall ■■ Finished third at the WVU Invite with a mark of 3.33 meters

WVUTrackField

Prep

■■ Ran

for coach Alan Safrit at North East High; Safrit is now the coach at Appalachian State ■■ Holds the school record for the pole vault in indoor and outdoor track ■■ All-county honoree in 2010 and 2011 ■■ UCBAC Outdoor Conference Champion in 2010-2011 in the pole vault ■■ East Region Outdoor Champion in 2011 ■■ Placed first at the 2011 Outdoor Maryland State Championships ■■ Placed second at the 2012 Indoor Maryland State Championships Personal ■■ Daughter of Randy and Kelli Bertrand ■■ Birthday is July 22 ■■ One of two children ■■ Has one brother ■■ Majoring in forensic investigative science

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MARSIELLE SR. | 5-9

HIGH JUMP ST. ANN, JAMAICA 2015 (Jr.)

Outdoor Season ■■ Tied for ninth in the high jump with a season-best mark of 1.71 meters at the Big 12 Outdoor Championship ■■ Finished first in the high jump with a mark of 1.67-meter mark at the Ohio Cherry Blossom ■■ Placed 30th in the 400-meter dash with a time of 1:01.52 at the UNF Spring Break Invitational ■■ Placed third in the high jump with a mark of 1.70 meters at the Jesse Owens Classic ■■ Placed third in the high jump with a 1.68-meter jump at the Virginia Challenge Indoor Season ■■ Placed 16th in the high jump (1.66 meters) at the Big 12 Indoor Championship ■■ Took third place, marking 1.65 meters in the high jump at the Mason Spring Invite ■■ Placed 29th in the high jump with a mark of 1.60 meters at the Penn Relays

28

T R ACK & FIEL D

McBeam

■■ Finished

in first place in the high jump (1.70 meters) at the YSU College Invite ■■ Fifth place in the high jump with a mark of 1.70 meters at the Akron Invite

2014 (So.)

Outdoor Season ■■ Qualified for the 2014 Outdoor NCAA East Preliminary Round ■■ Placed fourth in the high jump at the 2014 Big 12 Outdoor Championship with a career-best mark of 1.76 meters ■■ Won the high jump at the George Mason Invite with a mark of 1.70 meters ■■ Finished first in the high jump with a mark of 1.65 meters at the Cherry Blossom Invite Indoor Season ■■ Claimed first in the high jump with a personal-best indoor mark of 1.72 meters at the SPIRE Invite ■■ Recorded top-five finishes in the high jump at the Akron Invite, PSU National, Raleigh Relay

At Central Michigan in 2013 ■■ Finished fourth in high jump (506) at the Bull Invitational ■■ Posted a first-place finish in the high jump at the GVSU Tune-Up Open ■■ Finished in fourth place at the Mid-American Conference Indoor Championships with a jump of 5’7.75 High School ■■ Attended Vere Technical High ■■ Finished third in high jump at the 2011 ISSA/Grace Kennedy Class 1 Girls Championships with a mark of 5’7 ■■ First place in discus at the 2008 ISSA/Grace Kennedy Class 3 Girls Championships ■■ Finished 12th in the high jump at the 2011 Penn Relays Personal ■■ Daughter of Leviu and Lonie McBeam ■■ Birthday is April 2 ■■ One of four children ■■ Has two sisters and one brother ■■ Majoring in nursing ■■ Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll

SARAH SR. | 5-4

DISTANCE BELINGTON, W.VA

2015 (r-Jr.) ■■ Redshirted 2014 (Jr.) ■■ Did not compete 2013 (So.) ■■ Outdoor Season ■■ Recorded a personal-best time in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, while placing seventh at the Big 12 Outdoor Championship ■■ Finished sixth in the 1,500 with a personal-best time of 4:41.05 at the Ohio Team Challenge ■■ Placed seventh in the 3,000 meters with a time of 10:24.45 at the Wake Forest Open ■■ Indoor Season ■■ Placed ninth in the 3,000 meters with a personal-best time of 10:26.38 at the Akron Invite ■■ Registered personal-best time of 5:11.17 in the mile at the SPIRE Invite

McCauley

2012 (Fr.) ■■ Came in 32nd place in the 1,500-meter running unattached at the Swarthmore Last Chance meet in 4:44.64 Prep ■■ Coached by Missy Kaiser at Philip Barbour High ■■ 1600- and 3200-meter champion in 2010 and 2011 ■■ 2010 Gatorade West Virginia Cross Country Runner of the Year ■■ Won individual title, led team to state cross country title in 2010 ■■ Placed third at state championships in 2008 and 2009, earning all-state ■■ 1600-meter champion in 2008 ■■ Also competed in basketball, volleyball and track ■■ Graduated magna cum laude with a 3.88 GPA ■■ Student Body Vice President

WVUTrackField

Personal: ■■ Daughter of George and Robin McCauley ■■ Has one brother ■■ Birthday is November 29 ■■ Majoring in dental hygiene ■■ Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll

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29

SAVANNA SR. | 5-8

DISTANCE FREDERICK, MD. 2015 (Jr.) Outdoor Season ■■ Placed 16th in the 5,000-meter run with a time of 17:24.87 at the Big 12 Outdoor Championship ■■ Finished 72nd overall in the 1,5000 meters with a time of 4:36.40 at the Virginia Challenge ■■ Placed 13th in 16:58.64 in the 5,000 meters at the Stanford Invitational Indoor Season ■■ Finished 19th in the 3,000 meters (9:50.53) at the Big 12 Indoor Championship ■■ Placed 30th in the mile with a time of 5:02.43 at the SPIRE Invite ■■ Placed 11th in the 5,000-meter event in 16:48.96 at the Penn Relays ■■ Member of the first place 4x800 meter relay team, finishing in 9:29.29 at the WVU Invite

2014 (So.)

■■ Redshirted

30

T R ACK & FIEL D

Plombon

At Lehigh in 2012-13 ■■ Placed second at the Lehigh Invitational (6k) with a time of 22:05.50, as well as in a dual meet versus Lafayette with a time of 22:11.6 ■■ Finished 84th at the Paul Short Run (6k) with a personal-best time of 22:02 ■■ Came in 54th at the Penn State National Invitational with a 6k time of 22:58 ■■ Named Patriot League Cross Country Rookie of the Week ■■ Named to the 2012 All-Patriot League Second Team in the 3,000-meter run ■■ Holds the Lehigh school record in the 3,000-meter run with a time of 9:49.36 ■■ Member of the 2012 Patriot League Academic Honor Roll High School ■■ Ran for coach Nicholas Snyder at Thomas Johnson ■■ 2011 MPSSAA Maryland Indoor State Champion in the 800-meter run ■■ 2010 Frederick County and 4A North Regional Individual Cross Country Champion

■■ Member

of the 2010 Frederick County and Maryland State Cross Country first teams ■■ As a junior, finished second at the 2009 Frederick County Championships, the Maryland 4A North Regional and the Maryland State Championships ■■ Competed in the 5,000-meter 2009 Nike Cross National Southeast Regional Cross Country Championships and finished 36th with a season-best time of 18:55 Personal ■■ Daughter of Daniel and Tama Plombon ■■ Birthday is June 18 ■■ Has one brother ■■ Majoring in biology ■■ Garrett Ford Academic Honor Roll ■■ Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll

HANNAH SR. | 5-7

HIGH JUMP THURMONT, MD. 2015 (Jr.)

Outdoor Season ■■ Placed sixth with a high jump of 1.60 meters at the Mason Spring Invite ■■ Competed in the 400 meters race, finishing in 31st in 1:01.77 at the UNF Spring Break Invitational Indoor Season ■■ Placed 13th in the high jump with a season-best mark of 1.71 meters at the Big 12 Indoor Championship ■■ Took the victory in the high jump, marking 1.70 meters at the Akron Invite ■■ Placed sixth in the high jump with 1.62 meters at the YSU College Invite

2014 (So.)

Outdoor Season ■■ Placed ninth in the high jump with a mark of 1.60 meters at the Jesse Owens Classic ■■ Placed 33th, marking a 1.60 meterhigh jump at the Penn Relays ■■ Sixth place in the high jump (1.60 meters) at the Mason Spring Invite ■■ Placed third in the high jump event with a jump of 1.57 meters at the Ohio Cherry Blossom Invitational ■■ Finished 31st in the 400-meter dash (1:01.77) at the UNF Spring Break Invitational

Stone

Indoor Season ■■ Placed 13th with a 1.71 meters high jump mark at the Big 12 Indoor Championship ■■ First place in the high jump (1.70 meters) at the Akron Invitational ■■ Placed sixth in the high jump, marking 1.62 meters at the YSU College Invite 2013 (Fr.) Outdoor Season ■■ Placed sixth in the high jump at the Big 12 Outdoor Championship with a mark of 1.67 meters ■■ Finished in ninth place in the high jump at the Big 12 Indoor Championship with a mark of 1.66 meters Indoor Season ■■ Member of the 4x400 meter relay team that finished second at the WVU Invite ■■ Personal-best time of 1:04.45 in the 400 meters at the Marty Pushkin Classic ■■ Placed first in the high jump at the Marty Pushkin Classic with a personal-best jump of 1.70 meters ■■ Recorded second-place finishes in the high jump at the WVU invite and the Gold-Blue Open ■■ Recorded top-10 finish in the high jump at Tiger Track Classic, Patriot Open and Wake Forest Open WVUTrackField

High School ■■ Ran for coach Teresa Gibbons at Catoctin High ■■ 2012 All-American in pentathlon at New Balance Indoor Nationals ■■ Holds the Frederick County indoor high jump record at 5’8.25 ■■ Three time state champion in the high jump and two time state champion in the triple jump ■■ Track and Field Athlete of the Year for The Frederick NewsPost and The Gazette ■■ Monocacy Valley Athletic League firstteam member in high jump, long jump, triple jump and 300-meter hurdles ■■ Member of the 4x400 relay team that holds the Catoctin school record ■■ Also participated in volleyball Personal ■■ Daughter of Randy and Becky Stone ■■ Birthday is September 30 ■■ Has one brother and one sister ■■ Sister Leah runs cross country at West Virginia Wesleyan ■■ Majoring in elementary education ■■ Garrett Ford Academic Honor Roll ■■ Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll ■■ Academic All-Big 12 Rookie Team

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KELLY SR. | 5-9

DISTANCE CHESTERLAND, OHIO 2015 (Jr.) Outdoor Season ■■ Placed 16th in the 5,000-meter run with a time of 17:24.87 at the Big 12 Outdoor Championship ■■ Finished 72nd overall in the 1,5000 meters with a time of 4:36.40 at the Virginia Challenge ■■ Placed 13th in 16:58.64 in the 5,000 meters at the Stanford Invitational Indoor Season ■■ Finished 19th in the 3,000 meters (9:50.53) at the Big 12 Indoor Championship ■■ Placed 30th in the mile with a time of 5:02.43 at the SPIRE Invite ■■ Placed 11th in the 5,000-meter event in 16:48.96 at the Penn Relays ■■ Member of the first place 4x800 meter relay team, finishing in 9:29.29 at the WVU Invite

2014 (So.)

■■ Redshirted

32

T R ACK & FIEL D

Williams

At Lehigh in 2012-13 ■■ Placed second at the Lehigh Invitational (6k) with a time of 22:05.50, as well as in a dual meet versus Lafayette with a time of 22:11.6 ■■ Finished 84th at the Paul Short Run (6k) with a personal-best time of 22:02 ■■ Came in 54th at the Penn State National Invitational with a 6k time of 22:58 ■■ Named Patriot League Cross Country Rookie of the Week ■■ Named to the 2012 All-Patriot League Second Team in the 3,000-meter run ■■ Holds the Lehigh school record in the 3,000-meter run with a time of 9:49.36 ■■ Member of the 2012 Patriot League Academic Honor Roll High School ■■ Ran for coach Nicholas Snyder at Thomas Johnson ■■ 2011 MPSSAA Maryland Indoor State Champion in the 800-meter run

■■ 2010

Frederick County and 4A North Regional Individual Cross Country Champion ■■ Member of the 2010 Frederick County and Maryland State Cross Country first teams ■■ As a junior, finished second at the 2009 Frederick County Championships, the Maryland 4A North Regional and the Maryland State Championships ■■ Competed in the 5,000-meter 2009 Nike Cross National Southeast Regional Cross Country Championships and finished 36th with a season-best time of 18:55 Personal ■■ Daughter of Daniel and Tama Plombon ■■ Birthday is June 18 ■■ Has one brother ■■ Majoring in biology ■■ Garrett Ford Academic Honor Roll ■■ Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll

Juniors

■■ Champion in the U-16 3,000-meter run at the 2009

Australia Track and Field Championships

Personal ■■ Daughter of Peter and Brenda Cashin ■■ Has one brother and one sister ■■ Birthday is July 28 ■■ Majoring in sports psychology ■■ Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll

AMY CASHIN

PEYTON HAMPSON

5-5, JUNIOR DISTANCE WERRIBEE, AUSTRALIA

5-8, JUNIOR MID-DISTANCE WAYNESBURG, PA.

2015 (So.)

Outdoor Season ■■ Placed third in the 3,000-meter steeplechase and was the first freshman finisher to cross the finish line in 10:44.30 at the Big 12 Outdoor Track & Field Championship ■■ Finished 34th overall with a time of 4:26.02 in the 1,500 meters at the Virginia Challenge ■■ Indoor Season ■■ Placed third in 800 meters with a time of 2:12.72 and fifth in 1,000 meters (2:47.49) at the SPIRE Invite

2014 (Fr.)

Outdoor Season ■■ Finished third in the 800 meters (2:13.86) at the Columbia Last Chance meet Indoor Season ■■ Crossed the line in 10th overall (2:54.80) at the Big 12 Indoor Championship in the 1,000 meters ■■ Recorded a personal-best time of 2:13.35 in the 800 meters at the Akron Invite, finishing fifth overall ■■ Placed second in the 800 meters (2:15.49) at the YSU Invite ■■ Member of 4x800 meter relay team that took first place in 9:10.68 at the PSU National ■■ Member of the distance medley relay team that finished second in 11:45.00 at the PSU National ■■ Claimed first in the 1,000 meters at the WVU Invite with a time of 2:56.15 High School ■■ Captain at Werribee Secondary College for coach Peter Burke ■■ Member of Team Australia for the World Junior Cross Country Championships, where she placed 50th with a 6k time of 20:48 ■■ 2013 Victoria State U-20 champion in the 1,500 meter run ■■ Silver medalist at the 6k U-20 Australia Cross Country Championships ■■ Part of Team Victoria for cross country and track & field from 2007-13 ■■ 2012 U-20 Cross Country Champion in Victoria ■■ Bronze Medalist at the 2010 4k U-18 Australia Cross Country Championships ■■ Silver medalist at the 2009 4k U-16 Australia Cross Country Championships

2015 (So.)

■■ Did not compete

2014 (Fr.)

Indoor Season ■■ Placed 10th overall in the 400 meters with a time of 59:30 at the Akron Invite High School ■■ Ran for coaches Duane Bowers and Jeff Coss at Waynesburg Central ■■ Placed third in 800 meters at the 2012 PIAA Track and Field State Championships with a personal best time of 2:11.52 ■■ Ranked fifth on the Regional All-Times list for 800 meters ■■ Finished first in 800 meters at the 2012 Regional Championships and recorded the fastest AA time in regional history ■■ Placed fifth in 800 meters at the 2011 PIAA Track and Field State Championships ■■ Holds the school records in the 400-meter and 800-meter runs, as well as the 4x400 relay Personal ■■ Daughter of Ron and Debby Hampson ■■ Has one brother and one sister ■■ Birthday is January 4 ■■ Majoring in nursing ■■ Valedictorian of graduating class with a 4.0 GPA ■■ Garrett Ford Academic Honor Roll ■■ Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll ■■ Academic All-Big 12 Rookie Team

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33

■■ Holds school records in the 100-meter, 200-meter,

400-meter runs and the 4x400 relay

■■ Also played in basketball, volleyball and softball

BRIANNA KEREKES

5-5, JUNIOR SPRINTS MORGANTOWN, W.VA.

2015

Personal ■■ Daughter of Brian and Susan Kerekes ■■ Birthday is April 26 ■■ Has one brother ■■ Majoring occupational therapy ■■ Garrett Ford Academic Honor Roll ■■ Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll ■■ Academic All-Big 12 Rookie Team

Outdoor Season (r-So.) ■■ Notched a career-best time in 800 meters with a time of 2:10.25 at the Jesse Owens Classic ■■ Competed in the 1,500 meters, placing 14th (4:28.77) at the Jesse Owens Classic ■■ Member of the 4x800 first-place team, finishing in 9:02.81 at the UNF Spring Break ■■ Placed first as a member of the distance medley relay team (11:40.54) at the Penn Relays, earning the fourth-best time in program history ■■ Placed 54th in 1,500-meters with a time of 4:30.87 at the Virginia Challenge Indoor Season (Jr.) ■■ Finished fifth in the 1,000-meter run with a time of 2:49.00 for a college-best time at the Big 12 Indoor Championship

2014

Outdoor Season (r-Fr.) ■■ Placed 12th overall (2:14.70) in the 800 meters at the Big 12 Outdoor Championship ■■ Placed sixth overall in the 800 meters with a personal-best time of 2:16.50 at the Columbia Last Chance Meet ■■ Personal-best time of 4:42.54 in the 1,500 meters at George Mason Invite Indoor Season (So.) ■■ Recorded a third-place finish in the 500 meters in 1:21.51 at the WVU Invite ■■ Member of the 4x800-meter relay team that placed first (9:10.68) at the PSU National ■■ Member of the distance medley relay team that finished second in 12:14.52 at the PSU Relays

2013 (Fr.)

Outdoor Season ■■ Redshirted Indoor Season ■■ Only competed during indoor season ■■ Member of the 4x400 meter relay team that finished fifth overall at the Doug Raymond Invite with a time of 4:00.95 ■■ Personal-best time of 1:02.65 in the 400 meters at the Doug Raymond Invite High School ■■ Ran for coaches Lori and Tyler DeVault at Trinity Christian ■■ Named All-State First Team, after placing second in the 200-meter and 400-meter runs and fourth in the 100-meter dash ■■ At the OVAC finals, she placed sixth in the 400 meter, and fifth in the 200 meter and 100 meter

34

T R ACK & FIEL D

SYDNEY SCOTT

5-3, JUNIOR DISTANCE DENVER, COLO.

2015 (So.)

Outdoor Season ■■ Placed 17th in the 5,000-meter run with a time of 17:25.79 at the Big 12 Outdoor Championship ■■ Placed 67th in the 1,5000 meters with a time of 4:34.90 at the Virginia Challenge ■■ Took 12th in the 5,000-meter event in 16:58.63 at the Stanford Invitational Indoor Season ■■ Took 11th in the 3,000 meters with a time of 9:40.22 at the Big 12 Indoor Championship ■■ Member of the 4x800 meter-relay team, placing first in 9:29.29 at the WVU Invite and second in the 800 meters (2:29.90) ■■ Third place as a member of the distance medley relay team, finishing in 12:02.85 at the PSU Relays ■■ Placed 17th in the 3,000 meters in 9:43.34 at the SPIRE Invite

2014 (Fr.)

■■ Did not compete

High School ■■ Attended the Denver School of Arts and ran under the guidance of John Gregorio at Denver South ■■ Finished second and third in the 3,200-meter and 1,600-meter runs, respectively, at the 2011 and 2012 Colorado State High School Track and Field Championships ■■ Came in first at the 2011 5k Colorado 4A Region 3 Championships ■■ State champion at the 4A Colorado State Cross Country Championships (5k) ■■ Placed sixth with a time of 18:17.2 at the 2011 Footlocker Midwest Regional Championships ■■ Qualified for the Footlocker National High School Cross Country Championships and finished 26th with a time of 18:17.2 ■■ Two-time winner of the Denver Public Schools League Meet in 2010 and 2011

■■ Finished eighth at the 2010 Nike Cross National

Southwest Regional Cross Country Championships ■■ As a junior, placed second at the 2010 4A Colorado State Cross Country Championships (5k) ■■ Placed 12th in 1,600-meters and 19th in the 3,200-meter runs at the 2010 New Balance High School Nationals ■■ Competed at the 2010 USATF Junior Olympic Track and Field Championships and placed second in the intermediate (15-16) 3,000-meter run and fourth in the 1,500-meter run

■■ Majoring in biochemistry ■■ Garrett Ford Academic Honor Roll ■■ Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll

Personal ■■ Daughter of Andy and Martha Scott and Cathy Scott ■■ Birthday is July 21 ■■ Has one sister ■■ Majoring in music performance ■■ Garrett Ford Academic Honor Roll ■■ Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll

MEGAN YUAN

5-8, JUNIOR DISTANCE THUNDER BAY, ONTARIO

2015 (So.)

PAIGE SZABAT

5-3, JUNIOR DISTANCE WADSWORTH, OHIO

2015 (r-So.)

■■ Did not compete

2014 (r-Fr.)

Outdoor Season ■■ Placed 31st in the 3,000 meters with a personal-best 10:08.18 at the Big 12 Indoor Championship ■■ Finished 20th in the 5,000 meters in 18:20.58 at the Big 12 Outdoor Championship ■■ Posted a personal-best time of 17:06.30 in the 5,000 meters, finishing in 15th place at the Virginia Challenge ■■ Raced to a personal-best 4:41.52 in the 1,500 meters at the Raleigh Relays

2013 (Fr.)

■■ Redshirted

High School ■■ Team Captain for coach Michelle Farr at Wadsworth High ■■ Ran to a top 15 finish in the 3,200-meter run her final three years at the OHSAA State Track and Field Championships ■■ Won the 3,200-meter run at the Akron Suburban League Track and Field Championships from 2010-12 ■■ Received All-Ohio honors at the OHSAA State Cross Country Championships in 2008, 2009 and 2011 ■■ All-Suburban League in Cross Country and Track ■■ Placed 65th at the 2009 Footlocker Midwest Regional Cross Country Championships with a time of 19:39 Personal ■■ Daughter of Raymond and Carol Szabat ■■ Birthday is December 10 ■■ Dad played soccer at Akron from 1980-83

Outdoor Season ■■ Placed first in the mile during the indoor WVU Gold-Blue meet, finishing with a season-best time of 5:12.54 ■■ Ran the mile with a time of 5:01.45 at the SPIRE Invite, placing 26th overall Indoor Season ■■ Finished 18th in the 3,000 meter race with a time of 9:49.19 at the Big 12 Indoor Championship ■■ Raced in the 4x800 meter relay, placing first as a team (9:10.68) at the PSU National

2014 r-(Fr.)

Outdoor Season ■■ Placed fifth overall in the 3,000-meter steeplechase in 11:08.97 at the Big 12 Outdoor Championship ■■ Member of 4x800-meter relay team that placed first in 9:10.68 at the PSU National Indoor Season ■■ Placed 18th in the 3,000 meters with a career-best 9:49.19 at the Big 12 Indoor Championship ■■ Posted a personal-best time of 10:30.16 in 3,000-meter steeplechase at the Virginia Challenge ■■ Won the 3,000-meter steeplechase in 10:40.71 at the Princeton Elite ■■ Finished 12th in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the Larry Ellis Invite

2013 (Fr.)

■■ Did not compete

High School ■■ Ran at St. Ignatius High ■■ Placed 10th at the 2011 Junior Division Canadian Cross Country Championships ■■ Sixth at the 2011 OFSAA Senior Division Cross Country Championships ■■ 2011 Canadian Youth Division 3,000-meter Champion ■■ Finished second at the 2009 Junior Division OFSAA Cross Country Championships ■■ 2009 Canadian Division 3,000-meter Champion ■■ Placed third at the 2009 Canadian Midget Division 1,500-meter run ■■ Finished third at the 2011 AO Youth Cross Country Championships in the 1,500-meter run

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35

Personal ■■ Daughter of Mike and Sue Yuan ■■ Birthday is February 9 ■■ Has two brothers ■■ Majoring in sports psychology ■■ Garrett Ford Academic Honor Roll ■■ Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll

Personal

■■ Daughter of Robert and Rachel Diehl ■■ Birthday is September 29 ■■ Has two brothers and a sister ■■ Majoring in industrial engineering ■■ Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll

Sophomores ALYSSA DIEHL

5-4, SOPHOMORE DISTANCE CHARDON, OHIO

2015 (So.)

Outdoor Season ■■ Placed fifth overall in the 5,000-meter run with a time of 18:30.84 at the Ohio Cherry Blossom Invitational ■■ Ran a personal-best time of 5:28.09 in the mile at the Penn State Relays Indoor Season ■■ Posted a seventh-place finish in the 3,000 meters with a personal-best time of 10:41.76 at the Thundering Herd Invite

2014 (Fr.)

Outdoor Season ■■ Placed ninth in the mile at the WVU Invite with a personal-best time of 5:35.66 ■■ Recorded a personal-best time of 18:48.96 in the 5,000 meters at the Cherry Blossom Invite ■■ Placed 12th (5:13.35) in the 1,500 meters at the Cal U Early Bird Meet ■■ Posted a 12th-place finish in the 3,000 meters at the Larry Ellis Invite Indoor Season ■■ Posted a personal-best mark of 10:53.71 in the 3,000 meters at the Akron Invite ■■ Finished 11th in the 3,000 meters in 11:03.94 at the PSU Relays Prep ■■ Ran for coach Mike Combs at Chardon High ■■ Named valedictorian of her senior class ■■ Four-year varsity letterwinner in cross country and track ■■ First-team All-PAC Conference ■■ Four-time regional qualifier ■■ Recipient of the Chardon High School Scholar-Athlete Award ■■ OHSAA Scholar-Athlete Award

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MAGGIE DRAZBA

5-1, SOPHOMORE DISTANCE ST. MARYS, W.VA.

2015 (r-Fr.)

Outdoor Season ■■ Placed 24th in the 5,000-meter run with a time of 17:51.45 and placed 10th (35:50.40) in 1,000 meters at the Big 12 Outdoor Championship ■■ Finished 30th in the 1,500-meter run in a career-best time of 4:38.51 at the Jesse Owens Classic Indoor Season ■■ Placed 12th in 3,000 meters in 9:38.59 at the SPIRE Invitational ■■ Finished ninth with a time of 16:28.99 in 5,000 meters at the Big 12 Indoor Championship ■■ Crossed the line in third place in 4:55.69 in the mile at the Akron invite ■■ Was a member of the 4x800 meter relay team, placing first (9:29.29) at the WVU Invite 2014 (Fr.) ■■ Did not compete High School ■■ Four-year letterwinner at St. Marys High ■■ 2011 and 2012 Gatorade West Virginia Girls Cross Country Athlete of the Year ■■ 2013 Gatorade West Virginia Girls Track & Field Athlete of the Year ■■ 2009, 2011 and 2012 West Virginia AA-A State Cross Country Champion ■■ Placed third at the Footlocker Southwest Regional with a time of 17:10 to qualify for the 2012 Foot Locker Cross Country Championships, where she placed 22nd overall ■■ Second place at the 2012 USATF Cross Country Junior Championships ■■ Led Team USA to the championship at the 2012 NACAC, where she placed fourth individually ■■ Holds the West Virginia State Meet record for cross country with a time of 17:17 ■■ Took top honors at the 2012 Great American Cross Country Festival ■■ Part of the St. Marys squad that won the 2009 AA-A West Virginia Cross Country Championship ■■ Undefeated in Little Kanawha Cross Country Conference Championship competition all four years

■■ West Virginia outdoor track and field record holder in the

mile (4:53), 1,600-meter run (4:51), 3,000-meter run (9:37), 3,200-meter run (10:27) and two mile run (10:37) ■■ West Virginia indoor track and field record holder in the 3,200 (10:41), two-mile run (10:29) and the 5,000-meter run (17:40) ■■ Finished second at the 2013 Penn Relays in the 3,000-meter run ■■ Four-time West Virginia track and field state champion in class A in the 800-meter run (2010-13) and the 1,600-meter run (2010-13) ■■ Three-time West Virginia track and field state champion in class A in the 3,200-meter run (2011-13) ■■ Part of the 4x800-meter relay team that captured the 2010 state title ■■ Holds the West Virginia Class A state meet record in the 800-meter run (2:18), 3,200-meter run (10:31) and the 4x800-meter relay (9:48)

■■ Career-best vault of 11’ at the 2014 PIAA District 1

AAA Outdoor Championship, placing fifth overall

■■ Finished sixth at the 2013 PIAA District 1

AAA Outdoor Championship

■■ Recorded a fourth-place finish as a sophomore at the 2012 PIAA

District 1 AAA Outdoor Championship with a mark of 10-6

■■ Placed first at the Downingtown West Spring

Invitational, vaulting a mark of 10’

Personal ■■ Daughter of Mark and Claire Finfrock ■■ Has two brothers and two sisters ■■ Birthday is December 7 ■■ Majoring in business ■■ Big 12 Commissioners Honor Roll

Personal ■■ Daughter of Charles and Kathleen Drazba ■■ Has two brothers ■■ Birthday is May 18 ■■ Majoring in human nutrition and foods ■■ Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll

SARA FINFROCK

5-4, SOPHOMORE POLE VAULT KENNETT SQUARE, PA.

2015 (Fr.)

Outdoor Season ■■ Placed 26th in the pole vault with a 3.35-meter mark at the Jesse Owens Classic ■■ Finished fifth in the pole vault, marking 3.35 meters at the Mason Spring Invite ■■ Tied for second in the pole vault, marking 3.35 meters at the Ohio Cherry Blossom Invitational ■■ Finished fifth in the pole vault, marking 3.50 meters at the UNF Spring Break Invitational ■■ Tied for 14th overall in the pole vault with a marking of 3.37 meters at the Virginia Challenge Indoor Season ■■ Pole vaulted to a 10th-place finish (3.30 meters) at the Thundering Herd Invite ■■ Took a 15th-place finish in the pole vault, marking 3.07 meters at the Akron Invite ■■ Finished 24th in the pole vault with a mark of 3.20 meters at the YSU College Invite ■■ Placed 11th, vaulting 3.37 meters at the PSU Relays ■■ Took eighth place in the pole vault with a mark of 3.35 meters at the WVU Invite Prep ■■ Pole vaulted at Kennett High under coaches John Ramagano and Carl Lowe ■■ Member of Deasil Pole Vault Club

JILLIAN FORSEY

5-4, SOPHOMORE DISTANCE STEPHENVILLE, NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR

2015 (r-Fr.)

Outdoor Season ■■ Named to the All-Big 12 Cross Country Team ■■ Named to the Capital One Academic All-District Team ■■ Took third overall in 5,000-meters with a time of 16:38.32 at the Big 12 outdoor meet Indoor Season ■■ Placed seventh in the 5,000-meter run in 16:25.43 at the Big 12 Indoor Championship

2014 (Fr.)

■■ Did not compete

Prep ■■ Ran at Stephenville High for coach Ray Will ■■ Newfoundland Provincial Champion in the 800-meter run, 1,500-meter run and 3,000-meter run for six straight years ■■ Member of Team Canada for the World Junior Cross Country Championships, where she placed 49th with a 6k time 20:40 ■■ Placed eighth at the 2013 4k NACAC Cross Country Championships ■■ Finished first at the 2012 Canadian Cross Country Championships with a 5k time of 17:21 ■■ Won the Athletics Ontario Cross Country Championship with a 5k time of 17:45 ■■ Finished second at the Maine Cross Country Festival of Champions ■■ Named Newfoundland and Labrador Female Athlete of the year in 2012 ■■ Won the 800-meter run and 1,500-meter run at the 2012 Nike High School Grand Prix ■■ Ran for Team Canada and finished 13th at the NACAC Cross Country Championship ■■ 3,000-meter Athletics Ontario Championships gold medalist in 2012 WVUTrackField

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■■ Finished 14th at the 2011 Canadian Cross Country Championships ■■ Placed fifth in the 3,000-meter run and seventh in the 1,500-meter

run at the 2011 Canadian Youth National Championships

■■ Finished seventh in the 3,000-meter run at the

2011 Canadian Junior Championships

BRYNN HARSHBARGER

■■ Bronze medalist in the 1,200-meter run and

fourth in the 2,000-meter run at the 2010 Canadian Youth National Championships ■■ Also a competitive cross country skier and was a member of the 2012 National Talent Squad that won a bronze medal in the 5k freestyle at the 2011 Canadian National Championships Personal ■■ Daughter of Bill Forsey and Rosemary Ryan ■■ Has one brother ■■ Birthday is June 9 ■■ Majoring in exercise physiology ■■ Garrett Ford Academic Honor Roll ■■ Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll

MADELINE GARDNER

5-5, SOPHOMORE POLE VAULT WILLIAMSTOWN, W.VA.

2015 (Fr.)

Outdoor Season ■■ Placed eighth in the pole vault with a mark of 3.52 meters at the SPIRE Invite Indoor Season ■■ Ninth place in the pole vault with a 3.52-meter mark at the Akron Invite ■■ Finished in seventh place, vaulting 3.35 meters at the YSU College Invite ■■ Placed third in the pole vault, marking a 3.50-meter mark at the WVU Invite High School ■■ Competed for coach Zach Hall at Williamstown High ■■ State champion in the pole vault, 200 meters and 400 meters ■■ School record holder in the 300-meter hurdles and the 100-meter high hurdles ■■ High point winner at the state meet ■■ Four-time all-conference selection and three-time all-state honoree Personal ■■ Daughter of Jeff and Lisa Gardner ■■ Has one sister ■■ Birthday is September 24 ■■ Majoring in mechanical engineering ■■ Participated in competitive gymnastics for 15 years ■■ Named to the Academic All-Big 12 Rookie Team

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5-2, SOPHOMORE MID-DISTANCE MORGANTOWN, W.VA.

2015 (r-Fr.)

Outdoor Season ■■ Recorded a career-best time of 4:38.04 in the 1,500-meter run, finishing in ninth at the Big 12 Outdoor Championship ■■ Finished ninth in the 10,000-meter run in a career-best time of 35:30.86 at the Big 12 Outdoor Championship ■■ Placed 29th in the 1,5000 meter event in 4:38.04 at the Jesse Owens Classic ■■ Ran in the 5,000-meter event, finishing 18th with a personalbest time of 17:08.12 at the Stanford Invitational Indoor Season ■■ Came in 10th in the 3,000-meter event with a career-best time of 9:37.76 at the Big 12 Indoor Championship 2014 (Fr.) ■■ Did not compete High School ■■ Ran at Morgantown High for coach Mike Ryan ■■ Placed second in the 1,600-meter run and fifth in the 3,200-meter run at the 2013 West Virginia State Track & Field Championships ■■ Part of the winning 4x800-meter relay team at the 2013 West Virginia State Track & Field Championships ■■ Led the team to a third-place finish at the NXN Southeast Regional Cross Country Championship, while also individually placing 15th ■■ Runner-up at the 2012 West Virginia State Cross Country Championships, which helped her team to a first-place finish ■■ Placed 10th at the Great American Cross Country Festival with a personal-best 5k time of 18:02 ■■ Won the 3,200-meter run at the 2012 West Virginia State Track & Field Championships, followed by a third-place finish in the 1,600-meter run and second-place finish in the 4x800-meter relay ■■ Finished eighth individually at the 2012 West Virginia State Cross Country meet and led her team to a first-place finish ■■ Member of the 4x800-meter relay team that finished third at the 2011 West Virginia State Track & Field Championships Personal ■■ Daughter of Dave and Colleen Harshbarger ■■ Has one brother ■■ Birthday is December 1 ■■ Majoring in biology ■■ Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll

■■ Four-time Premier Athletic Conference Cross

Country Champion (2009-12)

MEGHAN JEAN-BAPTISTE 5-4, SOPHOMORE MULTI FAIRFAX, VA.

2015 (r-Fr.)

Outdoor Season ■■ Recorded a career-best time of 14.66 in the 100-meter hurdles, placing 14th at the Big 12 Outdoor Championship ■■ Placed seventh in the 200-meter dash in 26.92 and finished fourth in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 14.85 at the Ohio Cherry Blossom Invitational ■■ Ran a career-best time of 26.32 in the 200-meter dash, placing 46th at the UNF Spring Break Invitational ■■ Competed in the 100-meter dash, finishing with a careerbest time of 12.70 at the UNF Spring Break Invitational Indoor Season ■■ Placed 35th in the 60-meter dash with a career-best time of 8:00 at the SPIRE Indoor Invitational

■■ Three time state qualifier (2010-12) ■■ Named All-Ohio, after placing 11th at the 2012 Division

I Ohio State Cross Country Championships

■■ Selected to represent Ohio at the 2012 Mid-

East Cross Country Championships

■■ Scored for Ohio at the Footlocker Midwest Regional, placing 34th ■■ Holds a school record in the 5,000-meter

run and is a four time MVP

■■ Three-time Premier Athletic Conference Champion

in the 1,600-meter run (2010-12), as well as the 3,200-meter run and 800-meter run ■■ 2012 state qualifier in the 3,200-meter run and 14th at the Ohio Division 1 State Track & Field Championships ■■ Four-time MVP for the school’s track team ■■ Three-time All-Ohio Academic Award ■■ Four-time All-P.A.C. Academic Award for cross country and track & field Personal ■■ Daughter of Karl and Joanne Kule ■■ Birthday is December 9 ■■ Her father Karl ran cross country and track and field at WVU ■■ Majoring in speech pathology ■■ Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll

2014 (Fr.)

■■ Did not compete

High School ■■ Ran for Coach Alisa Byers at Oakton High ■■ Captain during her junior and senior season in indoor and outdoor track Personal ■■ Daughter of Phil Jean-Baptiste and Deb Hanneman ■■ Birthday is February 6 ■■ Has one sister ■■ Majoring in biology

CORINNE KULE

5-4, SOPHOMORE DISTANCE CHARDON, OHIO

2015 (r-Fr.)

■■ Did not compete

2014 (Fr.)

■■ Did not compete

High School ■■ Ran at Chardon High for coach Mike Combs

REBEKAH LAFATA

5-7, SOPHOMORE POLE VAULT MORGANTOWN, W.VA.

2015 (Fr.)

Outdoor Season ■■ Finished in 25th place with a 3.20-meter mark in the pole vault at the Mason Spring Invite ■■ Fourth place in the vault, marking 3.05 meters at the Ohio Cherry Blossom ■■ Placed 19th overall, pole vaulting 3.05 meters in the UNF Spring Break Invite Indoor Season ■■ Placed 10th in the pole vault, marking 3.30 meters at the Thundering Herd Invite ■■ Vaulted 3.22 meters, placing 13th overall at the PSU Relays ■■ Ninth place in the pole vault with a mark of 3.20 meters at the YSU College Invite High School ■■ Competed for coaches Steve Blinco and former Mountaineer pole vaulter Jeff Core at Morgantown High ■■ Placed first in the pole vault (10-6) at the 2014 WVSSAC AAA State Championships ■■ Finished fifth in the long jump at the 2014 WVSSAC AAA State with a leap of 16-3.50 ■■ Personal-best vault of 11-0 at the South Hills Classic as a junior WVUTrackField

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■■ Career-best long jump of 16-10 at the 2014 Ohio

Valley Athletic Conference Championship

Personal ■■ Daughter of Vincent and Helene Lafata ■■ Has two brothers and one sister ■■ Birthday is July 4 ■■ Majoring in occupational therapy ■■ Big 12 Commissioners Honor Roll

■■ 2012 Regional Track and Field Champion in the

3,000-meter run and the 1,500-meter steeplechase

■■ Broke the course record on her way to winning the

2011 Regional Cross Country Championship

■■ Was a member of Team Ontario and finished fifth individually

at the National Legion Track and Field Championship

■■ 2011 Provincial Champion in the 2,000-meter steeplechase

at the Legion Provincial Track & Field Championships

■■ 2011 Regional Track and Field Champion in the 800-meter

run, 3,000-meter run and 1,500-meter steeplechase

■■ 2010 Regional Cross Country Champion ■■ 2010 Regional Track and Field Champion in the 800-meter

run, 400-meter run and 1,500-meter steeplechase

■■ U-15 Provincial record holder in the 1,500-meter steeplechase ■■ 2010 Bronze medalist at the National Legion

RENEE MAISONNEUVE 5-3, SOPHOMORE DISTANCE TIMMINS, ONTARIO

Track and Field Championships

Personal ■■ Daughter of Luc and Julie Maisonneuve ■■ Has two brothers and one sister ■■ Birthday is October 1 ■■ Majoring in international studies ■■ Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll

2015 (r-Fr.)

Outdoor Season ■■ Finished 10th in the 3,000-meter steeplechase in 11:17.59 at the Big 12 Outdoor Championship ■■ Second overall in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a college-best time of 10:51.10 at the Jesse Owens Classic ■■ Second place in the 1,500-meter run, resulting in a careerbest time of 4:45.35 at the Ohio Cherry Blossom Invitational Indoor Season ■■ Placed 20th overall in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 10:59.73 at the Penn Relays ■■ Ran the mile in 4:59.71 at the SPIRE Division I Indoor Track & Field Invitational

2014 (Fr.)

Outdoor ■■ Did not compete High School ■■ Ran at Ecole Secondaire Catholique Theriault for coach Joel Ruel ■■ Recipient of the trophy for best individual and best team performance at the 2012-13 OFSAA Cross Country Championships ■■ Canadian Interscholastic record holder in the 1,500-meter steeplechase (4:57.06) ■■ School record holder in the 1,500-meter run (4:52), 800-meter run (2:17), 3,000-meter run (10:43) and 1,500-meter steeplechase (4:57.06) ■■ Gold medalist in the 1,500-meter steeplechase at the 2013 OFSAA Track & Field Championships ■■ 2013 Regional Track and Field champion in the 800-meter run, 3,000-meter run and 1,500-meter steeplechase ■■ Set a new Regional Track and Field Meet record in the 800-meter run and 1,500-meter steeplechase ■■ Helped her team to a silver medal at the 2012 OFSAA Cross Country Championships ■■ Was the 2012 Regional Cross Country Champion ■■ Silver medalist in the 1,500-meter steeplechase at the 2012 OFSAA Track & Field Championships

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SHAMOYA McNEIL

5-5, SOPHOMORE JUMPS PORTLAND, JAMAICA

2015 (Fr.)

Outdoor Season ■■ Recorded a career-best as a Mountaineer, placing fourth in the triple jump with a mark of 12.81 meters, while finishing second in the event overall among all freshmen at the Big 12 Outdoor Championship ■■ Sixth-place finish in the triple jump, marking 12.38 meters at the Penn Relays ■■ Took second in the triple jump (12.39 meters) at the Mason Spring Invite ■■ Placed first, jumping 11.93 meters in the triple jump at the Ohio Cherry Blossom ■■ Finished first in the triple jump with a 12.51-meter mark at the Virginia Challenge, recording one of the top three-best jumps in program history ■■ Placed first in the triple jump, leaping 11.93 meters at the Ohio Cherry Blossom Invitational ■■ Competed in the 100-meter dash, finishing fourth in 13.25 meters at the Ohio Cherry Blossom Invitational ■■ Placed 35th in the 400-meter dash with a time of 1:03.03 at the UNF Spring Break Invitational Indoor Season ■■ Finished in eighth place in the triple jump, leaping 12.06 meters at the Big 12 Indoor Championship ■■ Jumped to a ninth-place finish in the triple jump (11.93m) at the SPIRE Invite

■■ Placed fifth in the triple jump (12.08m) at the Akron Invite ■■ First place in the triple jump (11.77m) at the WVU Invite ■■ Took 17th place in the long jump, marking

4.99 meters at the PSU Relays

■■ Placed seventh in the preliminary session in the

60-meter event (8.36) at the Marty Pushkin Classic

High School ■■ Attended Titchfield High and St. Jago High in Jamaica ■■ Personal-best mark of 40-5.5 in the triple jump at the 2013 ISSA Boys & Girls Championships, placing fourth ■■ Placed fifth at the JAAA Carifta Trials 2013 with a mark of 40-4.25 in the triple jump ■■ Ran a personal-best time of 1:05.89 in the 400-meter hurdles at the Youngster GoldSmith Classics, finishing 10th ■■ Jumped a personal-best mark of 16-7.25 in the long jump at the Jamaica College Invitational, placing eighth Personal ■■ Daughter of Leroy McNeil and Barbara Whyte ■■ Has one brother ■■ Birthday is November 14 ■■ Majoring in occupational therapy ■■ Big 12 Commissioners honor Roll

■■ Maintained a 4.12 grade point average as a

member of the National Honor Society

Personal ■■ Daughter of Joseph and Janet Paladino ■■ Birthday is October 18 ■■ Twin brother, Andy, runs cross country at Syracuse ■■ Majoring in engineering ■■ Cousin, Tony Sapienza, placed fourth in the 1958 Boston Marathon

BRIA WELKER

5-6, SOPHOMORE HURDLES/SPRINTS RIDGELEY, W.VA.

2015 (r-Fr.)

■■ Did not compete

2014 (Fr.)

MILLIE PALADINO

5-0, SOPHOMORE DISTANCE MORGANTOWN, W.VA.

2015 (Fr.)

Outdoor Season ■■ Placed 14th overall in the quarterfinals of the 1,500-meter run (4:21.79) at the NCAA East Region Preliminaries ■■ Fourth in the finals of the 1,500-meter run with a time of 4:31.22 at the Big 12 Outdoor Championship ■■ Competed in the 800-meter run for the first time, placing first with a time of 2:13.83 at the Ohio Cherry Blossom Invite ■■ Member of the 4x800 relay team that placed first in 9:02.81 at the UNF Spring Break Indoor Season ■■ Did not compete High School ■■ Ran for coach Ed Frohnapel at University High ■■ Won the mile at the 2014 Penn Relays (4:45.34) ■■ West Virginia state champion in the 3,200 meters (10:00.42) ■■ 2013-14 Gatorade West Virginia Girls’ CrossCountry Runner of the Year ■■ 2013 WV Class AAA Cross Country State Champion with a 5k time of 17:55.84 ■■ Competed at the 2013 Foot Locker Girls Cross Country Championships, finishing in 11th place (17:45.22) ■■ Holds fastest mile time in West Virginia high school history (4:43.84)

Outdoor Season ■■ Claimed first in the 400 meters at the WVU GoldBlue meet and at the Cal U Early Bird meet ■■ Posted top-five finishes in the 400 meters at the Cherry Blossom Invitational, the Gator Invitational and the YSU Icebreaker meet Indoor Season ■■ Member of the 4x400-meter relay team that placed ninth with a time of 3:56.10 at the Big 12 Indoor Championship ■■ Won the 400 meters with a time of 57.20 at the Akron Invitational ■■ Member of the distance medley relay team that placed second (11:45.00) at the PSU National ■■ Member of the 4x400-meter relay team that placed first at the WVU Gold-Blue meet and at the Cal U Early Bird meet High School ■■ Ran for Coach Amanda Moreland at Frankfort High ■■ Four-year letterwinner at Frankfort High ■■ West Virginia state meet record in 200-meter dash (25.15) and 400-meter dash (57.13) ■■ Helped lead Frankfort to 2013 State Championship and runner-up in 2010 and 2012 ■■ Three-time state champion in 200-meter dash in 2010, 2012 and 2013 and two-time state champion in 100-meter dash in 2012 and 2013 ■■ Three-time state champion in 400-meter dash in 2010, 2012 and 2013 and two-time state champion in the long jump in 2010 and 2012 ■■ Recorded a state championship in the 300-meter hurdles in 2013 ■■ 2010 Gatorade WV Girls Track and Field Athlete of the Year ■■ Holds Frankfort High records for 100-meter, 200-meter and 400-meter dashes, as well as in the long jump and 300-meter hurdles ■■ Wendy’s High School Heisman winner for Mineral County ■■ Four-year letterwinner in soccer and holds school record for most goals in a season with 26

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■■ Two-year letterwinner in basketball

Personal ■■ Daughter of Greg and Kimberly Welker ■■ Birthday is April 18 ■■ Sister Kendra is a rowed at WVU ■■ Father Greg played baseball at Frostburg State ■■ Majoring in exercise physiology ■■ Academic All-Big 12 Rookie Team ■■ Big 12 Commissioners Honor Roll

REBECCA WENDT

5-10, SOPHOMORE DISTANCE WHITBY, ONTARIO

2015 (r-Fr.)

Indoor Season ■■ Placed 25th in the 600 meters with a time of 1:39.03 at the SPIRE Invitational, and placed 58th in the 800-meter event in 2:19.45 ■■ Finished 11th in the 800 meter-run in 2:19.75 at the Thundering Herd Invite ■■ Took sixth in the 800 meters with a time of 2:20.15 at the Akron Invite ■■ Placed 11th overall in the 800-meter run (2:25.64) at the YSU College Invite

2014 (Fr.)

■■ Did not compete

High School ■■ Double 2013 OFSAA bronze medalist in the 800-meter run and 1,500-meter run ■■ Named the 2013 and 2012 Most Outstanding Varsity Track Athlete ■■ Silver medalist at the 2012 Junior Provincials in the 800-meter run and bronze medalist in the 1,500-meter run ■■ 2012 Youth National Champion in the 800-meter run and silver medalist in the 1,500-meter run ■■ Finished fifth at the 2011 OFSAA Cross Country Championships ■■ 2010 OFSAA Midget Champion in the 1,500 and 3,000-meter runs, while earning bronze in the 800-meter run ■■ Broke four regional records on her way to being named most outstanding track and cross country athlete Personal ■■ Daughter of Stephen and Alison Wendt ■■ Has one sister ■■ Birthday is December 15 ■■ Majoring in business ■■ Big 12 Commissioners Honor Roll

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Freshmen T R ACK & FIEL D

DANIQUE BRYAN

5-6, FRESHMAN HIGH JUMP/LONG JUMP CLARENDON, JAMAICA

High School ■■ Attended Edwin Allen High ■■ Team captain in 2014-15 ■■ Personal best high jump of 1.75 meters at the 2012 Montego Bay Milo Western Relays ■■ Competed in the long jump, marking a personal-best mark of 6.12 meters at the 2015 Kingston Utech Classic ■■ Second in the long jump, marking 6.00 meters at the Penn Relays ■■ Posted a mark of 1.73 meters in the high jump, missing by just .02 meters outside the girls’ champs record at the 2011 Central Championships Personal ■■ Daughter of ■■ Birthday is May 10 ■■ Has one brother and one sister ■■ Majoring in nursing ■■ Big 12 Commissioners Honor Roll

ANNA FRENCH

5-4, FRESHMAN PLYMOUTH, MINN. DISTANCE

High School ■■ Ran at Wayzata High for coaches Dave Emmans and Addy Hallen ■■ Earned the Athena Award as the school’s most outstanding female athlete (2014-15) ■■ Conference and section champion for cross country and track & field (2011-2013) ■■ Earned All-America distinctions from 2012-13 ■■ Three-time all-state honoree 2011-14 ■■ Nike Cross Champions in 2013 ■■ State Champions in 2012 and 2014 ■■ Captain of the 2014 cross country team ■■ Placed seventh at the Class 2A cross country meet ■■ Placed fifth in the 5k with a personal-best time of 17:38 ■■ Placed fifth at 2014 Heartland Regional and fourth in the 2012 Heartland Regional ■■ At the Nike Cross Nationals she placed 34th in 2014, eighth in 2013 and 19th in 2012 ■■ Received the top-10 award for having one of the top-10 GPAs in her class (4.0 unweighted) ■■ Also ran on the track and field team

■■ Participated in Nordic skiing

Personal ■■ Daughter of Christopher and Jean French ■■ Birthday is August 17 ■■ Majoring in Biology ■■ Has one sister ■■ Her aunt, Cindy Seikkula Peterson, participated in the 1976 Olympics for speed skating ■■ Big 12 Commissioners Honor Roll

■■ Has one brother ■■ Big 12 Commissioners Honor Roll

CANDACE JONES

5-5, FRESHMAN MID-DISTANCE BRISTOW, VA.

JORDAN HESS

5-8, FRESHMAN POLE VAULT LANCASTER, PA.

High School ■■ Attended Penn Manor High and ran for coach Bob Miller ■■ Competed on the Caultworx club team for coach Matt Conncannon ■■ Qualified for districts in 2012-2014, and qualified for states in 2013 and 2014 Personal ■■ Daughter of Duane and Dawn Hess ■■ Has one sister ■■ Birthday is October 24 ■■ Enrolled in general studies ■■ Big 12 Commissioners Honor Roll

OLIVIA HILL

5-5, FRESHMAN DISTANCE SCOTT DEPOT, W.VA.

High School ■■ Ran at Teays Valley Christian School for coach Aubrey Morris ■■ Winner of Hurricane Cross Country Invitational in 2014 ■■ Was named Teays Valley Christian School 2015 Female Athlete of the Year ■■ Earned the Team High Point Award for track ■■ Participated in basketball and volleyball Personal ■■ Daughter of Craig and Jenny Hill ■■ Birthday is November 25 ■■ Majoring in exercise physiology

High School ■■ Ran at Patriot High for coach Adam Daniels ■■ Seven-time all-state ■■ At the 2015 VHSL Group 6A Conference Championship, she ran a personal-best of 5:00.05 in the 1,600 meters ■■ Ran a personal-best of 2:11.08 in the 800-meter event at the 2014 VHSL Group 5A/6A State Outdoor Championship ■■ Ran in 1,000-meters (2.54.42) at the 2015 VHSL Group 6A State Indoor Track and Field ■■ Competed in the distance-medley relay at the 2015 indoor championship to earn All-American honors ■■ Ran the 5k in a career-best time of 18:48.30 ■■ Personal ■■ Daughter of Robert and Margaret Jones ■■ Birthday is March 14 ■■ Majoring in animal and nutritional science ■■ Has one sister

PEYTON PANGER

5-4, FRESHMAN DISTANCE CHARLESTON, W.VA.

High School ■■ Ran at Capital High ■■ Four-time WV All-State cross country team ■■ Was named 2014 WV Gatorade Cross Country of the Year ■■ Four-time West Virginia Region 3 cross country champion ■■ Three-time West Virginia All-State track team (3x3200m, 3x1600m, 1x800m) ■■ Three-time Mountain State Athletic Conference cross country champion ■■ Mountain State Athletic Conference track champion multiple times ■■ Finished 16th at the North Carolina Great American Cross Country Festival Race of Champions ■■ 2014 first team all-state selection ■■ Took second at the Class AAA state meet with a 5k time of 18:51.7 ■■ Finished 52nd at the Foot Locker Couth Regional Championship (18:18) WVUTrackField

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■■ Recorded a personal best in the 5k with a time of 17:54 ■■ Ran the 1600-meter event in 5:00 for a personal-record ■■ Marked a career-best in the 800 meter with a time of 2:16 ■■ Finished with a personal-best in the 3200

■■ Majoring in immunology and medical microbiology ■■ Has one sister, Alison, who ran cross country and track at WVU ■■ Big 12 Commissioners Honor Roll, while maintaining a 4.0 GPA

meter with a time of 10:51

■■ Maintained a 4.0 GPA

Personal ■■ Daughter of Michael and Joanie Panger ■■ Birthday is January 22 ■■ Majoring in engineering ■■ Has one brother ■■ Third generation Mountaineer ■■ Big 12 Commissioners Honor Roll

FAITH PENNY

6-0, FRESHMAN EAST ISLIP, N.Y.

High School ■■ Attended East Islip High

CHAQIETA ROBINSON

5-5, FRESHMAN BALTIMORE, MD. 400 HURDLES/SPRINTS

High School ■■ Ran at Dulaney High for coach Chad Boyle ■■ Ran the 300-meter dash in 41.00 at the Indoor State Championships and ran in the 300-meter hurdles, finishing in 44.86 at the Outdoor State Championships, her junior year ■■ Competed at the Penn Relays for three years ■■ Personal ■■ Daughter of Antonio and Tycee Robinson ■■ Birthday is March 29 ■■ Majoring in fashion design ■■ Has one brother ■■ Big 12 Commissioners Honor Roll

Personal ■■ Daughter of Harry and Marian Penny ■■ Birthday is October 13 ■■ Has one brother and one sister ■■ Majoring in exercise physiology

ANDREA PETTIT

5-4, FRESHMAN DISTANCE MORGANTOWN, W.VA.

High School ■■ Ran for coaches Mike Ryan and Jonathan Wright at Morgantown High ■■ 2012 West Virginia Cross Country All-State Team ■■ National High School Coaches Association Academic All-American ■■ Contributing member of five state championship teams ■■ Contributing member of four state runner-up teams ■■ First Morgantown High athlete to be a 12-time letterwinner ■■ 2015 swim team captain Personal ■■ Daughter of John and Denise Pettit ■■ Birthday is June 12

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KRISTA-GAY TAYLOR

5-11, FRESHMAN HIGH JUMP ST. ANDREWS, JAMAICA

High School ■■ Attended Alpha Academy ■■ Was one of 56 athletes selected to compete at the Central

America and Caribbean Junior Championships

■■ Won the Championships of Americas title with a high

jump of 1.79 meters at the Penn Relays in 2014

■■ Won the Under-20 Girls’ high jump at the

National Juniors Championships

■■ Holds a personal-best high jump of 1.82 meters to qualify for the

finals at the 2014 Eugene IAAF World Junior Championships

■■ Placed 11th in the high jump with a mark of 1.73 meters in

the finals at the 2014 IAAF World Junior Championships

Personal ■■ Daughter of Sandra Tomlinson ■■ Has three brothers ■■ Birthday is April 9 ■■ Majoring in early childhood education ■■ Big 12 Commissioners Honor Roll

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Preview

MOUNTAINEER

Quick Facts ���������������������������������������������������������� 46 2015-16 Season Preview ������������������������������������� 47 2015-16 Track Schedule �������������������������������������� 50

Preview

2016 SEASON

The Mountaineers enter their fourth season in the Big 12 Conference. Coach Sean Cleary and his staff have produced a combination of experience and youth, with a team full of NCAA qualifying potential.

Cleary is in his 10th season as Mountaineer, having established strong credibility as one of the top athletic and academic track and field programs in the region. West Virginia expects to improve on its finishes at the Big 12 Indoor and Outdoor Championship this season, while also continuing to make its presence at the NCAA Championships on an annual basis.

“We’re very privilege to have the schedule that we have,” said coach Sean Cleary. “We race on some of the fastest tracks in the country. We travel south when we need to go there for the weather. We’ve spent a lot of time putting together the best possible schedule to make sure that every event group has the opportunity to compete in the best weather for their events and the best competition for their level.”

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The Six Seniors Six seniors return for the 2015-16 track and field season, as they prepare to lead and motivate this team in their final year as a Mountaineer. The uniqueness about the seniors is that each athlete competes in different events, which allows them to guide the 11 freshmen who are scattered throughout various events.

Senior Tori Bertrand leads the pole vaulting group.

Bertrand competed at the 2015 Big 12 Championship and is looking to return this year. Bertrand vaulted a season career-best at the 2015 Akron Invite, marking 3.82 meters. With her hard work and dedication in practices, Bertrand is motivated to improve her abilities.

“Tori Bertrand is one who we hope comes in as a Cinderella story her senior year and contributes at the Big 12 Championship,” said Cleary. “She has performed at a high level during practices that shows she can.”

Seniors Marsielle McBeam and Hannah Stone will lead the jumpers. McBeam a native of St. Ann, Jamaica, transferred to WVU from Central Michigan in 2014. She immediately impacted the Mountaineers, as she qualified for the 2014 NCAA Outdoor Championship in the high jump during her first year. McBeam holds a career-best mark of 1.76 meters in the high jump from the 2014 Big 12 Championship. Stone has competed for West Virginia since she was a freshman.

She has improved immensely each year and is looking to continue that progression in her final season.

“Marsielle is another national qualifier,” said Cleary.

“She’s also been a Big 12 scorer. We’re expecting the same from her this year. She’s been doing great, and she’s in shape. Hannah Stone has the ability to be at the NCAA’s First Round. She has the ability to score in the Big 12 Championship as well.”

Seniors Kelly Williams, Savanna Plombon and Sarah McCauley are major aspects to the distance squad.

Williams shined early on as a freshman. Williams qualified for the NCAA Championships last year in the 1,500 meters. She was named to the 2015 Capital One Academic All-District Team and was a 2014 First Team All-American in the one mile. Plombon has improved each year and has shown tremendous improvements from the 2015 cross country season.

“Kelly Williams busted onto the team as a freshman, and honestly, was a surprise in the entire country,” said Cleary. “She had mono and anemia, frustrating mid-part of her career. Cross country rebuilt it.

She believes that she will be lining up at the national championships. She has never quit trying and she has never stopped believing. It’s quite remarkable.

I expect her to do the same thing. Savanna Plombon is in the best shape of her life. I expect Savanna to be at the NCAA’s First Round as well.”

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Distance Depth After the cross country team placed third at the 2015 Big 12 Championship and had three West Virginia

well for us on the track,” said Cleary. “With those milers,

underclassmen finish in the top 25, it’s safe to say

our focus for them is the outdoor track season and the

that the distance runners are stacked. Five freshmen

championships season. I think they both should be there.”

will join the distance group – Anna French, Olivia Hill, Candace Jones, Peyton Panger and Andrea Pettit.

Six Mountaineer distance runners qualified for the

The Pole Vaulters The return of senior Bertrand and sophomores Sarah

NCAA Preliminary Championships last season - Kaitlyn

Finfrock, Madelin Gardner and Rebekah Lafata provides

Gillespie, Kelly Williams, Brianna Kerekes, Paladino,

the pole vaulters with lots of experience. Freshman

Cashin and Maggie Drazba. These athletes will be

Jordan Hess joins the group with a ton of potential.

contributing factors to this season’s success.

Seniors Plombon and Williams return for their final

“We brought in and or redshirted a strong pole vault group,” said Cleary. “We’re building depth there.

season as Mountaineers and will help lead the distance

They just need confidence in themselves, by doing

group. Williams’ athleticism is key, but it’s not all

it in practice and executing it in the meet.”

about athletics for her, as she was named a First Team Academic All-American for maintaining a 4.0 GPA. Sophomore Millie Paladino qualified to compete at the 2015 NCAA Cross Country Championship and was the only one to represent the Mountaineers. Paladino is continuously improving and is ready to take on this season.

48

“As I look ahead, a few more freshmen from last year were Maggie Drazba and Brynn Harshbarger who ran very

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Finfrock, Gardner and Lafata are still growing and can’t wait to mature this season.

Jumping Heights Senior McBeam, senior Stone and sophomore Shamoya McNeil will lead the jumping squad this season as three incoming

freshmen join the team. Freshmen Faith Penny, Krista-Gay Taylor and Danique Bryan are excited to show off their talents and

Multi Events Juniors Bria Welker and Brianna Kerekes rise to the

compete at a collegiate level. Four Jamaica, natives makes up

leadership position as they take on the responsibilities

this group of jumpers, McBeam, McNeil, Krista-Gay and Bryan.

to lead this group. Kerekes saw a spot on the podium

“I think in the jumps, we had one very strong freshman come in a year ago, Shamoya, and this year we have two,” said Cleary. “Shamoya did an amazing job as a

last year at the Big 12 Indoor Championship after placing fifth (2:49.99) in the 1,000-meter finals.

Sophomore Meghan Jean-Baptise returns to sprint in the

freshman last year. We have two this year that we hope

hurdle events as well as the 100 and 200-meter dashes.

to do the same as Shamoya did a year ago.”

Freshman Chaqieta Robinson from Baltimore, Maryland,

McNeil dominated in the long jump and triple jumps last

will contribute her talents to the sprint and hurdle events.

year, as she qualified in the triple jump for the NCAA East Region Preliminaries, where she placed 21st and marked 1.52 meters. She recorded a career-best mark of 12.81 meters in the triple jump, while finishing second overall as a freshman at the Big 12 Outdoor Championship to rank at No. 24.

Penny, Krista-Gay and Bryan have possessed young talent throughout their high school careers. These three freshmen are predicted to bring a lot to this squad.

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Q and A with Sean Cleary

What are you looking forward to most this season?

I think going into every track season our No. 1 goal is to qualify the maximum number that we’re capable of for the NCAA Championships. We’re always looking at the national level, trying to get as many girls to the first round, and ultimately to the finals in the NCAA’s. The idea behind that is the more that you have, the more that you’ll have at a competitive level at the Big 12 Championship. That’s really how we evaluate ourselves. We want to compete to the best of our abilities at the Big 12 Championship and really just maximize our potential.

What are your goals for the season?

My goal is to have 10 girls go to the NCAA Championships, and if we do that it’ll be a very successful year. We’re shooting very high with that goal. It’s a big goal, but I want 10. We’re just looking to make strides. We have set up a schedule to give each event area the opportunity to perform in the spring at the national championships. We want to create a national class DMR again this year, to take another step with all of our great freshman athletes from last year and continue their careers to the true national class level. We have some good incoming athletes as well.

What are your short term goals that will help you reach the overall goal of competing at the national level?

Always be consistent in training. There’s no real miracles in this sport. If you train well and you take care of yourself and have a level of ability, then we’ll train them and provide them with the level of competition to allow their potential to come out. We hope the weather cooperates in the spring. Again, we’re single minded and our focus is to help them individually to reach their potential.

Describe the 11 freshman, and are there any that stick out to you?

We have two freshmen jumpers this year that we hope to do the same as Shamoya (McNeil) did a year ago. We have Danique Bryan in the long jumps. We have Faith Penny in the high jumps also. We have some excellent depth in the freshman class with an already strong freshman class from a year ago. We brought in and or redshirted a strong pole vault group, Jordan Hess is our incoming freshman that will be joining the pole vault group. We’re building depth there. They just need confidence in themselves, doing it in practice and execute it in the meet.

We also have Candace Jones who has a chance on the DMR.

Schedule

How does the distance group look?

While the fall in cross country was disappointing, not giving us a chance to run in the national championship, the team could have gone two ways with that. With track and field you have to turn around within a week or two and re focus on the next goal, it’s very difficult to do when you end on a rough note, but the cross country team did amazing. They were very upset after the regional meet, and it was a disappointing way to end, but no one to blame but ourselves. They came out of that cross country meet very humble and frustrated with themselves, which is good. I feel that since that point they have continued to do whatever is required to turn them around into strong performances. As I look ahead for outdoor track season a few more freshman last year were Maggie Drazba and Brynn Harshbarger who ran very well for us with those milers. Our focus for them is the outdoor track season and the championships. I think they both should be there. That’s goal of this program for the majority of this program is the outdoor. It’s May and June.

There’s a small nucleus whose main focus for now is the indoor season, and they’re very well prepared for it. That’s a couple of jumpers, the DMR, the Millie Paladinos’ the Amy Cashins’ and the Savanna Plombon’s. A large percentage, we choose more often than not, the outdoor season. Sydney Scott is another one who’s back. She’s been running and running consistently.

Talk about your six seniors, and what are you expecting out of their final year?

With Tori Bertrand, we hope she comes in as a Cinderella story this year and contributes at the Big 12 Championship.

She’s performs during practices that says she can. Marsielle McBeam is another national qualifier, by nationals I mean the first round of the championships. She also has been a Big 12 scorer. We’re expecting the same from her this year. She has been doing well, and she is in the best shape. Hannah Stone has the ability to be at the NCAA’s First Round too. She has the ability to score at the Big 12 Championship. Kelly Williams has busted onto the team as freshman, and honestly, was a surprise to the entire country. She had mono and anemia, frustrating mid-part of her career. Cross country rebuilt it.

She believes that she will lining up at the national championships. She has never quit trying and she has never stopped believing. It’s quite remarkable. I expect her to do the same thing. Savanna Plombon is in the shape of her life as we enter indoor track season. I expect her to be at the NCAA’s First Round. I know that’s a lot of girls, but I expect them all.

2015 -16 TRACK

Indoor

Date Event

Dec 4 Jan 16 Jan 29-30 Feb 5-6 Feb 11 Feb 12-13 Feb 20 Feb 26-27 Mar 11-12

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WVU Inter-Squad Nittany Lion Challenge Penn State National Invitational Akron Invitational High Point Team Challenge Marshall Invitational Penn State Tune Up Big 12 Championship NCAA Championships

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Location

Morgantown, W.Va. State College, Pa. State College, Pa. Akron, Ohio Winston-Salem, N.C. Huntington, W.Va. State College, Pa. Ames, Iowa Birmingham, Ala.

Outdoor

Date Event

Location

March 18-19 Wake Forest Winston-Salem, N.C. March 30-April 2 Texas Relays Austin, Texas April 1 Stanford Invitational Stanford, Calif.

April 9 Mason Spring Invitational Fairfax, Va. April 16-17 Bison Outdoor Classic Lewisburg, Pa. April 22-23 Virginia Challenge Charlottesville, Va. April 22-23 Jesse Owens Classic Columbus, Ohio April 28-30 Penn Relays Philadelphia, Pa. May 7 TBA TBA May 13-15 Big 12 Championship Fort Worth, Texas May 26-28 NCAA Preliminary Round Jacksonville, Fla. June 8-11 NCAA Outdoor Championships Eugene, Ore. June 24-26 USATF Jr Outdoor Championships Clovis, Calif.

June 30-July 3 JAAA National Championships Kingston, Jamaica July 1-10 U.S. Olympic Trials Eugene, Ore.

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Review

MOUNTAINEER

2014-15 Season Review �������������������������������������� 52 2014-15 Track Schedule �������������������������������������� 54

2014-15 Season Review

KellyWILLIAMS

Academic All-American Trio

NCAA Preliminary Qualifiers

Last season, three Mountaineers received Capital One Academic All-America honors. Senior Kelly Williams was named to the First Team for maintaining a 4.0 GPA. Former WVU track and field athlete, Kaitlyn Gillespie earned second team and sophomore Jillian Forsey receives third team honors, respectively.

Seven Mountaineers qualified for the NCAA East Preliminary Championships Kaitlyn Gillespie, Kelly Williams, Brianna Kerekes, Paladino, Cashin and Maggie Drazba, after ranking in the top 48 of the East Region in their respected events.

Williams received the NCAA Elite 89 Award during last year’s NCAA Cross Country Championships for having the highest GPA out of all participants. At the Big 12 indoor Championship last year, Williams placed seventh in the one mile in 4:51.12. She capped last year’s season by competing in the 1,500-meter run, placing 46th overall in 4:34.27 at the NCAA East Region Preliminaries.

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MaggieDRAZBA

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Millie Paladino led the way for the Mountaineers in the 1,500-meter run as she finished in a seasonbest time of 4:21.35, while ranked at No. 24. Amy Cashin and Brianna Kerekes competed in the event Juniors Brianna Kerekes and Amy Cashin earned spots on the podium in the 1,000-meter finals at the 2015 Big 12 Indoor Championship.

Kerekes placed fifth in 2:49.99, while Cashin placed eighth in 2:50.99.

McNeil will be the Mountaineers’ lone representative in the field events, qualifying in the triple jump. She enters

KatieGILLESPIE

the meet ranked 24th in the event with a season-best jump of 12.81-meters.

McNeil previously placed fourth in the triple jump at the 2015 Big 12 Championship in Ames, Iowa.

Gillespie Caps Career at NCAA Championships Gillespie ended her career as a Mountaineer with many accomplishments. To cap her collegiate career, she took seventh at the NCAA East Region in the event after winning the Big 12 title in the 10,000-meter run at this year’s Big 12 Championship in a time of 33:45.56. Qualifying for the NCA Championships was memorable. She placed ninth place overall with a time of 33:44.08 and finished one spot ahead of defending national champion Emma Bates at Boise State. Her impressive time was a new personal best for her and the second-fastest time in program history.

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53

2015-16 Track Schedule INDOOR Date Opponent

Location

Dec. 6

Marty Pushkin Track Classic

Morgantown, W.Va.

Jan. 10

PSU Relays

State College, Pa.

Jan. 17

WVU Invitational

Morgantown, W.Va.

Jan. 23

YSU College Invitational

Youngstown, Ohio

Jan. 30-31

Thundering Herd Open

Huntington, W.Va.

Feb. 6-7

Akron Invitational

Akron, Ohio

Feb. 13-14

SPIRE D1 Invitational

Geneva, Ohio

Feb. 21

Gold/Blue Open

Morgantown, W.Va.

Feb. 21

ND Alex Wilson Invitational

South Bend, Ind.

Feb. 27-28

Big 12 Indoor Championship

Ames, Iowa

March 13-14

NCAA Indoor Championships

Fayetteville, Ark.

OUTDOOR

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Date Opponent

Location

March 27-28

UNF Spring Break Invitational

Jacksonville, Fla.

April 3-4

Stanford Invitational

Palo Alto, Calif.

April 11

George Mason Spring Open

Fairfax, Va.

April 17-18

Virginia Challenge

Charlottesville, Va.

April 23-25

Penn Relays

Philadelphia, Pa.

May 1-2

Jesse Owens Track Classic

Columbus, Ohio

May 15-17

Big 12 Outdoor Championship

Ames, Iowa

May 28-30

NCAA East Preliminary Round

Jacksonville, Fla.

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RecordBook MOUNTAINEER

All-Time Records ������������������������������������������������� 56 Top Five Performers ��������������������������������������������� 58 Campus Records ������������������������������������������������� 60 Conference Champions ���������������������������������������� 61 NCAA Champions ������������������������������������������������� 64 WVU All-Americans ���������������������������������������������� 65 All-Time Coaches and Captains ��������������������������� 70

Records

All-Time

INDOOR Event Holder 55 meters Tammy Henderson 60 meters Stacian Brown 55m Hurdles Pat Itanyi 60 meter hurdles Chelsea Carrier 200 meters Stacian Brown 200m Hurdles Jeanna Johnson 300 meters Tammy Henderson 400 meters April Rotilio 500 meters Connie Ellerbe 600 meters Keri Bland 800 meters Kate Vermeulen 1,000 meters Kate Vermeulen Mile Keri Bland 3,000 meters Megan Metcalfe 5,000 meters Marie-Louise Asselin 4x200 Relay Marlene Dawkins, Pat Itanyi, Martina Miller, Jeanna Johnson 4x400 Relay Maxine Dawkins, Jeanna Johnson, Martina Miller, Tameca Williams 4x800 Relay Keri Bland, Kaylyn Christopher Marie-Louise Asselin, Jessica O’Connell DMR Kaylyn Christopher, Karly Hamric, Marie-Louise Asselin Keri Bland Long Jump Pat Itanyi High Jump Sharon Pfister Triple Jump Christine Brown Pole Vault Erin Nett Shot Put Jodi Smith Weight Throw Heather Adams Pentathlon Chelsea Carrier

56

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Record Year 6.82 FAT 1985 7.34 FAT 1999 7.67 FAT 1996 8:08 FAT 2011 23.67 FAT 1999 27.40 FAT 1997 39.45 FAT 1984 54.29 FAT 2009 1:12.84 FAT 1990 1:33.32 FAT 2010 2:06.42 FAT 1999 2:43.02 FAT 1999 4:34.78 FAT 2009 8:58.17 FAT 2005 15:50.53 FAT 2010 1:38.80 FAT 1996 3:42.84 FAT 1998 8:44.98 FAT 2010 11:05.12 FAT 2009 6.48m 1996 1.78m 1985 13.00m 2003 4.07m 2002 14.80m 1984 18.18m 2013 4,170 points 2011

OUTDOOR Event 100 meters 200 meters 400 meters 800 meters 1,500 meters 3,000 meters

Holder Stacian Brown Maxine Dawkins April Rotilio Jennifer Kemp Megan Metcalfe Megan Metcalfe

Record 11.36 FAT 23.36 FAT 52.71 FAT 2:05.09 FAT 4:12.00 FAT 9:04.02 FAT

Year 1999 1996 2011 2002 2003 2004

Steeplechase 5,000 meters

Sarah Martinelli Megan Metcalfe

10:05.27 FAT 15:47.64 FAT

2014 2005

10,000 meters

Clara Grandt

33:16.96 FAT

2009

100 meter hurdles 400 Hurdles 4x100 Relay 4x200 Relay 4x400 Relay 4x800 Relay SMR DMR Long Jump High Jump Javelin Shot Put Discus Hammer Throw Pole Vault

Chelsea Carrier Connie Ellerbe Keisha Miller, Tameca Williams, Zane Francis, Stacian Brown Amanda Valentine, Maxine Dawkins, JeannaJohnson, Marlene Dawkins Maxine Dawkins, Jeanna Johnson, Martina Miller, Tameca Williams Karly Hamric, Keri Bland, Jessica O’Connell, Kaylyn Christopher Stacian Brown, Tameca Williams, Amanda Valentine, Rebecca Stallwood Keri Bland, Abbie Stechschulte, Raeleen Hunter, Marie-Louis Asselin Pat Itanyi Althea Moody Jodi Smith Jodi Smith Jodi Smith Heather Adams Katlyn Shelar

12.78 .FAT 55.87 FAT 44.28 FAT 1:34.55 FAT 3:36.58 FAT 8:47.95 FAT 3:54.62 FAT 11:24.76 FAT 6.74m 1.83m 47.98m 14.22m 50.26m 56.96m 4.10m

2012 1992 1999 1996 1998 2010 2000 2007 1995 1990 1984 1984 1984 2013 2013

Triple Jump Heptathlon FAT - fully automatic time

Stormy Nesbit Chelsea Carrier

13.07m 5,927 points

2012 2011

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57

Indoor

Top Five Performers

60 Meters

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Stacian Brown Jessica Czaikowski Ciara Chic Chelsea Carrier Sabrina Cox

7.34 7.49 7.54 7.56 7.58

1999 2007 2003 2011 2000

8.08 8.22 8.23 8.38 8.42

2011 1999 2005 2013 1996

23.63 23.78 23.80 24.12 24.17

1999 1998 1997 1984 2009

54.29 54.79 55.09 55.18 55.24

2009 1998 1992 1991 1989

1:12.84 1:12.93 1:14.35 1:14.42 1:14.56

1990 2005 1995 1986 2001

1:33.32 1:33.69

2010 2015

60 Meter Hurdles 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Chelsea Carrier Stacian Brown Jessica Czaikowski Chene Townsend Pat Itanyi

200 Meters 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Stacian Brown Maxine Dawkins Marlene Dawkins Tammy Henderson April Rotilio

400 Meters 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

April Rotilio Tameca Williams Kristy Beans Connie Ellerbe Claudette Rodgers

500 Meters 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Connie Ellerbe Pamela Richardson Tamara Stoner Holly Workman Aileen Smith

600 Meters 1.) Keri Bland 2.) Brianna Kerekes

3.) Alyssa Scherich 4.) Kelly Austin 5.) Rebecca Wendt

1:34.84 1:35.05 1:35.53

2013 1985 2016

2:06.42 2:06.72 2:08.81 2:09.55 2:09.98

1999 2009 2001 2005 2000

4:34.78 4:35.89 4:36.77 4:38.55 4:39.05

2009 2004 2013 2010 1999

2:43.01 2:45.56 2:45.80 2:46.03 2:46.78

1999 2011 2016 2010 2004

8:58.17 9:14.12 9:14.44 9:26.81 9:27.16

2005 2011 2008 2002 2011

15:50.53 16:04.24 16:17.95 16:22.44 16:25.03

2010 2010 2011 2004 2002

800 Meters 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Kate Vermeulen Keri Bland Aileen Smith Jennifer Kemp Merissa Sexsmith

Mile 1.)

2.)

3.)

4.)

5.)

Keri Bland Megan Metcalfe Kelly Williams Karly Hamric Kate Vermeulen

1,000 Meters 1.)

2.)

3.)

4.)

5.)

Kate Vermeulen Kaylyn Christopher Millie Paladino Karly Hamric Megan Metcalfe

3,000 Meters 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Megan Metcalfe Jessica O’Connell Marie-Louise Asselin Rebecca Stallwood Kaylyn Christopher

5,000 Meters 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Marie-Louise Asselin Clara Grandt Sarah-Anne Brault Tara Struyk Rebecca Stallwood

60 Meter Hurdles 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Chelsea Carrier Stacian Brown Jessica Czaikowski Chené Townsend Pat Itanyi

8.08 8.22 8.23 8.38 8.42

2011 1999 2005 2013 1996

1.78m 1.78m 1.75m 1.74m 1.74m

1985 2013 2010 2005 1988

14.80m 13.10m 12.99m 12.83m 12.53m

1984 2008 2014 2007 2003

8:58.17 9:14.12 9:14.44 9:26.81 9:27.16

2005 2011 2008 2002 2011

15:50.53 16:04.24 16:17.95 16:22.44 16:25.02

2010 2010 2011 2004 2002

6.48m 6.21m 6.10m 5.92m 5.92m

1996 2003 2010 2007 2013

13.00m 12.82m 12.72m 12.69m 12.56m

2003 2016 2016 2014 2016

1.78m 1.78m 1.75m 1.75m 1.74m 1.74m

1985 2013 2010 2016 2004 1988

18.18m 16.73m 15.18m 15.05m 14.65m

2013 2012 2013 2004 2013

High Jump 1. Sharon Pfister Sydney Cummings 3. Katelyn Williams 4. Nancy Regalbuto

Alethea Moody

Shot Put 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Jodi Smith LaShawna Black Karissa Knabenshue Abbie Stechschulte Michelle McGinnis

3,000 Meters 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Megan Metcalfe Jessica O’Connell Marie-Louise Asselin Rebecca Stallwood Kaylyn Christopher

5,000 Meters 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Marie-Louise Asselin Clara Grandt Sarah Anne-Brault Tara Struyk Rebecca Stallwood

Long Jump 1.

2.

3.

4.

Pat Itanyi Christine Brown Chelsea Carrier Abbie Stechchulte Stormy Nesbit

Triple Jump 1.)

2.)

3.)

4.)

5.)

Christine Brown Shamoya McNeil Shamoya McNeil Stormy Nesbit Shamoya McNeil

High Jump 1.)

3.)

5.)

Sharon Pfister Sydney Cummings Katelyn Williams Hannah Stone Nancy Regalbuto Alethea Moody

Weight Throw

ChelseaCARRIER

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1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Heather Adams Terina Miller Karissa Knabenshue Michele McGinnis Alanna Pritts

SydneyCUMMINGS

JenniferDAVIS

Shot Put 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Jodi Smith LaShawna Black Karissa Knabenshue Abbie Stechschulte Michelle McGinnis

4x800 Meter Relay 14.80m 13.10m 12.99m 12.83m 12.53m

1984 2008 2014 2007 2003

4.07m 3.90m 3.98m 3.87m 3.86m

2001 2016 2014 2009 2016

Pole Vault 1.)

2.)

3.)

4.)

5.)

Erin Nett Madelin Gardner Katlyn Shelar Alex Acker Tori Bertrand

Pentathlon 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Chelsea Carrier Pat Itanyi Abbie Stechschulte Chelsea Carrier Sharon Pfister

4,170 4,111 4,016 3,967 3,817

2011 1997 2007 2009 1986

1. Keri Bland, Kaylyn Christopher, 8:44.98 Marie-Louise Asselin, Jessica O’Connell 2010 2. Merissa Sexsmith, Ailene Smith, 8:50.10 Rebecca Stallwood, Jennifer Davis 2002 3. Karly Hamric, Kaylyn Christopher, 8:51.55 Alison Spiker, Keri Bland 2009 4. Jennifer Kemp, Rebecca Stallwood, 8:52.44 Jennifer Davis, Ailene Smith 2002 5. Jennifer Kemp, Rebecca Stallwood, 8:52.59 Jennifer Davis, Merissa Sexsmith 2002

Distance Medley Relay 1. Kaylyn Christopher, April Rotilio, 11:05.12 Karly Hamric, Keri Bland 2009 2. Marie-Louise Asselin, April Rotilio, 11:07.64 Karly Hamric, Keri Bland 2008 3. Keri Bland, April Rotilio, 11:09.28 Kaylyn Christopher, Jessica O’Connell 2010 4. Kaylyn Christopher, April Rotilio, 11:11.33 Karly Hamric, Keri Bland 2009

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5. Pam Richardson, Ailene Smith, 11:11.98 Jennifer Kemp, Megan Metcalfe 2003

DMR Splits: 800 1.

2.

3.

4.

Jennifer Kemp Aileen Smith Merissa Sexsmith Karly Hamric

2:05.75 2:07.89 2:08.50 2:08.89

2005 2003 2002 2009

3:21.85 3:23.20 3:23.90 3:25.84 3:25.90

2004 2002 2008 2010 200

4:33.50 4:35.94 4:36.15 4:39.50 4:39.60

2003 2008 1999 2005 2008

DMR Splits: 1,200 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Megan Metcalfe Rebecca Stallwood Marie-Louise Asselin Keri Bland Kaylyn Christopher

DMR Splits: 1,600 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Megan Metcalfe Keri Bland Kate Vermeulen Jennifer Davis Marie-Louise Asselin

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Outdoor

Top Five Performers

100 Meters

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Stacian Brown Kay Iheagwam Maxine Dawkins Tammy Henderson Trinese Summerlin

11.36 11.51 11.54 11.55 11.61

1999 1995 1998 1983 1994

12.78 13.20 13.27 13.29 13.38

2012 1995 2007 1999 2014

23.44 23.54 23.56 23.56 23.61

1998 1984 1995 1998 1999

52.71 52.92 53.70 54.10 54.35

2011 1999 1987 1988 1992

52.92 53.70 54.10 54.35 54.36

1999 1987 1988 1992 1995

2:05.09 2:05.63 2:06.09 2:08.02 2:08.89

2003 2010 2007 2010 2002

100 Meter Hurdles 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Chelsea Carrier-Eades Pat Itanyi Jessica Czaikowski Stacian Brown Chené Townsend

200 Meters 1.

2.

3.

5.

Maxine Dawkins Tammy Henderson Kay Iheagwam Tameca Williams Stacian Brown

400 Meters 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

April Rotilio Tameca Williams Holly Workman Connie Ellerbe Kristy Beans

400 Meter Hurdles 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Tameca Williams Holly Workman Connie Ellerbe Kristy Beans Tamara Stoner

800 Meters 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Jennifer Kemp Keri Bland Raeleen Hunter Karly Hamric Ailene Smith Megan Metcalfe Karly Hamric Keri Bland Jessica O’Connell Jennifer Kemp

4:12.00 4:13.54 4:14.52 4:18.31 4:21.30

2003 2010 2010 2010 2005

Megan Metcalfe Rebecca Stallwood Marie-Louise Asselin Jessica O’Connell Jennifer Davis

9:04.02 9:23.45 9:26.09 9:30.06 9:33.61

2004 2001 2007 2012 2005

15:47.64 15:53.93 16:00.27 16:01.18 16:12.17

2005 2010 2015 2010 2002

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Megan Metcalfe Marie-Louise Asselin Katie Gillespie Clara Grandt Rebecca Stallwood

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Clara Grandt Allison Lasnicki Kate Harrison Sarah-Anne Brault Katie Gillespie

33:16.96 33:46.22 33:48.64 33:51.14 34:10.60

2009 2014 2011 2011 2011

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Sarah Martinelli Jordan Hamric Sarah Martinelil Jennifer Davis Aubrey Moskal

1.

2.

2.

4.

5.

Chelsea Carrier Pat Itanyi Abbie Stechschulte Sharon Pfister Melinda Case

1. Alethea Moody 2. Katelyn Williams 3. Sharon Pfister Sydney Cummings 5. Marsielle McBeam

1.83m 1.79m 1.78m 1.78m 1.76m

1990 2011 1986 2013 2014

6.74m 6.42m 6.29m 6.17m 6.13m

1995 2011 2002 2011 2007

13.19m 12.95m 12.51m 12.45m 11.97m

2014 2002 2015 1991 1996

Long Jump

10:05.27 10:06.47 10:10.25 10:28.45 10:30.11

2014 2013 2014 2005 2013

5,927 5,647 5,609 5,141 4,523

2011 1997 2007 1986 1987

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Pat Itanyi Chelsea Carrier Christine Brown Meghan Mock Abbie Stechshulte

Triple Jump

Heptathlon

5,000 Meters 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

3,000 Meter Steeplechase

3,000 Meters 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

High Jump

10,000 Meters

1,500 Meters 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

JennniferKEMP

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Stormy Nesbit Christine Brown Shamoya McNeil Tessie Palmer Natalie Barnes

AllisonTYREE

MeganMETCALFE

Javelin 1.

2.

3.

4.

Jodi Smith Lindsey Clark Kristen Snyder Pat Itanyi

4x100 Meter Relay 47.99m 43.09m 41.82m 40.00m

1984 2006 1997 1995

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

50.26m 47.32m 42.89m 42.31m 39.39m

1984 2013 2012 2010 1987

4x200 Meter Relay

14.22m 13.16m 12.67m 12.37m 11.80m

1984 2013 2006 2007 2011

56.96m 55.25m 42.51m 42.24m 42.10m

2013 2012 2006 2012 2011

4.10m 4.00m 3.86m 3.85m 3.83m

2013 2002 1998 2009 1999

Discus 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Jodi Smith Heather Adams Karissa Knabenshue Brittany Fink Becky Gorby

Shot Put 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Jodi Smith Karissa Knabenshue Michelle McGinnis Abbie Stechschultz Terina Miller

Hammer Throw 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Heather Adams Terina Miller Michele McGinnis Alanna Pritts Brittney Thomas

Pole Vault 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Katlyn Shelar Erin Nett Kristin Quackenbush Alex Acker Erica Graziani

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Martina Miller, Tameca Williams, Zane Francis, Stacian Brown Haneefah Norman, Tameca Williams, Zane Francis, Stacian Brown Maxine Dawkins, Marlene Dawkins, Pat Itanyi, Martina Miller Jeanna Johnson, Tameca Williams, Martina Miller, Maxine Dawkins Maxine Dawkins, Pat Itanyi, Amanda Valentine, Marlene Dawkins

Martina Miller, Tameca Williams, Haneefah Norman, Zane Francis Martina Miller, Maxine Dawkins, Tameca Williams, Jamillah Nock Junique Morris, Jamillah Nock, Shani Boone, Jessica Czaikowski Amanda Valentine, Maxine Dawkins, Jeanna Johnson, Marlene Dawkins Amanda Valentine, Pat Itanyi, Tamara Stoner, Kay Iheagwam

44.28 44.65 44.88 45.27 45.43

1999 1999 1997 1998 1996

1:34.55 1:35.41 1:36.37 1:36.40 1:36.94

1999 1998 2006 1996 1995

3:36.58 3:41.62 3:41.68 3:41.74 3:42.38

1998 1992 2011 1995 1996

8:47.95 8:48.07 8:49.50 8:51.17 8:51.66

2010 2003 1999 2002 2002

11:19.81 11:24.76 11:33.63 11:40.54

2008 2007 2002 2015

4x400 Meter Relay 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Jeanna Johnson, Tameca Williams, Martina Miller, Maxine Dawkins Kristy Beans, Connie Ellerbe, Jennifer Scweizer, Tamara Stoner Jenna Barreto, Chelsea Carrier, Allison Tyree, April Rotilio Amanda Valentine, Kay Iheagwam, Tamara Stoner, Halima Sinceno Jeanna Johnson, Marlene Dawkins, Amanda Valentine, Maxine Dawkins

4x800 Meter Relay 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Karly Hamric, Keri Bland, Jessica O’Connell, Kaylyn Christopher Merissa Sexsmith, Megan Metcalfe, Jennifer Kemp, Jennifer Davis Jennifer Zawaski, Merissa Sexsmith, Rebecca Stallwood, Kecia Herod Jennifer Kemp, Ailene Smith, Jennifer Davis, Megan Metcalfe Jennifer Davis, Jennifer Kemp, Megan Metcalfe, Ailene Smith

Distance Medley Relay 1.

2.

3.

4.

Kaylyn Christopher, Katelyn Williams, Karly Hamric, Keri Bland Keri Bland, Abbie Stechshulte, Emma Hunter, Marie-Louise Asselin Jennifer Kemp, Stacian Brown, Ailene Smith, Megan Metcalfe Williams, D’Egidio Kerekes, Cashin

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Mountaineer Track Records Event Holder 100-meters Kay Iheagwam (WVU) 200-meters Debbie Bonner (Pitt) 400-meters Connie Ellerbe (WVU) 800-meters Keri Bland (WVU) 1,500-meters Keri Bland (WVU) 3,000-meters Susie Comer (WVU) 5,000-meters Jennifer Colgrove (All.CC) 10,000-meters Charlene Burstrom (WVU) 100 Hurdles Allison Williams (Unat) 400 Hurdles Connie Ellerbe (WVU) 4x100 Relay Pitt 4x200 Relay West Virginia 4x400 Relay West Virginia 4x800 Relay West Virginia Mile Relay West Virginia 2-Mile Relay Indiana, Pa. DMR West Virginia SMR West Virginia Long Jump Pat Itanyi (WVU) High Jump Alethea Moody (WVU) Triple Jump Tessie Palmer (WVU) Pole Vault Alex Acker Shot Put Jodi Reidel (Kent St.) Weight Throw Heather Adams (WVU) Discus Jodi Smith (WVU) Javelin Jodi Smith (WVU) Heptathlon Pat Itanyi (WVU)

Record 11.51 23.80 54.10 2:07.01 4:27.09 9:47.34 17:06.11 35:00.05 13.38 56.95 46.37 1:37.31 3:43.05 8:57.31 3:49.80 9:33.56 12:14.60 4:06.97 20’6 .5” 5’10” 40’ .75” 3.66m 44’10 .5” 16.53m 160’5” 157’5” 5647 points

Year 1995 1989 1988 2008 2008 1981 1983 1987 1996 1987 1989 1988 1988 1990 1984 1983 1995 1984 1995 1990 1989 2008 1983 2013 1984 1984 1997

Shell Building Records Event 55-meters 55 Hurdles 200-meters 300-meters 400-meters 500-meters 600-meters 800-meters 1,000-meters Mile 3,000-meters 5,000-meters 4x400 Relay 4x800 Relay

Long Jump High Jump Triple Jump Pole Vault Pentathlon

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Holder Tammy Henderson (WVU) Pat Itanyi (WVU) Tammy Henderson (WVU) Janet Dodson (Morgan St.) Edna Brown (Temple) Connie Ellerbe (WVU) Monica Egbuonu (Princ) D.Lamvlelet-McClive (Cor) Kate Vermeulen (WVU) Megan Metcalfe (WVU) Holden (Allegheny) Brown (William & Mary) Temple Megan Metcalfe, Rebecca Stallwood, Merissa Sexsmith, Jennifer Kemp (WVU) Trecia Smith (Pitt) Becky Bryan (West Ontario) Najuma Fletcher (Pitt) Erin Nett (WVU) Pat Itanyi (WVU)

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Record 6.82 7.71 24.27 37.54 53.59 1:12.84 1:32.35 2:07.32 2:48.30 4:44.00 9:23.10 16:29.50 3:43.19

Year 1985 1996 1985 N/A 1983 1990 1982 1982 1999 2003 1992 1993 1982

9:00.45 20’10 .5” 5’10” 41’2 .5” 13’1” 4,111

2002 1997 1994 1993 2001 1995

Atlantic 10

Champions

Atlantic 10 Team Indoor Champion 1993 • 1995

Atlantic 10 Individual Indoor Champions

400-meter Dash

55-meter Hurdles

1995 - Mandy Valentine, 57.88 1993 - Halima Sinceno, 57.80

1995 - Patience Itanyi, 07.91

500-meter Run 1995 - Tamara Stoner, 1:14.35

1995 - 3:54.17 (M. Valentine, H. Sinceno, K. Iheagwam, T. Stoner)

4x400-meter Relay

One-mile Run

High Jump

55-meter Dash

1993 - Erin O’Reilly, 4:55.90

1993 - Chantel Dubois, 5-04.25

1995 - Kay Iheagwam, 6.96

3,000-meter Run

Long Jump

1993 - Trinese Summerlin, 6.90

200-meter Dash 1995 - Kay Iheagwam, 24.52 1993 - Trinese Summerlin, 24.86

ECAC INDOOR

1995 - Charity Wachera, 9:59.41 1993 - Erin O’Reilly, 9:46.55

1995 - Patience Itanyi, 20-04.50

5,000-meter Run 1995 - Carisa Brown, 17:38.28

Champions

Year Name Event Time/Distance 2008 Chelsea Carrier 60 meter hurdles 8.46 2007 Jessica Czaikowski 60 meter hurdles 8.36 2004 Megan Metcalfe 1,000 meters 2:47.11 2004 Tara Struyk 5,000 meters 16:22.44 2002 Rebecca Stallwood, Ailene Smith,

Schavia Felder, Megan Metcalfe DMR 11:14.25 2000 Christine Brown Triple Jump 12.95m 2000 Stacian Brown 200 meters 23.95 2000 Merissa Sexsmith 1,000 meters 2:49.08 1998 Kristin Quackenbush Pole Vault 11’8” 1996 Charity Wachera 5,000 meters 16:39.87 1993 Trinese Summerlin 55 meters 6.88 1992 Trinese Summerlin 55 meters 6.92 1990 Erin O’Reilly 1,000 meters 2:53.01 1983 Tammy Henderson 55 meters 6.89 1982 Tammy Henderson 55 meters 7.02

OUTDOOR Year Name Event Time/Distance 2012 Chelsea Carrier-Eades 100 meters 11.82 2012 Stormy Nesbit Triple jump 13.07 meters 2009 Chelsea Carrier 100 meter hurdles 13:30 2008 Clara Grandt 10,000 meters 34:15.07* 2008 Keri Bland 1,500 meters 4:19.02 2005 Jennifer Kemp 800 meters 2:06.33 2005 Jennifer Davis 3,000 meters 9:33.61 2003 Megan Metcalfe 1,500 meters 4:21.81 2003 Tara Struyk 10,000 meters 35:02.44 2002 Stacian Brown 100 meter hurdles 13.51 2002 Megan Metcalfe 3,000 meters 9:20.17 1999 Tameca Williams 400 meters 52.93 1998 Maxine Dawkins 100 meters 11.69 1998 Kristin Quackenbush Pole Vault 11’4 1/4” 1998 Maxine Dawkins, Jenna Johnson,

Martina Miller, Tameca Williams 4x100 meter relay 45.27 1997 Pat Itanyi 100 meter hurdles 13.48 1997 Charity Wachera 10,000 meters N/A 1996 Maxine Dawkins, Pat Itanyi,

Mandy Valentine, Marlene Dawkins 4x100 meter relay 46.51 1996 Maxine Dawkins 100 meters 11.55 1996 Charity Wachera 10,000 meters 34:43.11 1995 Kay Iheagwam 100 meters 11.63 * ECAC meet record

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Big East

INDOOR

Champions

Big East Outdoor Outstanding Track Performer 1996 2011

Marlene Dawkins Chelsea Carrier

Big East Outdoor Individual Champions 100-meter Dash 1998 1999

Maxine Dawkins, 11.58 Stacian Brown, 11.62

200-meter Dash 1996 1998 1999

Marlene Dawkins, 23.67 Maxine Dawkins, 23.44 Stacian Brown, 23.89

400-meter Dash 1996 1999 2000 2011

Marlene Dawkins, 54.57 Temeca Williams, 53.16 Tameca Williams, 53.55 April Rotilio, 52.71

1,500-meter Run 1999 2010

Kate Vermeulen, 4:25.72 Karly Hamric, 4:28.02

5,000-meter Run 2002 2009 2010

Megan Metcalfe, 16:35.63 Clara Grandt, 16:07.55 Marie Louise Asselin, 16:31.04

10,000-meter Run 2003 2010 2011

Megan Metcalfe, 35:08.89 Clara Grandt, 33:31.80 Kate Harrison, 33:59.84

100-meter Hurdles 2006 2008 2011 2012

Jessica Czaikowski, 13.42 Chelsea Carrier, 13.48* Chelsea Carrier, 13.07 Chelsea Carrier-Eades, 12.93

400-meter Hurdles 2011

Chelsea Carrier, 57.48

Pole Vault 1998 2001 2002

Kristen Quackenbush, 3.61m (11’10”) Erin Nett, 3.80m (12’5.5”) Erin Nett, 3.95m (12’11.5”)

Long Jump 2011

Chelsea Carrier, 6.42m (21-3/4)

400-meter Relay 1999 2000

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45.27 (H. Norman, T. Williams, Z. Francis, S. Brown) 45.39 (S. Brown, S. Cox, Z. Francis, T. Williams)

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ClaraGRANT

OUTDOOR Big East Outdoor Outstanding Track Performer 1996 2011

Marlene Dawkins Chelsea Carrier

Big East Outdoor Individual Champions 100-meter Dash 1998 1999

Maxine Dawkins, 11.58 Stacian Brown, 11.62

200-meter Dash 1996 1998 1999

Marlene Dawkins, 23.67 Maxine Dawkins, 23.44 Stacian Brown, 23.89

400-meter Dash 1996 1999 2000 2011

Marlene Dawkins, 54.57 Temeca Williams, 53.16 Tameca Williams, 53.55 April Rotilio, 52.71

1,500-meter Run 1999 2010

Kate Vermeulen, 4:25.72 Karly Hamric, 4:28.02

5,000-meter Run 2002 2009 2010

Megan Metcalfe, 16:35.63 Clara Grandt, 16:07.55 Marie Louise Asselin, 16:31.04

10,000-meter Run 2003 2010 2011

Megan Metcalfe, 35:08.89 Clara Grandt, 33:31.80 Kate Harrison, 33:59.84

100-meter Hurdles 2006 2008 2011 2012

Jessica Czaikowski, 13.42 Chelsea Carrier, 13.48* Chelsea Carrier, 13.07 Chelsea Carrier-Eades, 12.93

400-meter Hurdles 2011

Chelsea Carrier, 57.48

Pole Vault 1998 2001 2002

Kristen Quackenbush, 3.61m (11’10”) Erin Nett, 3.80m (12’5.5”) Erin Nett, 3.95m (12’11.5”)

Long Jump 2011

Chelsea Carrier, 6.42m (21-3/4)

400-meter Relay KarlyHAMRIC

1999 2000

45.27 (H. Norman, T. Williams, Z. Francis, S. Brown) 45.39 (S. Brown, S. Cox, Z. Francis, T. Williams)

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NCAA

Champions

Pat Itanyi 1995 NCAA Outdoor Long Jump Champion In only her sophomore season, Pat Itanyi became the first female in West Virginia University women’s track and field history to win a national championship by taking top honors in the long jump at the 1995 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Knoxville, Tenn., with a leap of 22'1. Itanyi edged out George Mason’s Diane Guthrie-Greshman who had a jump of 22'0.25" and surpassed her WVU record of 21'10.25", a mark that placed her ranking second entering the meet. A native of Ukehe, Nigeria, Itanyi’s jump was the 10th longest in NCAA History at the time and set a school record in the finals that still stands to this day.

Kate Vermeulen 1999 NCAA Indoor Mile Champion As a freshman, Kate Vermeulen became the second female NCAA champion when she took top honors in the mile at the 1999 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships in Indianapolis, Ind., with a time of 4:39.07. Vermeulen’s time was her best of the year as she edged out Mary Jayne Harrelson of Appalachian State who finished with a time of 4:39.53. The London, Ontario native is the only indoor champion for WVU and in only one year as a Mountaineer, Vermeulen tied other national champion Itanyi by setting six school records in one season.

Megan Metcalfe 2005 NCAA Outdoor 5,000m Champion In her final season at WVU, Megan Metcalfe concluded an already stellar career as a Mountaineer by capturing the 5,000 meter title at the 2005 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Sacramento, Calif., with a time of 16:31.88. Metcalfe used a final surge of energy to outkick the defending champion, Sara Bei of Stanford, defeating her by just 0.54 seconds. The Edmonton, Alberta native, finished her career as a nine-time All-American and still holds four school records to this day.

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WVU Connie ELLERBE

Pat ITANYI

Charity WACHERA

1988, 1989, 1991, 1992

1995, 1996, 1997

1998

As a freshman, she became the first female track and field athlete in school history to earn AllAmerica accolades when she finished seventh in the 400-meter hurdles at the 1988 NCAA Outdoor Championships at Oregon. She again earned All-America honors during her sophomore campaign – finishing ninth in the hurdles at the outdoor meet in Provo, Utah. After redshirting the 1989-90 season, she captured her third All-America honor by finishing fourth in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 56.60. Ellerbe culminated her brilliant career in 1992 by finishing second in the 400-meter hurdles at the NCAA meet in Austin. She also competed at the U.S. Olympic Trials in 1992 where her fifthplace finish in the 400-meter hurdles is the highest a WVU female track athlete has ever placed and she narrowly missed a spot on the U.S. roster.

Alethea MOODY 1990 Moody earned All-America honors during the 1990 season when she placed sixth in the high jump with a leap of 5’ 11 1/4” at the NCAA Outdoor Championships at Duke. Two weeks earlier, the junior won the high jump at the Penn Relays and at the ECAC Outdoor Championships; her victory at Penn Relays represented the first female WVU winner at the prestigious meet. She finished the season as the No. 1 ranked jumper in the East and was also selected to compete in the Olympic Sports Festival.

Trinese SUMMERLIN 1993 WVU’s third female track All-American, Summerlin placed sixth in the 55-meter dash at the NCAA Indoor Championships in Indianapolis, blazing to a time of 6.85. The honor capped off an indoor season that saw her take top honors in the 55-meter dash at the ECAC Indoor Championships, as well as the Fairfax Indoor Classic and the George Mason Collegiate Invitational.

Pat Itanyi ended her career at WVU with seven All-America honors and six school records. In 1995, the Ukehe, Nigeria, native culminated a brilliant season by becoming the school’s first female national track champion. During the indoor season, Itanyi placed third in the long jump and fifth in the 55-meter hurdles at the NCAA Indoor Championships at Indianapolis to secure All-America status. At the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Knoxville, Tenn., the sophomore won the long jump with a leap of 22’1”, edging George Mason’s Diane Guthrie-Greshman for the national title.

That jump was the 10th longest in NCAA history at that time. Itanyi took her fourth All-America honor in 1996 at the NCAA Indoor Championships by placing fifth in the long jump. To cap off her senior season at WVU, Itanyi brought home three All-America awards in 1997. She placed eighth in the long jump at the NCAA indoor meet in Indianapolis. During the outdoor season, Itanyi notched third in the long jump and fifth in the heptathlon at the NCAA Outdoor Championships at Bloomington, Ind., to once again earn All-America status.

Kristin QUACKENBUSH 1998 Kristin Quackenbush only participated in track for one season, but she left her mark as one of WVU’s most gifted athletes ever. Quackenbush earned All-America status in the pole vault during the outdoor season. Her mark of 12’1 1/2” was good enough for fourth at the NCAA Championships, and was her third-best effort on the season. Quackenbush also placed 10th at the NCAA Indoor Championships.

She captured first place in the Big East and ECAC Championships during both the indoor and outdoor seasons. Quackenbush was only one of three athletes in West Virginia history ever to earn All-America status in two different sports at the time. This 1997 national Gymnast of the Year, excelled in gymnastics at WVU for four years. Her All-American honors in gymnastics include: 1994-95-96 floor, 1994 and 96 vault, and 1996 all-around. She was tied for the most individual All-America awards in West Virginia history with former track stars James Jett and Pat Itanyi.

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Charity Wachera was one of WVU’s best distance runners during her career. The Nairobi, Kenya, native earned All-America honors in the 10,000-meters during the outdoor season as she crossed the line with a time of 34:29.64, good enough for a sixth-place finish at the NCAA Championships. She also held two school records. She ran a 16:27.27 in the 5,000-meters and a 34:24.00 in the 10,000-meters during the 1998 outdoor track season, both good enough for first alltime. In 1997, Wachera finished 11th with a time of 17:00 to become WVU’s first female cross country All-American.

Kate VERMEULEN 1999 Kate Vermeulen will go down as one of the most prolific distance runners in WVU history.

Vermeulen took just one year to become the NCAA indoor champion in the mile, setting a then-school record with a time of 4:39.07. She earned All-America honors during the indoor season and joins Pat Itanyi (long jump, 1995), Mike Mosser (1000-yards, 1972) and Megan Metcalfe (5,000-meters, 2005) as one of only four West Virginia track national champions.

Vermeulen’s six school records ties Itanyi with the most of any track athlete in the University’s history. During the outdoor season, she captured the 1,500-meters (4:22.89), and managed to run down five throughout the indoor season, which included the 800-meters (2:06.42), the 1000-meters (2:43.01) and the mile (4:39.07). She also anchored the 4x800 relay (8:58.47) and distance medley relay (11:15.50), which both captured school records. She was named Outstanding Track Performer at the Big East Championships and posted the fastest collegiate mile time (4:39.84) during the indoor season.

Merissa SEXSMITH 1999, 2000, 2001 Sexsmith proved to be a picture of consistency throughout her freshman campaign as she earned AllAmerica honors for her participation on the distance medley relay team, where she ran the 800-meter leg of the relay. This team, made up of Rebecca Stallwood (1,200 meters), Tameca Williams (400 meters) and Kate Vermeulen (mile), became the first relay team to win a

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WVU Big East Championship (11:15.40) and set the school record during the indoor season with that time. The team placed fifth at the NCAA Indoor Championships.

Sexsmith was also a member of the 4x800 relay team that captured a Big East Championship and a school record. Sexsmith became a two-time All-American when the distance medley team came in second at the NCAA Indoor Championships in 2000. She earned her third AllAmerica accolade as a member of the 2001 DMR team.

Tameca WILLIAMS 1999, 2000 A transfer from Southern University, Williams quickly became West Virginia’s top 400-meter runner. She was part of the distance medley relay team, running the 400-meter leg, that captured the school record (11:15.40) and a Big East Championship during the indoor season. She also holds the school record in the 400-meters outdoor with a time of 52.92.

Williams earned her second All-America honor with her membership in the 2000 indoor distance medley relay team. Williams was part of the DMR that finished second at the NCAA Indoor Championships with a time of 11:17.92.

Rebecca STALLWOOD 1999, 2000 Stallwood was a fantastic two-sport athlete for West Virginia’s track and cross country teams for four years. As a freshman, she joined the 1997 women’s cross country team at the NCAA Cross Country Championship and had an equally successful season with the cross country team in 1999, with another NCAA Cross Country Championship appearance. She earned her All-America honors, for her contribution on the distance medley relay team, running the opening 1,200-meter leg. This team captured the Big East Championship and set a school record with a time of 11:15.40. The Burlington, Ontario, Canada, native earned her second All-America honor when the distance medley team finished second at the NCAA Indoor Championships in 2000.

Christine BROWN 1999, 2000 An athlete that coaches only dream about, Brown came from Jamaica as a freshman. In her first

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season, the talented athlete took the U.S. Collegiate track scene by storm. Then after taking a year off to work on her studies, she decided to attend WVU, where in 2000, she went to the NCAA Championships as a top seed. There she earned her All-America honors with a sixth-place finish in the triple jump.

Ailene SMITH 2000, 2001 Smith earned her All-America honors as part of the second-place distance medley relay team at the 2000 Indoor NCAA Championships. Smith, a transfer from Southern University, was all-Big East as a freshman and made a huge impact on the team’s relays. Smith ran the second leg of the 4x800 relay team that finished fourth at the Big East Indoor Championships in 2000 and finished eighth at the Big East Outdoor Championships in the 800 with a time of 2:11.88. Smith earned her second All-America honor as a member of the 2001 distance medley relay team.

Ciara CHIC 2001 Ciara Chic, a Charleston, W.Va., native, was one of the top athletes to come out of West Virginia during the past decade. She earned her All-America honor during her freshman year as a member of the 2001 distance medley relay team, which finished eighth at the 2001 NCAA Indoor Championships.

Megan METCALFE 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 Megan Metcalfe, a nine-time AllAmerican, is one of the most prolific distance runners in Mountaineer women’s track and field history. The Edmonton, Alberta, native earned her first All-America accolade as a member of the 2001 distance medley relay team, which finished in eighth place. Metcalfe’s second All-America award, and first individual, came with a third-place finish in the 3,000-meter at the 2002 NCAA Outdoor Championships in a WVU record time of 9:09.95.

Also an outstanding cross country runner, Metcalfe was named the 2000 Big East Freshman of the Year.

Her third All-America honor came with a ninth-place finish at the 2002 NCAA Cross Country Championship, making her just the second female cross country All-American in school history and only the fourth

Mountaineer to earn All-America honors in two sports.

She earned her fourth and fifth All-America accolades in 2003 by finishing fourth in the 3,000-meter at the indoor championships and was a part of the schoolrecord setting distance medley relay team in that same meet. Her sixth and seventh awards came in March of 2004 when she was fifth in the 3,000-meter and again was a member of the DMR team. Metcalfe’s eighth and school-record winning All-America honor came at the 2004 NCAA Cross Country Championships where she recorded a 16th-place overall finish. Metcalfe capped off her brilliant career with a ninth All-America honor and a national championship when she won the 5,000 meters at the 2005 NCAA Outdoor Championships.

Jennifer DAVIS 2004, 2005 Jennifer Davis, a native of Romney, W.Va., earned her first All-America honor as a part of the DMR team that finished fifth at the 2004 NCAA Indoor Championships. The team recorded a time of 11:12.56 en route to a fifth place overall finish. Her second such honor came in the same event at the 2005 NCAA Indoor Championships. The team finished sixth with a time of 11:13.07. Davis currently serves as an assistant coach for the WVU cross country and track teams.

Susan DAVIS 2005 Susan Davis earned her All-America honor as a member of the WVU distance medley relay squad at the 2005 NCAA Indoor Championships. The Romney, W.Va., native helped the Mountaineers achieve a sixthplace finishing time of 11:13.07.

Jennifer KEMP 2003, 2004, 2005 Jennifer Kemp was a three-time AllAmerican as a member of the Mountaineers’ stellar distance medley relay team. The Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, native picked up her first honor in 2003 when she was a part of the school-record quartet that ran 11:11.19 at the NCAA indoor meet. In 2004, she was again a part of the DMR squad that finished fifth. For the third consecutive year, in 2005, Kemp helped the Mountaineer DMR team capture sixth place at NCAA Indoor Championships.

Pam RICHARDSON 2003, 2004, 2005 Pam Richardson was a three-time AllAmerican as a member of the Mountaineer distance medley relay team. The Atco, N.J., native earned her first honor in 2003 as part of the record-setting DMR team that finished fourth in a then school-record time of 11:11.19. She followed that performance by being a part of the 2004 DMR squad that finished fifth at the 2004 NCAA Indoor Championships with a time of 11:12.56. In 2005, Richardson helped the WVU DMR team capture sixth place with a time of 11:13.07.

Abbie STECHSCHULTE 2007 After three years of dedicated work, Abbie Stechschulte finally built herself a name in the track world, showing dominance as a multi-event athlete during the 2007 indoor and outdoor season. As proof, the Columbus Grove, Ohio, native won the 2007 Big East Indoor pentathlon crown and finished sixth at the NCAA Championships, earning her All-America honors.

During the 2007 outdoor season, Stechschulte nabbed an Olympic Trials ‘B’ standard at the 80th Annual Texas Relays, scoring 5,609 points in the heptathlon. At the end of her career, she ranked second in the WVU record book for the pentathlon (4,085 points) and the heptathlon (5,609 points).

Marie-Louise ASSELIN 2008, 2009, 2010 One of the most talented and decorated distance runners to ever wear the Old Gold and Blue, as of 2010, Marie-Louise Asselin, a Sarnia, Ontario, native owns seven All-America medals, including three in cross county and four in track. Asselin’s last cross country season, 2009, was one for the record books as she became one of only two WVU runners to earn three All-America honors in the sport. Along with teammate Keri Bland, Asselin achieved the honor as she finished in 31st place (20:43) at the 2009 NCAA Cross Country Championship. The Mountaineers went on to finish sixth, marking the third-consecutive year that WVU finished in the top 10 at the national championships.

Asselin also earned all-region honors for the fourth time in her career and all Big East honors for the third time.

Her success continued into the track season as she posted a second-place finish in the 5,000-meter race at the NCAA Indoor Championships (15:50.53) and a

second-place finish in the 5,000 meter at the NCAA Outdoor Championships (15:53.93).

In 2008, she led WVU to its most successful season in school history, as the Mountaineers took a historic fourth-place finish at the NCAA Championship, first at the NCAA all-Mid-Atlantic Regionals and second at the Big East Championship. Asselin became the first Big East Women’s Cross Country Individual Champion in 2008, as she took the top spot with a time of 20:10.

She then placed 17th at the NCAA Championship race with a time of 20:27 to earn her second consecutive All-American honor. She earned her first All-American title in 2007 as the Mountaineers captured their first Big East Championship and finished ninth in the country. Even though she was just a sophomore at the time, Asselin became WVU’s third All-American in the sport when she finished 17th (14th in the team standings) with a time of 20:39 at the 2007 NCAA Championship. It was a fitting ending to an outstanding season that saw her post the team’s highest finish in the final five meets. Asselin showed glimpses of her abilities just weeks earlier at the Big East Championship where she took second and at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional race, where she placed third in leading her team to an overall second-place finish. Asselin, an all-Big East and all-Mid-Atlantic region selection, was joined by Bland as an All-American, marking the first time in program history that two teammates earned the honor in the same season. In the 2008 indoor season, Asselin went on to place seventh in the 3,000-meter to earn All-America honors and was on the All-America distance medley relay team that took fourth at nationals.

Keri BLAND 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 Keri Bland, a nine-time All-American, continued to leave her name in the WVU record books as the most decorated athlete in WVU track and field history. In 2011, Bland earned third-team All-America honors in the 1,500-meter run with an 18th-place finish at the NCAA Outdoor Championships with a time of 4:24. She aided the Mountaineers to a sixth-place finish at the 2009 NCAA Cross Country Championships, marking the third-straight year WVU finished in the nation’s top 10. Bland, along with teammate MarieLouise Asselin, became the only Mountaineers in school history to earn All-America honors for three seasons in cross county, as she finished 34th (20:45).

The Fairview, W.Va., native earned two All-America honors in the 2009 indoor track season, as she placed eighth in the mile and was a part of the distance medley relay team. Bland continued to dominate in the outdoor season, as she earned her fourth honor of the year by virtue of finishing as one of the top U.S. citizens in the 1,500-meter race, marking the second time she earned honors in all three seasons (cross county, indoor track and outdoor track). Bland was an essential part WVUTrackField

of the Mountaineers team in 2008, when she led WVU to its most successful season in school history as the squad placed fourth at the NCAA Championship, first at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regionals and second at the Big East Championship. She was the first Mountaineer to finish at the NCAA Championship, where she finished 14th with a time of 20:20.

In 2007, Bland and Asselin helped guide the Mountaineers to their first conference title and the highest finish at nationals in school history (ninth) in 2007. At nationals, Bland was the second Mountaineer to cross the line in 23rd at 20:58. Bland, along with Asselin, was named a first team All-American, marking the first time WVU’s cross country program had multiple All-Americans in the same year. Bland earned all-Big East and all-Mid-Atlantic region accolades during the season after finishing fourth and seventh, respectively, in those races. In the 2008 indoor track season, Bland was a part of the All-America distance medley team that set a school record and placed fourth in the country. She finished the 2008 outdoor season by earning All-America honors in the 1,500-meters to become the first female in WVU history to earn AllAmerica honors in three sports in the same year.

Karly HAMRIC 2008, 2010 Bruceton Mills, W.Va., native Karly Hamric capped off an excellent career in 2010 as she earned her second All-America honor with a sixth-place finish in the 1,500-meter run (4:17.78) at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Hamric’s first honor came when she ran the 800-meter leg of the distance medley relay at the 2008 NCAA Indoor Championships to help the unit earn All-America honors. Hamric’s 800-meter split was 2:10.82, as the DMR finished fourth with a school record time of 11:07.64. Hamric was joined by Marie-Louise Asselin, Keri Bland and April Rotilio on the squad. Owns a persona-best time of 4:23.54 in the 1,500-meter.

April ROTILIO 2008, 2010, 2011 April Rotilio earned her third All-America honor in 2011 with a 19th-place finish in the 400-meter dash at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in 53.47 seconds. She qualified for NCAAs with a 10th-place finish in the 400-meter at the NCAA East Regional in 53.31 seconds. Rotilio earned her best 400-meter time of the year at the Big East Championships, finishing in 52.71 seconds in first place and became the first Mountaineer since Tameca Williams in 2000 to win the event. Academically, she WVUTrackField

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WVU capped her career with third team CoSIDA Academic All-America honors and was named to the Capital One Academic all-district first team.

Rotilio captured her second All-America honor in 2010 as she once again aided the distance medley relay team (Rotilio, Keri Bland, Kaylyn Christopher and Jessica O’Connell) to an eighth-place showing (11:16.39) at the NCAA Indoor Championships in Fayetteville, Ark. In 2008, Rotilio earned her first honor as she ran the 400-meter leg of the DMR at the NCAA Indoor Championships, helping lead the Mountaineer unit to a fourth-place finish. The Bellaire, Ohio, native ran the 400-meter split in 55.14. The group, who set a new school record with a time of 11:07.64, featured Marie-Louise Asselin, Keri Bland and Karly Hamric.

Clara GRANDT 2009 Clara Grandt saved the best for last as she posted the finest season of her career and earned her first All-America honor in cross country. The West Union, W.Va., native led the team to a sixth-place finish at the 2009 NCAA Championship, the first Mountaineer to cross the line in 13th place overall. Grandt also earned all-region and all-Big East honors and was named Big East Cross Country Athlete of the Week on Sept. 24, for her efforts in the Midwest Open. There she crossed the line in 17:00.1, 19 seconds before Louisville’s Tarah McKay (17:19.4), for the fastest course time in over 20 years. In the track season, Grandt earned her second honor of the year by virtue of finishing as one of the top U.S. citizens in the 5,000-meter race at the 2010 NCAA Indoor Championships. She then capped off her final season as a Mountaineer with a fourthplace showing in the 10,000-meter race at the outdoor championships, giving her four total All-America honors.

Grandt became WVU’s 24th track and field All-American as she earned the honors with a fourth-place showing in the 10,000-meter finals at the NCAA Championship in 2009. Grandt started off the race behind the lead pack before finding her stride around the 6,000-meter mark. The junior closed the gap, and finished with a time of 33:45.16.

Kaylyn CHRISTOPHER 2010 Kaylyn Christopher, a native of Kingwood, W.Va., received her first and second All-America honors in 2010, by virtue of finishing as one of the top U.S. citizens in the mile, and as a member of the distance medley relay team at the NCAA Indoor Championships.

Christopher captured her first honor with a 12th-place

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finish in the mile with a time of 4:46, to finish as one of the top eight Americans in the race. Later in the day, she returned to aid the DMR team (Christopher, Keri Bland, Jessica O’Connell and April Rotilio) to an eighthplace showing (11:16.39). Owns a personal-best time of 4:40.78 in the mile.

Jessica O’CONNELL 2010, 2011, 2012 Another name to be added to the list of great WVU distance runners, Jessica O’Connell earned her first All-America honors as a member of the distance medley relay team (O’Connell, Kaylyn Christopher, Keri Bland and April Rotilio) that finished in eighth place (11:16.39) at the 2010 NCAA Indoor Championships in Fayetteville, Ark. The Calgary, Alberta, native also was a vital asset in the NCAA Outdoor Regionals in 1,500-meter race, but was tripped on the last leg.

O’Connell still managed to finish in 10th place in the semifinals (4:30.05). She is also a NCAA qualifier in the 3,000-meter race after running a life-time best of 9:16.22 at the NY Fast Times Invitational and went on to win the North American Championships in the 5,000-meter that summer.

Her second All-America honor came in the 3,000-meter at the 2011 NCAA Indoor Championships, when she finished in 16th place to earn second team All-America honors. To qualify for NCAAs, O’Connell earned her first ever Big East title in the 3,000-meter with a time of 9:21.09.

In 2012, she earned her third All-America honor at the NCAA Outdoor Championships where she placed 19th in the 5,000-meter run in 17:10.43 for an honorable mention accolade. That year she also finished eighth in the 5,000-meter at the Big East Indoor Championships and had two first-place marks in the 3,000-meter at the Wake Forest Open and the Larry Ellis Invitational.

Chelsea CARRIER-EADES 2010, 2011, 2012 Chelsea Carrier, an eight-time AllAmerican, left her name in the WVU record books as one of the greatest track athletes in school history. In 2010, Carrier, a Buckhannon, W.Va., native earned her first and second All-America honors at the NCAA Indoor Championships in Fayetteville, Ark. Her first honor came after a fourth-place showing in the pentathlon.

Carrier finished with one of her best performances with 4,133 total points. Later in the day, Carrier earned her second honor with a sixth-place finish in the 60-meter hurdles (8.29). Earlier in the season, Carrier was named

Mid-Atlantic Field Athlete of the Year after earning two Big East Champion honors and breaking the school record in the pentathlon at the Sykes-Sabock Challenge on Feb. 5. Carrier won the event with 4,136 points to break the school record previously set by All-American Pat Itanyi in 1997 (4,111).

In 2011, Carrier earned first team All-America honors in the heptathlon after placing third with 5,761 points and also earned third team All-America in the 100-meter hurdles after placing 19th in 13.56 seconds. She was named the Mid-Atlantic Field Athlete of the Year, and before that earned three individual Big East titles in the long jump, 100-meter hurdles and 400-meter hurdles. During the indoor season, Carrier earned All-America in the 60-meter hurdles with a fourth-place finish in 8.08 seconds, beating her personal record of 8.15 seconds. She notched another All-American award in the pentathlon with a fifth-place finish with 4,128 points, her second All-America award in the pentathlon. Her junior campaign saw her break the school records in the 60-meter hurdles, pentathlon, 100-meter hurdles and the heptathlon. She also participated at the USA Track and Field Championships following the season, finishing 16th in the semifinals round in a time of 13.04 seconds.

Her 2012 senior campaign notched two All-America awards as she earned first team honors in both the heptathlon and the 100-meter hurdles. She placed third in the heptathlon with 5,839 points and seventh in the hurdles in 13.31. She earned a career- and school-best 12.78 in the 100-meter hurdles during the semifinals at NCAAs and also won the heptathlon for a second consecutive year at the Texas Relays.

Kate HARRISON 2011 Kate Harrison earned her first All-America honor as a track and field athlete at the 2011 NCAA Outdoor Championships where she was first team AllAmerica in the 10,000-meter run by way of a secondplace finish in 34:30.35. She qualified for NCAAs with a first-place finish for the event at the NCAA East Regional in 33:48.64, a personal best for the Toronto, Ontario, native. The championship season began well for No. 16-ranked Harrison as she earned her first Big East title in the 10,000 with a time of 33:59.84, her best mark of the year at the time. Harrison also earned her first All-America honor during the 2011 cross country season with an eighth-place individual finish at the NCAA Championship.

Sarah-Anne BRAULT 2011 Sarah-Anne Brault earned her first All-America honor in 2011 with a second team AllAmerica achievement in the 10,000-meter run as she finished in 10th place in 35:05.36. To qualify for NCAAs, the Winnipeg, Manitoba, native placed sixth in the 10,000 at the NCAA East Regional with a time of 33:51.14, her best mark of the year for the event.

Brault earned a second-place finish in 34:04.63 in the 10,000-meter at the Big East Championships and a solid 10th place in the 1,500-meter race in 4:35.07 at the prestigious Jesse Owens Classic. During the indoor season, Brault finished fourth in the 5,000-meter run in 16:17.95 at the Big East Championships. She also excelled academically by earning second team CoSIDA Academic All-America honors and was named to the Capital One Academic all-district first team.

Meghan MOCK 2011 Meghan Mock capped off a stellar junior season by finishing with third team All-America honors in the long jump at the NCAA Outdoor Championships with a distance of 6.02 meters, good for 20th place among the nation’s elite jumpers. The Berkeley Springs, W.Va., native qualified for the NCAAs for the first time of her career by placing 11th in the long jump at the NCAA East Regional at a distance of 6.07 meters. Mock began the championship portion of the season well with an eighth-place mark for the event at 5.81 meters, advancing to the East regional for the first time. Her junior year was enhanced with a first-place finish in the long jump with a 6.17-meter mark at the Penn Relays, a personal-best and currently ranks third all-time at WVU. At the prestigious Stanford Invitational, she placed fourth in the long jump at 5.70 meters. During the indoor season, Mock finished fourth at the Big East Championships at a distance of 5.86 meters.

Katelyn WILLIAMS 2011 Katelyn Williams earned third team All-America honors in the high jump with an 18thplace height of 1.76 meters at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. To earn her second trip to NCAAs, the Chesterland, Ohio, native placed ninth at the NCAA East Regional, also at a height of 1.78 meters. She started

the outdoor championship season well at the Big East Championships with a second-place finish in the high jump at 1.78 meters and placed third in the heptathlon with 5,044 points. In the heptathlon, she finished first in the high jump with a career-best 1.79-meter height, and had solid finishes in the shot put (3rd, 11.09m) and javelin (4th, 29.30m). At the prestigious Jesse Owens Classic, Williams placed third at 1.70 meters. Her indoor season was highlighted with a fourth-place finish in the long jump at 5.08 meters at the WVU Holiday Classic.

Jordan HAMRIC 2013 Jordan Hamric ended her career as a Mountaineer, earning second team All-America honors.

The Bruceton Mills, W.Va., native posted a 12th-place finish in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the 2013 NCAA Division I Track & Field Championships in Eugene, Oreg. Hamric ended her career as the school record holder in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, which she set at the 2013 NCAA semifinals with a time of 10:06.47.

During her senior campaign, Hamric also placed second at the Big 12 Outdoor Championships, third at the Penn Relays and seventh at the Stanford Invitational. It marked the first time in her career that she garnered All-America honors.

Kelly WILLIAMS 2013 Kelly Williams wasted no time to ink her name into the Mountaineer record books. The freshman became the 33rd All-American in WVU track and field program history in 2013. The Chesterland, Ohio, native recorded a seventh-place finish in the mile at the 2013 Indoor Track and Field Championships in Fayetteville, Ark. Williams finished with a time one-mile time of 4:39.30 at the meet, just two seconds off her personalbest mile time of 4:36.77 set earlier in the season.

That time ranks her No. 3 in WVU program history for the mile.

Stormy NESBIT 2014 Stormy Nesbit completed her career as perhaps the greatest jumper in West Virginia University track and field history. The Roseville, Minnesota, native spent three seasons with the Mountaineers. Nesbit

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concluded her career with an eighth-place finish at the 2014 Division I NCAA Outdoor Track and field Championships in Eugene, Oregon in the triple jump.

The finish earned her First Team All-America status.

Nesbit ended her career as the WVU school record holder in the triple jump (13.19 meters).

Sarah MARTINELLI 2014 Martinelli was named second team AllAmerican in the 3,000 meter steeplechase event where she finished 11th place crossing the finish line in 10:12.73 at the 2014 NCAA Championships. Martinelli was a scholar and an athlete where she was recognized often for her success. The Morgantown native was named the Big 12 Women’s Cross Country ScholarAthlete of the Year, an Academic All-Big 12 First team selection while maintaining a 3.75 GPA, earned All-Big 12 honors by finishing eighth overall at the Big 12 Championships with a personal-best 6k time of 20:44.9 and earned All-Mid-Atlantic Region from finishing in 22nd place overall at the NCAA Regional Meet.

Allison LASNICKI 2014 Allison Lansnicki, a native of Canastota, N.Y., earned third team All-America honors in the 10,000 meter run where she placed 17th during the second day of the 2014 Division I NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Eugene, Ore. Lansnicki recorded the second fastest time in school history in this event with a time of 33:456.22.

Kaitlyn GILLESPIE 2015 It’s recognized that distance runner Kaitlyn Gillespie is a strong-minded athlete shown by her many accomplishments throughout her collegiate career.

Gillespie earned second team All-America honors-the first of her career in the 10,000-meter run at the 2015 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships.

She placed ninth overall with a time of 33:44.08 for a new personal best, marking the second-fastest time in program history. This marks Gillespie’s fourth time in her career of being honored an All-American

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All-Time

Coaches AndCaptains

Year Coach Captains Linda King None 1978 1979 Linda King None 1980 Linda King None Linda King None 1981 1982 Linda King None 1983 Pat Nicol None 1984 Kim Kemp Jean England, Kris Kavetski Kim Kemp Lisa Ayers, Kris Kavetski 1985 1986 Laura Nardelli Karen Carpenter, Lori Smith 1987 Laura Nardelli Charlene Burstrom, Karen Carpenter 1988 Laura Nardelli Charlene Burstrom, Traci Purtell Laura Nardelli Charlene Burstrom 1989 1990 Laura Nardelli Theresa Papa Martin Pushkin Vicki Stum 1991 Martin Pushkin None 1992 1993 Martin Pushkin Erin O’Reilly 1994 Martin Pushkin Kerryn Davidson, Joleen Tocci 1995 Martin Pushkin Carisa Brown 1996 Martin Pushkin Heather Bury, Mary Ann Myer 1997 Martin Pushkin Charity Wachera 1998 Martin Pushkin Nancy Knapp, Rebecca Stallwood 1999 Martin Pushkin Rebecca Stallwood, Johanna Fisher 2000 Martin Pushkin Rebecca Stallwood, Johanna Fisher 2001 Martin Pushkin Rebecca Stallwood Jeff Huntoon Stacian Brown 2002 2003 Jeff Huntoon Megan Metcalfe Jeff Huntoon Tara Struyk 2004 2005 Jeff Huntoon Jennifer Kemp, Pam Richardson Jeff Huntoon Jessica Czaikowski, Susan Davis 2006 2007 Jeff Huntoon Jessica Czaikowski, Abbie Stechschulte, Halimah Bashir, Alison Spiker Sean Cleary Halimah Bashir, Alison Spiker 2008 2009 Sean Cleary Alison Spiker, Nicole DeStefano 2010 Sean Cleary Marie-Louise Asselin, Keri Bland, Clara Grandt, Karly Hamric, April Rotilio 2011 Sean Cleary April Rotilio, Chelsea Carrier-Eades 2012 Sean Cleary Chelsea Carrier-Eades, Katelyn Williams 2013 Sean Cleary Sarah-Anne Brault, Sydney Cummings 2014 Sean Cleary Sarah Martinelli, Stormy Nesbit 2015 Sean Cleary None Total *no dual meets -- all invitational competition

AlisonSPIKER

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Dr.MartinPUSHKIN

Record 1-2 2-0 1-0 2-0 2-1 1-0 1-0 1-0 0-0* 0-0* 0-0* 0-0* 0-0* 0-0* 0-0* 3-4 8-0 11-0 9-2 14-8 0-0* 0-0* 0-0* 0-0* 0-0* 0-0* 0-0* 0-0* 0-0* 0-0* 0-0* 0-0* 0-0* 0-0* 0-0* 0-0* 0-0* 0-0* 56-17

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Information GENERAL

President E. Gordon Gee �������������������������������������� 74 Director of Athletics Shane Lyons ������������������������� 75 Intercollegiate Athletics Staff �������������������������������� 76 Media Guidelines ������������������������������������������������� 77 Athletic Facilities �������������������������������������������������� 78

E.GORDON Gee PRESIDENT

Dr. E. Gordon Gee is one of America’s most prominent higher education leaders, having helmed universities for more than three decades. In 2009, Time magazine named him one of the top 10 university presidents in the United States.

In 2014, Gee returned to West Virginia University, where his career as a university president began. His leadership goals include putting students first, advancing the University’s research agenda, partnering with West Virginia communities and making sure that 1.8 million West Virginians know in their hearts and minds that West Virginia University is their university.

Born in Vernal, Utah, Gee graduated from the University of Utah with an honors degree in history and earned his J.D. and Ed.D. degrees from Columbia University. He clerked under Chief Justice David T. Lewis of the U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeals before being named a judicial fellow and staff assistant to the U.S. Supreme Court. In this role, he worked for Chief Justice Warren Burger on administrative and legal problems of the Court and federal judiciary. Gee returned to Utah as an associate professor and associate dean in the J. Reuben Clark Law School at Brigham Young University, and was granted full professorship in 1978.

One year later, he became dean of the West Virginia University College of Law, and, in 1981, was named West Virginia University president. He served in that role until 1985.

He went on to lead the University of Colorado (1985-1990), Brown University (1998-2000) and Vanderbilt University (2001-07). He served as president of The Ohio State University from 1990 to 1997 and again from 2007 to 2013.

Gee has served on several educationgovernance organizations and committees, including the Big Ten Conference Council of Presidents, the Inter-University Council of Ohio, the Business-Higher Education Forum and the American Association of Universities. He was chair of the American Council on Education’s Commission on Higher Education Attainment and served as co-chair of the Association of Public and

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Land-Grant Universities’ Energy Advisory Committee. In 2009, King Abdulaziz University in Saudi Arabia invited him to join its international advisory board.

Active in many national professional and service organizations, he has served on the boards for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, Inc., Limited Brands and the National 4-H Council. In 2011, Gee began serving as secretary on the Board of Directors of Ohio’s economic development program, JobsOhio. In 2011-2012, Governor John Kasich asked him to chair the Ohio Higher Education Capital Funding Collaborative and the Ohio Higher Education Funding Commission. In December 2012, he began serving on the Columbus Education Commission. And in March 2015, he was elected to the board of directors of the American Council on Education, the nation’s largest higher education organization.

Gee has received many honorary degrees, awards, fellowships and recognitions. He is a fellow of the prestigious American Association for the Advancement of Science, the world’s largest science organization. In 1994, Gee received the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the University of Utah, as well as from Teachers College of Columbia University. In 2013, he received the ACE Council of Fellows/Fidelity Investments Mentor Award and the Outstanding Academic Leader of the Year Award on behalf of Historically Black Colleges and Universities. He is the co-author of 11 books, including Law, Policy and Higher Education, published in 2012. He has also authored many papers and articles on law and education.

Gee’s daughter, Rebekah, is the Medicaid Medical Director for the State of Louisiana, and an assistant professor of Public Health and Medicine at Louisiana State University. She is also a Norman F. Gant/American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology/IOM Anniversary Fellow. Dr. Rebekah Gee is married to David Patrón, and they have five children.

President E.GordonGEE shares a hug with a recent WVU graduate

SHANELyons DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS

West Virginia native Shane Lyons was named director of Intercollegiate Athletics and associate vice president at West Virginia University in January 2015.

Lyons came to West Virginia after spending three years as the deputy director of athletics and chief operating officer at Alabama where he worked closely on day-to-day strategic leadership and direction with Alabama athletic directors – the late Mal Moore and current athletic director Bill Battle.

At WVU, Lyons has oversight of 18 varsity sports, a department budget of approximately $80 million, 220 employees, approximately 450 student-athletes and a facilities master plan that included the opening of a $21 million baseball park and more $75 million to modernize other athletic venues in the next three years.

During his time at Alabama, his responsibilities included oversight of a $120 million budget, daily monitoring of compliance and oversight of the Crimson Tide’s 21 sports teams. In addition, he played a pivotal role in a historic renegotiation of Alabama’s multimedia rights agreement that started in 2014 and was involved in several significant capital projects totaling more than $85 million.

The Crimson Tide won seven national titles in five different sports during his time there – two in football, two in men’s golf, one in women’s golf, one in gymnastics and one in softball. He also played a critical role in the hiring of four Alabama head coaches.

Prior to joining the Alabama staff in November 2011, Lyons spent 10 years as an associate commissioner at the Atlantic Coast Conference. At the ACC, Lyons focused on conference-wide compliance and academic initiatives, providing direct assistance to the conference’s presidents, chancellors and athletics directors in matters dealing with NCAA regulatory matters.

In addition, he served as the ACC’s human resource manager and was responsible for the administration, negotiation and mediation of the employee benefits program and managing the conference’s organizational policies and procedures. He was part of the administrative team for ACC events, including the football championship game, the men’s basketball tournament and men’s and women’s NCAA basketball events. He also was a member and served as chairman on many prominent committees within the NCAA Governance structure during his tenure with the ACC. Prior to working at the ACC, Lyons served as associate athletics director for compliance at Big 12 member Texas Tech from 1998 to 2001. During that time, Lyons assumed responsibility for the leadership, administration and implementation of a comprehensive NCAA compliance program with emphasis toward rules education and extensive monitoring systems. He also served as oversight administrator for several of the Red Raiders’ athletic teams and had financial and operational supervision of the strength and conditioning, nutritional and sports medicine units.

Before joining Texas Tech, Lyons worked at the NCAA for almost 10 years as a senior membership services representative, where he was responsible for the oversight and coordination of the

25 membership service representatives.

Lyons began his career in college athletics in July 1988 as assistant commissioner of the Big South Conference. With the Big South, he was in charge of conference-wide compliance and championships.

A native of Parkersburg, West Virginia, and a graduate of Parkersburg High, Lyons was a standout basketball player for the Big Reds. He earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in sport management from WVU in 1987 and 1988, respectively.

He and his wife, Emily, a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, have two children: Cameron, 16, and Brooke, 12. Lyons is the University’s 12th athletic director.

Shane Lyons through the Years: 1988-89 Big South Conference

(Assistant Commissioner for Compliance and Championships) 1989-98 NCAA (Senior Membership Services Representative) 1998-2001 Texas Tech (Associate Athletic Director – Compliance) 2001-11 Atlantic Coast Conference (Associate Commissioner – Compliance and Governance) 2011-15 Alabama (Deputy Director of Athletics) 2015-present West Virginia (Director of Athletics and Associate Vice President)

The LyonsFAMILY: Emily, Cameron, Shane and Brooke

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Media

Guidelines

Media Services

Receiving Information

Social Media

The West Virginia athletic communications office will be available through the entire 2015-16 women’s track and field season to accommodate any media requests. The following are some guidelines that should make it easy for media members to cover the West Virginia track and field team. Any additional questions should be directed to the track and field contact Samantha Strejeck.

Media members may receive women’s track and field press releases, notes and more via email. To receive such press releases, meet recaps and more, simply email your requests to sstrejec@mail.wvu.edu.

WVU track and field is active on various social media platforms- Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Visit facebook. com/WVUTrackField to like the Facebook page. To follow the Mountaineers on Twitter visit, Twitter.com.WVUTrackField. To follow the team on Instagram, visit Instagram.com/WVUTrackField.

During the Week Any member of the media wishing to interview a runner or member of the coaching staff during the week should the West Virginia track and field contact Samantha Strejeck, via email (sstrejec@ mail.wvu.edu) or by phone (443-7630648), at least 24 hours in advance.

Cell phone numbers will not be available. All WVU student-athletes have been instructed not to conduct interviews without prior approval of the athletic communications staff.

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WVUsports.com WVUsports.com is the place for media and fans to browse for the latest on Mountaineer track and field.

Player and coaching staff bios are available at the click of your finger by going to WVUsports.com. After each meet, WVUsports.com is updated with the latest statistics. Not only will you find this season’s stats, but you will also be able to find the WVU record book where you can gain some historical insights.

West Virginia University Intercollegiate Athletics

KeliCUNNINGHAM

MattBORMAN

TerriHOWES

MichaelSZUL

MichaelFRAGALE

JoeHESKETT

BenMURRAY

Executive Senior Associate Athletic Director

Senior Associate Athletic Director/ Development

Senior Associate Athletic Director/Senior Woman’s Administrator

Senior Associate Athletic Director/Business Operations

Associate Athletic Director/Communications

Associate Athletic Director/Sports Performance

Associate Athletic Director/Major Gifts & Capital Campaigns

BradyROURKE

MattWELLS

DiaFORTNEY

LaceyGIBSON

AprilMESSERLY

Associate Athletic Director/Student-Athlete Development

Associate Athletic Director/ External Affairs

Assistant Athletic Director/Business Operations

Assistant Athletic Director/Compliance

Assistant Athletic Director/Facilities & Operations

BryanMESSERLY

Assistant Athletic Director/Communications

West Virginia University KevinMILLER

NathanielZINN

Assistant Athletic Director/Annual Fund

Assistant Athletic Director/Marketing

Head Coaches

NikkiIZZO-BROWN

Women’s Soccer

JasonBUTTS

MikeCAREY

SeanCLEARY

SeanCOVICH

JonHAMMOND

SammieHENSON

DanaHOLGORSEN

Gymnastics

Women’s Basketball

Cross Country/Track

Men’s Golf

Rifle

Wrestling

Football

BobHUGGINS

JimmyKING

MarlonLEBLANC

MihaLISAC

RandyMAZEY

VicRIGGS

ReedSUNAHARA

Men’s Basketball

Rowing

Men’s Soccer

Tennis

Baseball

Swimming and Diving

Volleyball

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WVU Athletic

Facilities Cary Gym

Monongalia County Ballpark

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Basketball Practice Facility

Caperton Indoor Football Facility

Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium

Dreamswork Field

Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium

Mountaineer Tennis Courts

Mountaineer Track

WVU Boathouse

WVU Coliseum

WVU Natatorium

WVU Rifle Range

WVU Wrestling Pavilion

T R ACK & FIEL D

HERE, GOING FIRST IS IN OUR BLOOD. IT’S IN OUR SWEAT. AND IT’S IN OUR NATURE. SO WE WILL GO ABOVE. WE WILL GO BEYOND. AND WHEN EVERYONE ELSE GOES BACK, MOUNTAINEERS #GOFIRST.

LET’S GO.