University of Richmond Athletics
Spider Track And Field Announces Recruiting Class
06/23/2005 | Women's Track & Field
June 23, 2005
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. - A total of 15 women will join the Richmond women's track and field squad for the 2005-06 season, coaches Steve and Lori Taylor announced Thursday. The list of athletes and their honors show the Taylors and Richmond continue to attract top prospects to the both the track & field and cross country programs.
"We want to qualify athletes to the NCAA Championships in all of the track & field disciplines including the distance events, sprints, throws and jumps," Director of Track and Field Lori Taylor said. "Some of these young women have the tools to reach the top ranks among the NCAA. Our goal in recruiting this season was to fill areas where we've been lacking depth. I believe we've made progress in that area."
Highlighting the freshman class will be Angelene Cicero (John F. Kennedy - Warren, Ohio), Karen Guthrie (West Morris Mendham - Mendham, N.J.), Carly Hess (Warwick - Lititz, Pa.), Paloma Krakower (Onteora - Woodstock, N.Y.), Jasmine Major (Hermitage - Glen Allen, Va.), Katie Van Horn (Triton Regional - Glendora, N.J.) and Jessica Young (Ridge View - Columbia, S.C.).
Cicero recently defended her Ohio Division III state title in the 300 meter hurdles with a time of 43.86. Her effort established the fastest time in the state in 2005 and missed the state record by .01. Her mark ranks in the Top-20 nationally for scholastic seniors. She also qualified for the state championship in the 100 meter hurdles.
Guthrie placed third in the 3200 meter run at the 2005 New Jersey Meet of Champions this outdoor season. Her time of 10:52.76 ranks 14th nationally for seniors in the 3200 meters.
Hess, a product of Warwick High School in Lititz, Pa., has excelled in the short sprints and long jump events throughout her prep career. She recorded personal bests in the 100 meters and long jump of 12.2M (Solanco Invitational) and 18-05.75 (PIAA State Championships) respectively last season. The All-State long jumper was one of the premiere scholastic jumpers in the state of Pennsylvania.
Major joins the Spiders as a Richmond area standout at Hermitage High School in the sprints, hurdles and jumps. She was crowned the 2005 Colonial District and Central Regional Champion in the 100 meter hurdles and 100 meters. The Glen Allen native set personal bests to win the 100 meter hurdle event at the District Championships (14.34) and the 100 meters (12.05) at the Regional Championships. She jumped 37-03.75 to win the triple jump at the 2005 Colonial District Championships and has a personal best of 17-10.00 in the long jump.
Krakower is a former New York State 400 meter Champion and has run 57.06 in the event.
Van Horn became a dominant force in the distance events in New Jersey her senior year. She earned All-State honors in cross country, indoor track & field and outdoor track & field. She won the 2005 Meet of Champions Outdoor title in the 3200 meter run and claimed the 2005 NJ Group IV title in the 3200 meter with a time of 10:40.24. She placed seventh in the prestigious Penn Relays 3000 meter race with a time of 10:08.48. Her 3K mark ranks seventh nationally among high school seniors, while her 3200 meter performance ranks ninth among prep seniors.
Young completed her senior year undefeated in the 400 meters. At the 2005 South Carolina Championships she won four gold medals in the 200 meters, 400 meters and the 400 and 1600 meter relays. She ranks as one of the top 400 meter runners scholastically and ranks seventh nationally among high school seniors with her 54.59 effort to win the event at the Taco Bell Classic.
"We are excited about the group of women joining our program this fall," Head Men's Coach and Recruiting Coordinator Steve Taylor said. "We attracted athletes to areas of our program where our women have lacked traditional depth. I believe it shows the University of Richmond is well known and respected throughout the country. Our campus has been ranked among the nations 'Most Beautiful' for the past eight years, we have excellent facilities, our University has one of the top seven graduation rates for student-athletes in the nation and we offer one of the premier educations in the country. Many of these women will help our program immediately."
In addition to the seven student-athletes previously highlighted, the Spiders will boast eight other newcomers listed below:
Mary Bertram (The Cannon School - Salisbury, N.C.)
Hilary Bye (Westford Academy - Westford, Mass.)
Allix Geneslaw (Toms River North - Toms River, N.J.)
Stefanie Lapp (Meadowbrook - Senecaville, Ohio)
Erin Mearns (Walshingham Academy - Williamsburg, Va.)
Emily Nagle (Broadneck - Annapolis, Md.)
Lisa Sinkovitz (Immaculate Heart Academy - Woodcliff, N.J.)
Marissa White (Institute of Notre Dame - Hanover, Md.)
