Aug. 29, 2011
SAN DIEGO - The San Diego State track and field team has released its 2011 recruiting class, head coach Shelia Burrell announced today.
The group of eight includes two college transfers and six incoming freshman. Five of the eight recruits are mid-distance and distance runners, while the three others will specialize in the hurdles, throws and the high jump, respectively.
"This year's focus was to build depth in our distance and middle distance group," Burrell said. "We do a great job of developing talent at SDSU and I'm looking forward to working with this group of women. Additionally, we are getting a standout recruit in Alexa Evans. Adding Alexa, who is ranked 11th in the discus in 2011, makes us one of the few schools in the country with three national class discus throwers."
Katie Berge comes from Acalanes High School in Lafayette, Calif., where she was a member of the cross country team and a mid-distance runner on the track. In cross country, Berge ran personal-best times of 19 minutes, 13 seconds in the 3-mile run at the NCS/Les Schwab Tires Championship in 2007 and 19:11 in the 5K at the Asics Clovis Invitational in 2009. On the track, Berge owns impressive PR's of 2:15.80 in the 800 (2010 NCS Meet of Champions) and 5:16.32 in the 1,600 (2011 DFAL Championships), while winning numerous races as well.
"I picked San Diego State because the track and field program was exactly what I was looking for," Berge said. "I fell in love with the campus on my first visit. I love the location and the people I've met, and I can't wait to continue my running career at SDSU."
The lone recruit outside of California, Maya Carter comes to Montezuma Mesa from Case High School in Racine, Wis. During her time at Case HS, Carter excelled in the hurdles, earning a runner-up finish in the 300 hurdles at the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association D1 State Championships for three consecutive years from 2009-11. In 2010 at the championship meet, Carter ran a personal-best time of 43.81. In the 100 hurdles, Carter ran a best time of 15.44 to win the SEC Outdoor Conference meet on May 17, 2011.
"I chose San Diego State to earn a degree in marketing," Carter said. "I'm excited to be a member of this wonderful track and field program. I enjoyed the people I've met, the academic reputation and the weather."
A local product from West Hills High School in Santee, Calif., Alexa Evans is the lone thrower in the eight-member recruiting class. Evans racked up 61 wins over the shot put and the discus over her high school career, including three conference victories and three San Diego Section CIF Masters Championships. This past season, Evans won both the shot put and discus at the CIF Masters, and was a runner-up finisher in the discus at the CIF State Championships. Evans owns personal records of 41 feet, 6 inches in the shot put and 158-3 in the discus, both marks which were set last season.
"I chose SDSU because I feel that I can become friends with my teammates and have an enjoyable experience while continuing to better myself in the throwing events," Evans said. "Also, SDSU is one of the top colleges with my major of film and new media production. The weather can't be beat either, which will only help me improve my athletic performance."
Kaitlyn Harrison, a San Clemente, Calif., native and San Clemente HS grad, is a distance specialist who will compete for the Aztec cross country team this fall. Harrison boasts cross country-best times of 18:15 at the 3-mile distance and 19:02 in the 5K. On the track, Harrison ran a personal-best time of 2:22.06 in the 800 last March 12 at the Irvine Invitational.
Another local product, Megan Hughes comes to San Diego State from Valhalla High School in El Cajon, Calif., where she was a mid-distance and distance runner. Hughes, who is also expected to compete on the Aztec cross country team this fall, owns PR's of 5:25.67 in the 1,600 and 11:58.8 in the 3,200. Hughes took fourth in the 1,600 at the Grossmont Conference Championships in 2010 with a time of 5:29.55 and sixth at the 2011 championships in the 3,200 (11:58.8).
Carrington Mahr, meanwhile, joins the Aztecs after spending two years at UC Davis. She'll have two seasons of indoor eligibility left and three years of outdoor. With the Aggies, Mahr high jumped 5-3 ¾ for an indoor-best mark in 2010 and 5-7 ¼ for an outdoor-best mark in 2010. Mahr won the 2010 Johnny Mathis Invite (5-5) and added three runner-up finishes on the outdoor season. During her prep career at Buchanan High School, Mahr was a two-time state meet qualifier in the high jump, finishing ninth as a junior and tied for 13th as a senior. Mahr set school records at Buchanan HS in the high jump (5-6), long jump (17-4) and the triple jump (36-8 ½).
A transfer from Santa Barbara City College, Seanie Rigney competed the 2009 season with the Vaqueros. Rigney helped SBCC improve to a third-place finish at the WSC Championships after finishing eighth the year before. The Vaqueros then took eighth at the 26-team Southern Cal Regional and 21st in the state, despite running just five athletes all season. Individually, Rigney ran cross country-best times of 19:24 in the 3-mile and 20:26 in the 5,000, both in 2009.
The final recruit from this year's recruiting class is Melissa Wendorf, who comes to Montezuma Mesa from Granada Hills High School in Los Angeles. A cross country/distance runner, Wendorf ran a personal-best time of 19:51.62 over three miles at the L.A. City Section Championship meet on Nov. 10, 2010. On the track, Wendorf boasts best times of 5:16.80 in the 1,600 (2011 West Valley League Finals) and 11:56.39 in the 3,200 (2011 Los Angeles City Finals).
The SDSU cross country team kicks off its 2011 slate on Sept. 17 when its hosts the 67th annual Aztec Invitational at Balboa Park. Five races will be contested over the day beginning with the women's open 5,000 (5K) at 8 a.m. PT. San Diego State will compete in the women's invitational 5K at 8:30 a.m. PT, before giving way to the men's races (invitational 8K at 9 a.m. PT and open 8K at 9:30 a.m. PT). A community 5K race will conclude the day's activities at 10 a.m. PT.