GNAC Track and Field

2008-09 Recruits

Alaska Anchorage

Anchorage Duo Signs To Run for Seawolves (7/17/08)

Two top local running prospects have signed to compete for the University of Alaska Anchorage. Signing National Letters of Intent are Mychaela Bailey, who will compete in both cross country and track for the Seawolves, and Lauren Laichak, who will focus solely on track.

“It's great to see our best Alaskans wanting to come and run for us,” said UAA coach Michael Friess, whose cross country roster boasts 14 in-state products.

Bailey, who competed in cross country and track for Service High School , was a standout on the track for the Cougars. She took the 2008 Cook Inlet Conference 1,600-meter title with a time of 5:25.36 seconds, following that with a third-place showing at the ASAA State Championships with a season-best time of 5:16.6.

Bailey also ran the 800 meters, placing third in the CIC with a season-best time of 2:24.7 seconds and seventh at the state meet in 2:26.6.

“Mychaela's region title in the 1,600 certainly shows us she has potential to be successful at the college level,” Friess said.

Laichak, a four-year letterwinner in track at Dimond High School, helped lead a young Lynx girls squad to both the 2008 CIC and state track & field titles with a sweep of the two hurdle events and by running legs on two title-winning relay teams at each meet.

Laichak posted season-best times of 15.58 seconds in the 100-meter hurdles and 46.76 in 300-meter hurdles to best the field at the state meet, while also running strong legs on Dimond's state-best 4x100 and 4x200 relay teams.

Seawolves Sign Alaska Standouts, Australian (6/17/08)

Two of the state's top prep runners and a standout transfer from Australia will compete for the University of Alaska Anchorage in 2008-09.

Signing NLIs were Anchorage's Jaime Bronga and Will Estes, while James Pettigrew from Melbourne has signed a scholarship agreement to transfer to UAA. The three newcomers will compete in both cross country and track & field for the Seawolves.

Bronga, who competed at East Anchorage High School, produced a pair of Top 10 results at the recent 2008 Alaska State High School Track & Field Championships, placing fifth in the 3200 meters and seventh in the 1600 meters. The 2008 Cook Inlet Conference runner-up in the 3200 behind future UAA teammate Shoshana Keegan, Bronga ran to a seventh-place result at the 2007 state cross country championships.

A three-time all-state selection in Nordic skiing, Bronga will also compete on the Seawolves' ski team. At the 2008 state championship meet Bronga swept the 5K freestyle and 7.5K classical events earning the girls Skimeister award. As a junior she was the state runner-up in the 5K classic and fifth in the 7.5K freestyle. Bronga helped lead the Thunderbirds to third-place team results at state the last two seasons.

Estes, who attended West Anchorage High School, captured the 2008 Cook Inlet Conference title in the 3200 by running to a winning time of 10:02.39. Third in the 1600 at this past season's regional track meet, Estes went on to place ninth in the 1600 at the state championships. On the cross country trails last fall Estes finished seventh at the state championship meet.

Pettigrew comes to UAA after a stint at RMIT University in Melbourne, where he just completed his Bachelor's of Science degree in construction management. An accomplished runner in the 800 meters and 1500 meters, his personal-best time of 1:50.38 in the 800 would have won the GNAC title last season and placed him fifth at NCAAs.

In 2007 he placed fourth in the 800 at Australia's premier distance event - the Zatopek Classic. Pettigrow, who'll be pursuing his Master's degree at UAA, has one year of eligibility with the Seawolves.

Seawolves Add Two Talented Runners To Recruit Class (2/20/08)

Anchorage's Shoshana Keegan and Canadian Thomas Hill have signed National Letters of Intent to attend Alaska Anchorage and complete for the Seawolves. Both athletes will compete in both cross country and track at UAA.

One of the top female runners in the state of Alaska, Keegan led West Anchorage High School to its first-ever state title in cross country in 2007, placing a team-best fourth overall. A two-time state runner-up in cross country (2006 and 2005), she also finished fourth at the state meet as a freshman.

Keegan is a three-time participant at the Footlocker West Cross Country Regionals, placing 59th at the prestigious meet in 2005, 87th in 2006 and 65th last year.

Presently a student at Steller High School, Keegan produced a pair of Top 10 results at the Alaska track and field championships last season, finishing 7th in the 1600 meter run and 10th in the 3200.

The second men's runner to commit to the Seawolves during the current signing period, Hill is projected to compete in the 800 through 5,000 meters in track as well as cross country.

The Thunder Bay, Ontario, product placed 3rd in the 800 at the 2006 Canadian Legion National Track Championships and 34th at the 2007 Ontario High School Cross Country Championships, clocking a time of 22:19 on the 7K course.

A two-time qualifier for the Ontario Track and Field Championships, the St. Ignatius High runner's personal-best time of 1:57.42 in the 800 would already rank him fifth on UAA's all-time performance list, while his time of 4:04.14 in the 1500 would already set him eighth all-time.

Alaskan, Canadian Sign With Seawolves (2/13/08)

Jacob Parisien (Palmer) and Stephanie Trenholm (Campbell River, B.C.) have signed National Letters of Intent to compete Alaska Anchorage beginning in the Fall of 2008.

Parisien placed third at the 2007 Alaska 4A State Cross Country Championships helping lead Palmer's boys to a fourth-place team finish. One of the top senior runners in Alaska and the West Coast, Parisien was the top Alaskan finisher at the 2007 Footlocker West Cross Country Championships, placing 26th .

In 2005 he placed runner-up at the state cross country championships and won the Footlocker West sophomore race.

Trenholm (Timberline Secondary School) placed fifth in the 800-meter run for Team British Columbia at the 2007 Western Canada Summer Games. In 2005 she finished second at the Royal Candian Legion National Track & Field Championships in the 1500. She was also the British Columbia champion in the 800 and runner-up in the 1500 for her age group in 2005.

The Canadian, who is projected to compete in everything from the 400 meters up through cross country, has recorded personal-best times of 2:15.42 in the 800 and 4:40.03 in the 1500. Her time in the 1500 is nearly two seconds better than the current NCAA Division II provisional national championships qualifying standard.

Montana State Billings

MSUB Adds Sprinter From Laurel (6/6/08)

Justine Simons, from Laurel, Mont., has signed a national letter of intent to compete in track and field at Montana State University Billings.

“Justine is one of the best sprinters in the state, in all classes, and we're very fortunate to have her join our track and field program,” MSUB coach Dave Coppock said. “She'll have an immediate impact on our team and will certainly be a conference championship contender next season.

"She has a good range from the 100 to 400 meters and will really help us in a lot of areas. She's a top-notch student as well, and I'm really looking forward to working with her."

Simons, a native of Laurel, ran track and played volleyball at Laurel High School where she lettered four years in track and volleyball. Simons was named Most Outstanding Sprinter for four years and was a state A finisher since 2006. She finished second in the 100 and 200 meters and had a third place finish in the 400 in this spring's Class A state meet.

Yellowjackets Add Runner To Recruiting Class (4/23/08)

Michael Hildebrand has signed a national letter of intent to compete in cross country and track and field at Montana State University Billings.

“Michael is a talented 400/800 meter runner and a very good student as well,” MSUB coach Dave Coppock said. “He has a good range and can give us some much needed help in the middle distances and the long relay. He'll also be competing on the cross country team in the fall which should really help him build a good base for the track season.”

Hildebrand, a native of Powell, Wyo., ran track and played basketball and football at Powell High School where he lettered three years in basketball and football and four years in track. He was an all-state and all-conference selection in track in 2006 and 2007 as well as earning all-conference, all-state and Most Valuable Player in basketball in 2007 and 2008.

During his senior year, Hildebrand ran the 800 meters in 1:59 and the 400 meters in 51.66 and helped lead the 4X800 meter relay team and the 4X400 team to state titles. He also placed second in state in the 800m and third in the 400m. In addition, his team was state champions in track in both 2006 and 2007.

Seattle Pacific

Falcons Add Coos Bay Athlete To Recruiting Class

Alison Worthen, a standout track & field athlete from Coos Bay, Ore., has signed a National Letter of Intent to compete for Seattle Pacific University next year.

Worthen is a two time state high jump champion and also won last year's 300m hurdles. v “She's one of the most dominant high school athletes in Oregon right now,” said SPU Head Coach Karl Lerum, who was recently named the West Region Indoor Track & Field Coach of the year by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. “She will be an exciting addition to next year's squad.”

Worthen joins one of the most storied running programs in the country in Seattle Pacific. The Falcons produced 22 National Champions and 158 All-Americans in their 57-year history.

Western Washington

Eight Prep Standouts Sign With Vikings (6/26/08)

Eight high school seniors have signed national letters of intent to compete for Western Washington University, including two state champions - sprinter Eleanor Siler from Lewis & Clark High School in Spokane and jumper Emily Warman from Sedro-Woolley High School.

Siler was a two-time Class 4A state champion in the Girls 400 meters with a best time of 55.62. She also placed second at state in the 200 (25.01). Warman, who will also play soccer at WWU, was the Class 3A state champion in the girls long jump with a mark of 18-2 1/4 and was fourth in the triple jump with a mark of 37-5 (personal best 38-8).

Other signees include decathlete Tim Clendaniel from Bothell High School, sprinter Chantel Green from Ferndale High School, hurdler Andrew Gray from Skyline High School in Sammamish, distance runner Phoebe Hartnett from Patrick Henry High School in San Diego, Calif., distance runner Kirsten Moore from Carlsbad (Calif.) High School and sprinter/jumper Callie Muri from Billings West High School in Billings, Mont.

Muri placed fourth at state in the girls triple jump, fifth in the long jump and sixth in the 100. The Midland Roundtable Athlete of the Year, she also ran legs on the state champion 4x100 and 4x400 relays.

Gray finished third at the Class 3A state championships in the boys 110 hurdles with a 14.80 clocking and Green was fourth at the Class 2A state meet in the girls 200, setting a school record with a time of 25.36. Clendaniel placed second at the 2008 Washington State Decathlon Championships.

Previous Recruits