July 27, 2007

Charlottesville - Virginia head track and field coach Randy Bungard announced the 2006-2007 recruiting class. Adding to the depth of the women's team are 12 first-years while the men's squad adds 13 newcomers. Included in the group are a number of state champions and record holders as well as student-athletes who have made an impact at the national level.

"We didn't lose many student-athletes to graduation this past spring," said Bungard. "With the addition of 25 new student-athletes to our roster, I feel that we have moved in a positive direction with this class. We covered a large number of event areas and filled some holes that we needed to fill. On the men's side, this is the best class that we have brought in since my time at Virginia. That's very exciting. I think it is a testament to what our guys are accomplishing on the cross country course and on the track. This class, along with our veterans, will help us achieve our goal of being a top team in the ACC. The women' s class ranks as one of the top three we have had since I have been at UVa. We lost some big scorers, such as Tomika [Ferguson] and Erin [Crawford]. Those are hard shoes to fill, but we brought in some individuals that can take up some of that responsibility and help us right away. Our women's goals are similar to our men's and we feel that this group will add to our veterans experience and continue to move the program in an upward direction."

A closer look at the Class of 2011:

Emil Heineking (Chardon, Ohio / Chardon)
The Division 1 XC state champion and a Footlocker finalist in 2006, Heineking was also the state champion in 2007 at 3200m. PRs: 1:55.49 - 800m; 4:09.68 - 1600m; 9:03.00 - 2 Mile

Ryan Collins (Mansfield, Mass. / Mansfield)
Collins was the Div 1 state champion in XC in 2006 and followed that up as the indoor and outdoor state champion in the two-mile in 2007. He also earned All-American honors in the indoor two-mile in 2007. PRs: 3:56.59 - 1500m; 9:06.44 - 2 mile

"Ryan and Emil are going to add to an already very strong group of distance runners here at UVa," said Bungard. "They will be able to step in and help us right away. They are both very accomplished on the cross country course and have been able to take that ability to the track as well."

Conlon Bonner - (New York, N.Y. / Fiorello H Laguardia)
The national runner-up in the long jump at the 2007 National Scholastic Indoor championships, Bonner earned All-American honors as a senior. He was also the Runner-up in the long jump and 300m at the 2007 New York state Indoor championship. PRs: 23' 8" - long jump; 49.04 - 400m; 34.87 - 300m (indoor)

Marcus Robinson (Richmond, Va./J.R. Tucker)
All-Metro in the long jump and triple jump, Robinson is the 2007 Virginia AAA Indoor state triple jump champion. He was coached in high school by UVa triple jump record-holder Keith Witherspoon. PRs: 23' 2 1/4" - long jump; 48' 3/4" - triple jump

"Marcus and Conlon fill a void that we have had for some time," said Bungard. "There are points to be scored in the horizontal jumps in the ACC and both of these young men have the ability to come in and score right away. Additionally, they are both very good sprinters that will be able to help us on a variety of relays. They will be significant contributers right away."

Simon Bidele-Snead (Berryville, Va./Clarke County)
A four-time Virginia A state 3200m champion, Bidele-Snead is also a two-time Virginia A state Cross Country champion. PRs: 4:24.24 - 1600m; 9:19.00 - 3200m

"Simon is a four-time state champion at 3200m at the Virginia A state meet," said Bungard. "It says a great deal to be able to handle the dynamics of defending a title for three years. This hasn't been done very often at any level. It speaks to Simon' s competitive nature."

Adams Abdulrazaaq (Highland Springs, Va./Highland Springs)
Abdulrazaaq earned All-Metro honors in the 110H and 300H and was named the Richmond-Metropolitan Athlete of the Year. He was the 2007 AAA state champion in the 55H and the 110H. PRs: 110H - 14.04; 300H - 37.79; 200m - 22.08; 400m - 49.17; 55m - 6.47; 60H - 8.12

"Adams will be able to do so much for us in a number of places," commented Bungard. "He has only hurdled for one year and won the Virginia AAA state meet at 60H and 110H in his first year. He is a fine athlete that competed in seven or eight events at dual meets. Adams is someone to watch out for at the next level. His best times are in front of him."

Rachel Rose (Charlottesville, Va. / Albemarle)
The two-time Virginia AAA state Cross Country champion (2005, 2006), Rose also won the 3200m state championship in 2006. PRs: 5:00.50 - 1600m; 10:45.52 - 3200m

"Rachel was one of the best runners in the state of Virginia," said Bungard. "It is very nice to be able to keep her home and get a chance to continue to watch her grow and develop into a top collegiate runner. She has tremendous potential."

Morgan Bolen (Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada / Leboldus H.S.)
Bolen was the provincial champion at 400m and 800m and the provincial runner-up at 1500m. PRs: 2:11.25 - 800m; 57.30 - 400m; 7:16.98 - 2K Steeple

"Morgan is a great athlete," noted Bungard. "She is a former competitive speed skater and a pretty good 2K steeplechaser as well. Her versatility will be a great strength of hers and will be able to help us in many ways. Her combination of strength and speed is a plus."

Indira Morton (South Brunswick, N.J. / South Brunswick)
An Indoor All-American in the pentathlon in 2007 and an outdoor All-American in the javelin in 2006; Morton took fourth place in the javelin at the 2007 N.J. meet of champions after winning the Group 4 state meet in the javelin. She also earned runner-up honors in the Group 4 state meet in the long jump. PRs: 139' 4" - javelin; 18' 6" - long jump

"Indira is a very versatile athlete across many event areas," said Bungard. "Her strengths are the javelin and the long jump, but has potential as a multi-eventer as well. It will be fun learning her strengths once we get a chance to coach her. She can obviously help us in a few places."

Rashawnda James (Charlottesville, Va. /Charlottesville)
The 2007 Central Virginia Field Athlete of the Year, James led her team to the Virginia AA indoor state title by winning the long and triple jumps and finishing runner-up in the 55m and the 300m dashes. She was the Virginia AA outdoor state champion in the triple jump and 4 x 100m relay. PRs: 19' 1" - long jump; 38' 7 1/2" - triple jump

Kisha Garrick (Milford, Va. / Caroline)
The 2007 Virginia AA indoor state champion at 55m, Garrick also took third place in both the 300m and long jump. She was the 2007 Virginia AA outdoor runner-up at 200m and finished third in the 100m. Garrick was also the runner-up at 100m and 200m at the 2006 Virginia AA Outdoor state championships. PRs: 100m - 12.07; 200m - 24.85; long jump - 17' 9 1/2"; triple jump - 37' 7"

"Rashawnda and Kisha had many battles at the Virginia AA state meets," said Bungard. They are both very fine, talented athletes who can excel in the sprints and the jumps. I am excited to get a chance to work with both of them. They will both contribute immediately on the track and in the pit."

Kristina Chapman (Hampton, Va. / Hampton)
Chapman was the fourth place finisher at the 2006 Virginia AAA Outdoor state championships at 300H. PRs: 100H - 14.93; 300H - 44.26

Chidima Uche (Ann Arbor, Mich. / Pioneer)
Uche was the 2007 and 2006 Michigan outdoor state champion in the 300H as well as the 2006 state champion in the 100H. She earned runner-up honors in the 2007 60m hurdles. PRs: 100H - 14.17; 300H - 43.68; 400H - 62.55; 60H - 8.89

"Kristina and Chidi will add depth to our hurdle group, as well as being viable relay candidates on a number of our relays," said Bungard. "Kristina ran in the shadow of her teammate in high school and I look forward to watching her break out and make her own mark. Chidi is a many-time Michigan Division I state champion and is well versed at both the 100H and 300H. Both will help us right away."

Callie Hlavin (Charlottesville, Va. / Charlottesville)
PRs: high jump - 5' 3"; long jump - 17' 3"; Pentathlon - 2992

Katie Trizna (Manassas, Va. / Osbourne Park)
PRs: high jump - 5' 6"; long jump - 18' 1 1/2"

Annie Grant (Blacksburg, Va. / Blacksburg)
Grant was the 2006 Virginia AA Indoor state champion at 55H. PRs: high jump - 5' 4"; long jump - 17' 3"; 100H - 15.24, 3087 - pentathlon

"Callie, Katie, and Annie are very similar," said Bungard. "All three of these young ladies will develop into fine multi-eventers for us. This is an area where we haven't had depth. Being able to train together will help them develop together and eventually be consistent contributors to our team."

"Overall, we are continuing to strive at keeping the state's best athletes in the state," summarized Bungard. "I think we did that with the addition of the Virginia kids we are bringing in this fall."