Teammates congratulate Jasmine Cho after an event at the 2010 Heps (photo courtesy Harvard Athletic Communications).
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – The Harvard track and field team will bring in 42 freshmen men and women for the 2010-11 indoor and outdoor track and field campaigns. The group features athletes that compete in all areas of the sport, including a number of distance runners who are currently competing on the cross country team.
"We are extremely excited about both our men's and women's recruiting classes for track and field," said director of Harvard track and field and cross country Jason Saretsky. "There is a lot of potential on both sides and I am sure we will be able to feel the impact right away. We were able to fill some important holes as well as replace some big shoes that graduated. This year's class includes a number of incredibly talented student-athletes covering a wide range of events. I am confident their contributions will be a part of what makes this another successful year for Harvard Track and Field."
Both the men's and women's teams had solid seasons in 2009-10, highlighted by Claire Richardson's top-20 finish in the 5,000 meter run at the Outdoor National Championships. At Outdoor Heps, Justin Grinstead successfully defended his title in the 400 meter hurdles, earning a spot on the All-Ivy team, and was joined on the All-Ivy squad by Jessica Fronk (javelin) and Nicole Sliva (heptathlon). At Indoor Heps, Jack Brady (shot put), John Dingus (400 meter dash), Ashtynn Baltimore (long jump) and Olivia Weeks (triple jump) all earned second-team All-Ivy League honors while the men's distance medley relay team captured the title at the IC4A Championships.
In Coach Erickson's throws group, the loss of captain Jack Brady will be softened by the addition of Nike Indoor Champion, USA Today All-American and Ohio state record holder in the shot put, Dustin Brode. Brady will remain with the team in the role of assistant coach and will help Coach Erickson oversee additional newcomers Adabell Ekechukwu, Alysha Johnson and Hannah Mayer.
The newest member of the staff, Bryan Fetzer, also welcomes a host of freshman to his sprints, horizontal jumps and heptathlon crew. Leading the way under Fetzer's charge are Indoor All-American hurdler Olivia Abbate, New England 300 and 400-meter champion Meisha Brooks and Illinois all-state sprinter Chelsea Celistan.
Staff veteran Matt Chisam shifts his duties this year to coach the high jumpers and decathletes, in addition to the pole vaulters and high hurdlers. Highlighted by Adrienn LaChance, the New York freshman and sophomore state record holder in the pole vault, and Kobi Rex, a 6'-10" high jumper and multi-eventer from Colorado, Chisam's newcomers will make up over half of his group.
A number of freshman distance and mid-distance runners are already contributing to Harvard's cross country team but looking ahead towards indoors, head coach Jason Saretsky has added four strong two-milers in Canadian National Team member James Leakos and three sub-9:00 3200-meter men in Maksim Korolev, Kurt Ruegg and New Hampshire state record holder, Aaron Watanabe. California state champion, Kristina Funahashi, and runner-up, Catherine Hasbrouck, will lead the freshman distances from the ladies' side. Two Murphys, unrelated Li Murphy of Idaho and Alaina Murphy of Wisconsin, bring clout to coach Amy Gosztyla's mid-distance group as they bring in six state championship medals between them.
Joining the members of the cross country team after the fall, here is a look at the track and field class of 2014:
WOMEN
Olivia Abbate, sprints, Old Bethpage, N.Y./St. Anthony's
Member of the volleyball and track and field teams at St. Anthony's, serving as captain of the track and field team as a senior … Five-time indoor and outdoor track all-league honoree … Indoor track All-American as a senior and named St. Anthony's Athlete of the Year in 2010 … Winner of Suffolk Zone of N.Y. State Association for Health, Physical Education, recreation and Dance Award and MSG Varsity Scholar Athlete Award and member of the all-state and Long Island Elite second team … Three-time outdoor track team MVP … Captured 14 league and intersectional championships in final three years of high school … Helped team to indoor and outdoor league and intersectional championships … Part of 2010 Millrose Games champion 4x400-meter relay team … Helped 4x400 team place fifth at Nike Indoor National Meet … School record holder in 55 and 100 and 400-meter hurdles and 4x400-meter relay … Helped volleyball team to league championship as a junior … Member of the National Honor Society and math honors society and recipient of the Principal's Award and St. Bonaventure Award.
Rachael Apfel, jumps, Highland Village, Texas/Marcus
Lettered in track and field all four years at Marcus … Served as team captain as a senior … Ranked third in the state as a junior and a senior and named team MVP as a sophomore and a senior … School record holder in the triple jump and 4x100-meter relay … District triple jump champion as a sophomore, junior and senior … National merit finalist, member of the National Honor Society and president of the English Honor Society.
Meisha Brooks, sprints, Roslindale, Mass./Boston Latin
Four-year member of the track and field team and captain during senior season … Received Coach's Award for 2008-09 indoor track season and named to Boston Globe all-scholastic team in 2009 and 2010 … Team MVP for indoor and outdoor track in 2009 … Massachusetts state record holder in the 4x200-meter relay … Division I and New England champion in the 300-meter dash and Division I champion in the 400-meter dash in 2009 … Division I and all-state champion as anchor for the 4x200 relay team in 2010 … Recipient of the President's Award for educational excellence, the Stonehill College Book Award and Le Grand Concours Certificat de Reussite … National Honor Society member … Enjoys fashion, singing, dance, guitar, art, languages and traveling.
Chelsea Celistan, sprints, Hinsdale, Ill./Hinsdale
Member of the track and field, basketball and cheerleading teams at Hinsdale … Captained all three squads as a senior … Received all-state honors in the 100-meter dash, 4x100-meter relay and 4x200-meter relay … Selected to all-area outdoor sports team and named 2007 rookie of the year … Helped track team to a state championship in 2010 … Holds six team and individual school track and field records … Collected conference championships in the 55 and 100-meter dashes and the 4x100 and 4x200-meter relays … Helped team to conference championships all four years … National Merit Achievement Scholar, National Merit Commended Student and AP Scholar with honor… Recipient of Rotary Youth Award and Illinois Track and Field Scholastic Achievement Award … Illinois state scholar, treasurer and senator of student council and member of the National Honor Society, National Spanish Honor Society and conflict resolution team … Interests include travelling and watching professional sports … Cousin, Elvin Bethea, is a member of the National Football League Hall of Fame after playing for the Houston Oilers.
Adabelle Ekechukwu, shot put, Oak Brook, Ill./Hinsdale Central
Three year member of the track and field team and two-year member of the basketball team … Captained both basketball and track and field teams as a senior … Three-year Illinois state basketball scholar-athlete and all-state track and field selection in 2009 … School record holder in the shot put and for rebounds in a single season … Involved with Habitat for Humanity, student council, National Honor Society and Hinsdale Adventist hospital … Enjoys watching classic movies and reading.
Katie Hernandez, high jump, Pasadena, Calif./Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy
Alysha Johnson, throws, Battle Creek, Mich./Walled Lake Western
Member of the softball, volleyball and track and field teams at Walled Lake Western … Served as captain of the softball team in 2009 and 2010 and captain of the track and field team in 2010 … Four-year city champion in the shot put and two-year regional champion in the event … Also two-year county and state champion in the shot put … Took first in the shot put at the Midwest Meet of Champions in 2010 … School record holder in the shot put and discus … Received academic all-state credentials in all three sports as a junior and senior … President of the African American Awareness Club and the student council … Member of the National Honor Society, marching band and science Olympiad … Enjoys sports, music, playing saxophone and piano, watching movies and facebook.
Adrienn LaChance, pentathlon/pole vault, New Windsor, N.Y./Cornwall
Four-year letterwinner on Cornwall track and field team and also involved with gymnastics… 2006 school MVP in field events … Ranked within the top five nationally in the pole vault as a junior … Participated in numerous New York state and regional gymnastics competitions, qualifying for nationals and medaling on the beam in 2006 … New York state freshman and sophomore indoor and outdoor record holder in the pole vault … 2007 Empire State Games champion in the pole vault … Recipient of the 2010 President's Education Award … Mother, Andrea, was 1973 cross country skiing national champion for Hungary … Sister, Alexandra, was a first-team All-American in gymnastics at Arkansas and graduated in 2008.
Hannah Mayer, throws, Allendale, N.J./Northern Highlands Regional
Member of the volleyball, basketball and track and field teams and Northern Highlands Regional … Served as captain of the volleyball and track and field teams as a senior … First-team All-Northern Bergen Interscholastic League (NBIL) volleyball in 2008 and 2009 … Also received first-team all-state and all-county recognition in 2009 … Three-time All-NBIL in the javelin and two-time in the discus … Also named to all-county and all-state squads in the javelin as a junior and senior … Helped volleyball team to state championship in 2008 and runner up finish in 2009 … School record holder in the javelin and discus and qualified for Penn Relays in the javelin as a junior and senior … National Honor Society, DECA and student council member.
Ellen McCammon, jumps, Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove North
Three-year member of the track and field team at Downers Grove North … Placed first at indoor conference championship in the triple jump as a sophomore … Registered top-three results in indoor and outdoor triple jump events as a junior … National Merit Scholar, Illinois State Scholar, National Honor Society Member, editor of the school newspaper, member of the math team and peer tutor … gold and silver keys in the Scholastic Art Awards in 2009 and 2010 … Enjoys reading, writing, drawing and skiing.
Alexandra Pace, pole vault, Geneva, Ill./Geneva Community
Four-year member of the track and field team at Geneva Community and team captain as a junior and senior … Four-time all-conference honoree and three-time conference champion in the pole vault … Three-time state meet qualifier and state champion in the pole vault as a senior after finishing second as a junior … Voted team MVP in 2009 and 2010 … Placed eighth at Nike Outdoor Nationals in 2009 and member of the 2009-10 Tribune scholar-athlete team … Helped team to conference championships in 2009 and 2010 … Member of the National Honor Society and co-founder of not-for-profit organization Frillz, Inc. … AP and Illinois state scholar … Recipient of the Academic Tradition of Excellence Award from 2006-10 … Member of world youth in science and engineering team, leadership team and accelerated and enrichment advisory board … Enjoys music, reading, skiing and adventuring.
Christina Twicken, sprints, San Clemente, Calif./San Clemente
Lettered four years on the track and field team and served as a captain during junior and senior seasons … League champion in the 400-meter dash all four years and placed ninth in California as a junior … Holds two individual and two school relay records, as well as league records in the 400-meter dash and the 4x400-meter relay … Named Triton of the Year and received the San Clemente Leadership Award … Involved with Books of Hope organization and after school tutoring … Enjoys particle physics and teaching.
MEN
Dustin Brode, shot put, Canfield, Ohio/Canfield
Four-year member of the track and field team at Canfield and two-year member of the football team … Captained the track and field team as a junior and senior … USMC Outstanding Athlete Award and Nike indoor national champion in the shot put in 2010 … Ohio shot put and weight throw state champion in 2009 and 2010 … Named USA Today All-American for throws … Holds all-time Ohio shot put record of 71' 7.5" … Member of Ohio math league and recipient of the 2009 and 2010 academic excellence award … German club president … Enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking, climbing and spelunking, weightlifting, golf and reading … Father, Gary, wrestled for Youngstown State, graduating in 1982.
Caleb Galoozis, hurdles, Bloomington, Ind./Bloomington
Member of the track and field and cross country teams at Bloomington, captaining the track and field team as a senior … Two-time Herald-Times all-area team honoree and all-state nominee … Recipient of the Conference Indiana Academic Award, the Lynn "Skip" Whaley Outstanding Senior Male Athlete Award, the John E. Koontz Sportsmanship Award and the Fred Huff Mental Attitude Award … Three-time Indiana state meet qualifier and helped team to four sectional and regional championships … Part of the 2009 Conference Indiana championship track and field team … AP Scholar with honors and Commended National Merit Scholar … Recipient of the Principal's Scholar Award, academic honors diploma, President's Award for High School Scholars, President's Award for Education Excellence and U.S. Marine Corps Scholastic Excellence Award … Member of the National Honor Society, boy's track and field academic all-state squad, leaders of tomorrow and district champion small business management team … Interests include piano, guitar and theatre.
Jared Kadich, sprints, Danvers, Mass./St. John's Prep
Member of the indoor and outdoor track and field teams at St. John's … Served as captain of the track and field team as a senior … Two-time team MVP … Two-time indoor division I champion in the 300-meter dash … 400 meter dash state champion … Holds three individual and two school relay records … Enjoys weightlifting.
Timothy Moan, jumps/hurdles, Watertown, Mass./Watertown
Participated in soccer, baseball, track and field and cross country at Watertown, captaining the outdoor track team as a senior … Earned All-Middlesex League honors in the 55-meterm 110-meter and 400-meter hurdles … Received all-state and All-New England honors in the 55-meter hurdles in 2010 … Anchored the relay team that set the Class D state record in the 4x110 shuttle hurdle relay … Bausch and Lomb Award winner for achievement in science … Rensselaer Medal winner for achievement in math and science … Member of the National Honor Society and Cum Laude Society … Father, Ned Moan, played football and baseball at Tufts and graduated in 1977.
Kobi Rex, multi-event, Colorado Springs, Colo./Lewis-Palmer
Attended The Classical Academy for two years before finishing high school career at Lewis-Palmer … Member of the track and field, cross country and soccer teams … Served as captain of the cross country team as a junior … All-American in the decathlon and state champion in the high jump, decathlon and pentathlon … Named Lewis-Palmer most valuable male athlete … Claimed Metro League championships in the high jump and pole vault … Holds the school record in the high jump … Member of the National Honor Society and named Lewis-Palmer foreign language underclassman of the year as a junior … Member of the U.S. Under-18 team handball squad … Mother, Kathy Rex, was a member of the 1988 U.S. Olympic team handball squad.
Jonathan Sparks, high jump, La Canada Flintridge, Calif./La Canada
Four-year letterman in track and field at La Canada … Lettered in basketball as a junior … Two-year captain of freshman and JV basketball teams … Two-time league high jump champion and three-time team MVP in the event … State high jump finalist in 2009 and second place at sectionals … School record holder in the high jump … USA Track and Field regional high jump champion in 2009 … Junior Olympics participant … 2010 Golden State Merit Seal Recipient and member of the California Scholarship Federation and National Honor Society … Outstanding AP American History student and Bank of America Award recipient for German … Received Principals Recognition for contribution and leadership to the school … AP Scholar and member of the Mu Alpha Theta Mathematics Honor Society … California boy's state delegate … Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership Ambassador … Enjoys writing, film and disc golf … Brother, Nicholas, played soccer at Claremont McKenna and graduated in 2010.
