Track and Field Announces 2003 Signees

RADFORD, Va. -- – Head Cross Country and Track and Field Coach Glenn Terry has announced his signing class for the upcoming 2003-04 school year. 19 freshmen and one transfer have signed National Letters-of-Intent to compete for the Highlanders this upcoming season. They are Lauren Diggs, Tiffany Evans, Ashley Camden, Elizabeth Carey, Tiffany Street, Mike Kelly, James Nixon, Brian Salerni, Douglas Kemp, Jr., Paul Hall, Giancarlo Maragni, Wayne Odom, Ben Ralls, Ross Bolden, Michael Meehan, Dilyn Gerber, Abe Gogel Eric Joyce, Brian Richotte and Michael Kondor.

“I feel this is an extremely solid class of freshmen with a great number of student athletes that will impact the Big South in their first Year,” said Terry. “Combined with the rising sophomores, I will be honored to watch them mature and matriculate together.”

Lauren Diggs, Jumps/Sprints (Stuarts Draft/Stuarts Draft) – Finished second at AA Outdoor State Meet in the 400 (57.76) and tied for third at 2003 AA Indoor State Meet in high jump (5-00.00) … personal bests of 25.92 and 035'08.25" in the 200 and triple jump respectively

Tiffany Evans, Throws (Dumfries, Va./Gar-Field) – Top thrower in the state of Virginia … finished fourth in the country this year in the shot put during the indoor season … three-time indoor and outdoor district and regional champion, as well as finishing second (indoor) in the state as a junior

Ashley Camden, Throws (Corunna, Ontario, Canada/St. Patrick’s) – Finished second in 2001 & 2002 and fourth in 2003 at the OFSAA championships … placed fifth at the Junior Nationals in the shotput, while competing on her London Western Club Team

Elizabeth Carey, Sprints (Haymarket, Va./Stonewall Jackson) – Member of all-state team in the 4x800 as a junior and all-state in the 4x400 as a freshman … finished 12th in the AAA Outdoor state meet in the 400 (58.84) as a junior

Tiffany Street, Sprints/Relays (Midlothian, Va./Manchester) – 4x100 and 4x400 relay specialist … will look to deepen a very talented sprint corp

Mike Kelly, Long Jump (Radford, Va./Radford) – 22-foot long jumper … placed third in the 2003 A Outdoor State Championships in the triple jump (43-05.00”)

James Nixon, Throws (Chesapeake, Va./Great Bridge) – Placed second (55-10.50) and third (56-01.00) in the 2003 AAA Indoor and Outdoor State Championships in the shotput … as a junior finished fourth and second in those events respectively ... tossed personal best 58-00.75” at this year’s Eastern Regional Indoor meet

Brian Salerni, Throws (Lake Braddock, Va./Burke) – Finished 12th (47-11.00) in the shotput at the 2003 AAA Indoor State Meet … personal best of 135-05.00 in the discus

Douglas Kemp, Jr., High Jump (Keyport, N.J./Meadowbrook) - An extremely versatile athlete … placed sixth and eighth in the state during his senior and junior campaigns respectively … first team all-district and second team all-region in 2003

Paul Hall, Sprints (Brandywine, Md./DeMatha Catholic) – Runs the 100 through the 400. Member of second place 4x100 team (41.08) at the prestigious 2003 Adidas Outdoor Championships and third place team (41.31) at the 2003 Penn Relays ... outdoor All-American as a junior

Giancarlo Maragni, Decathlon (Irwin, Pa./Greensburg, Central) – State hurdle champion in 2003 … WPIAH champ and PIAA third place finish as a junior (hurdles)

Wayne Odom, Pole Vault (Dinwiddie, Va./Dinwiddie) – Tireless worker and blue-collar student-athlete … district and regional champ in the indoor/outdoor pole vault and fifth at the AAA indoor state meet in 2003 … member of indoor all-state team in 2002 & 2003 ... in 2002, was the outdoor district and regional champion and placed third at the AAA state meet … member of the Central Regional all-academic indoor team 2001-03

Ben Ralls, Pole Vault/Decathlon (Franklin, Tenn./Battle Ground Academy) – Will make an instant impact in a variety of events … 15-foot pole vaulter … state pole vault champion as a sophomore ... regional decathlon champion in 2002 and 2003

Ross Bolden, 400 (Charlottesville, Va./Albemarle) – As a senior was the Commonwealth district champion in the long jump and 500 … Northwest Regional champion in the 400 and first team central Virginia in 2002 ... 49-second quarter-miler with untapped potential

Michael Meehan, Distance (Orange, Va./Barrington <R.I.>) – Strong distance runner … added talent to an already deep distance corp ... third team All-American while running for the Sentinel Striders Club team under Joe Bennett

Dilyn Gerber, Throws (Camden, Mich./Camden-Frontier) – State champion in the shotput as a junior and senior, runner-up as a sophomore … in football was first team all SCAA as a senior and second team his sophomore and junior seasons

Abe Gogel, Pole Vault (Virginia Beach, Va./Cox) – All-state indoor pole vault in 2003 … hard working athlete and should make an immediate impact

Eric Joyce, 800 (Montpelier, Va./Patrick Henry) – Strong half-miler … district 500 champion and team MVP as a senior … posted a 1:56.09 at the 2003 regional championships

Brian Richotte, Throws (Berkely, Mich./Detroit Mercy/Royal Oak Shrine HS) – Joins Radford from the University of Detroit Mercy, and will add to the impact and depth of a strong throws contingent … finished third at 2003 Horizon League Outdoor Championships in the discus and hammer

Michael Kondor, Pole Vault (Fort Defiance, Va./Fort Defiance) – Placed second in the region and fourth in the AA state meet in 2002 (indoor) and 2003 (outdoor) … personal best is 12-06.00 at both state meets