The largest recruiting class in Lee University cross country and track & field history will join the Lady Flames for 2016-17, announced Head Coach Caleb Morgan
"Recruiting is the cornerstone to developing and sustaining a successful program," Morgan said. "We have brought in a number of distance runners who we believe will make us a contender for this year's GSC championship."We have picked up a number of athletes who will compete in track & field events we haven't had athletes in before. The quality of the athletes we have brought in should make us a top 25 program in DII for this coming spring."
The highlights of this year's recruiting class are: Georgia State shot put Champion, North Carolina Cross Country State Champion, four-time Vermont State High Jump Champion, University of Kentucky transfer (former Tennessee State Champion), Shorter University transfer (11-time South Australian State Champion), Kenya cross country runner boasting personal bests faster than any runner in the conference at the 3000 and 5000 meter distances.
Jordan Allison (Pelham, Alabama - Pelham High School)
Personal Records: 300m hurdles (45.30), 800m (2:19), 400m (59.86)
• 3rd Alabama 6A State Championship 300m hurdles
• 5th Alabama 6A State Championship 800m
Coach Morgan: "Jordan will give us a strong presence in the 400m hurdles. She will also be a member on our 4x400m relay team.
Charlee Boxall (Adelaide, Australia - Shorter University)
Personal Records: 1500m (4:54), 800m (2:18), 5000m (18:58)
• Competed in Australian National Championships for track and cross country 11 times between 2009 - 2014
• Awarded Pierre de Coubertin Award in 2014 by the South Australian Olympic Committee
• State Champion in track six times between 2010 - 2014 over multiple distances
Coach Morgan: "Charlee had a tough year with injuries and redshirted her whole freshman year. If we can get her healthy she will be a big contributor for us in cross country."
Hannah Buttolph (Middlebury, Vermont -- Middlebury Union High School)
Personal Records: High Jump (5'5")
• four-time Vermont State Champion (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016)
• Vermont most valuable field event athlete
• Paul Gonzolez Athlete of the year award
Coach Morgan: "Hannah will come in as a freshman and contend for an individual conference championship in the high jump. We also look for Hannah to be a national qualifier indoor and outdoor at the event as a freshman."
Shyleah Catlin (Atlanta, Georgia -- Maynard Jackson High School)
Personal Records: 100m (12.34), Long Jump (17'5"), Triple Jump (33')
• Region 4 AAA Champion Long Jump
• Region 4 AAA Champion 100m
Coach Morgan: "Shyleah gives us a much needed boost in the long and triple jump. She will also run the 100m and be part of our 4x100m relay team."
Mercy Chepchumba (Eldoret, Kenya)
Personal Records: 5000m (17:04), 3000m (9:45)
Coach Morgan: "We are very excited to have Mercy joining our roster. She has run phenomenal times in Kenya. We look for her to make big contributions in cross country. Mercy has already hit two provisional standards for indoor and outdoor track. It is likely she will be an athlete we send to nationals in the spring."
Cassidy Devenouges (Apex, North Carolina -- Apex High School)
Personal Records: 5k (19:53), 1600m (5:46), 3200m (12:37)
• Kankakee all-area runner of the year (freshman year, 2012)
• Voted MVP of cross country team sophomore year at Bishop McNamara High School
Coach Morgan: "Cassidy is very underdeveloped. With a year in our program she will drop considerable time. We are excited to see the runner she becomes over the next year."
Lily Fell (Richland, Michigan -- Gull Lake High School)
Personal Records: 3200m (11:22), 5k (19:14), 1600m (5:29)
• All-State 3200m
• All-Region and All-Conference Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, and Senior year
Coach Morgan: "Lily is one of the fastest athletes we have ever brought in at the 3200m and 5k distances. She will have an immediate impact on our cross country team."
Nicolette Gordon (Chattanooga, Tennessee – University of Kentucky)
Personal Records: Indoor Pole Vault (12'8), Outdoor Pole Vault (12'0)
• Tennessee State Champion in Pole Vault
• Unofficial Tennessee High School state record holder at 12 feet 8 inches (official record 12'6)
• Finished 2nd place at National Pole Vault summit
Coach Morgan: "Nicolette struggled with injuries this past season at Kentucky. She will enter Lee as a redshirt freshman. She is someone we are counting on to qualify for nationals indoor and outdoor. Her best vault would have ranked her top 10 in Division II this past season."
Madison Hodges (Hart, Michigan – Hart High School)
Personal Records: 5000m (20:27), 800m (2:30)
• All-Conference Cross Country and Track
• All-Region Cross Country
Coach Morgan: "Madison will give us some much needed depth in cross-country. She is very underdeveloped. With a year in our program she will make big gains."
Blakely Moore (Highlands, North Carolina – Highlands High School)
Personal Records: 5K (19:44), 3200m (12:04), 1600m (5:33)
• 2015 NCHSAA 1A State Champion in cross country
• All-State in cross country 2014 (8th place)
• All-State track & field 2015 in the 1600m (4th place) and in the 3200m event (3rd place)
Coach Morgan: "Blakely just started running two years ago. She has had immediate success. She was ranked sixth coming into this year's cross country state championship. She had the race of her life and pulled off the win. She has a lot of momentum carrying her into the season. "
Camilla Sims (Atlanta, Georgia – Maynard Jackson High School)
Personal Records: Shot Put (42'), Discus (120'), Hammer (126'6"), Weight (10.79m)
• 2016 Georgia State Champion Shot Put
• 2015 Georgia State Runner-Up Shot Put
• 2015 4th Georgia State Championship Discus
• New Balance High School National Championship qualifier in Shot Put and Hammer
Coach Morgan: "Camilla comes into Lee with a decorated resume. She will have an immediate impact at the national level. We look for her to win a couple of individual conference championships as a freshman."
Becca Umbarger (Signal Mountain – Signal Mountain High School)
Personal Records: 3200 (11:40), 1600 (5:24), 5k (19:27)
• Cross Country Best of Preps for three years, three-time Team State Cross Country Champion, three-time Team State Track and Field Champion
• Placed 4th in the state 1600m (2014), placed in the state for the 4x800m relay (2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016).
Coach Morgan: "Becca comes into Lee with an outstanding resume. We can't wait to see the type of impact she will have on our team. She is good at every distance event. She will be big asset to us on the cross country course."
