With Sally Kipyego (an amazing 7 national D-I titles at Tech) returning to run the indoor season only, since she has used up her outdoor track eligibility, the women's team is poised to be Top-5 indoors and to be a Top-20 team outdoors. This team does not have the depth to contend for a conference title and will be hard-pressed to duplicate their conference runnerup title outdoors. However, there are enough NATIONALLY ranked athletes to do very well on the bigger stage.
RETURNEES WHO COMPETED AT THE CONFERENCE MEET
Janell Appelhans - Jr - 21st Big 12 LJ
Jonisha Boleware - Jr - 11th Big 12 400
D'Andra Carter - Sr - 1st Big 12 DT and 3rd at the national meet
Asia Diaz - Sr - 5th Big 12 800
Veronica DiLullo - Jr - 20th Big 12 LJ, 21st Big 12 TJ
Michelle Guzman - So - 11th Big 12 5K, 18th Big 12 10K
Sandra Iwunze - Jr - 1st Big 12 400H/national qual., 6th Big 12 110H
Shannon Jackson - So - 11th Big 12 800
Kearci Jobe - So - 20th Big 12 800, former 4A 800 state champ
Gladys Kipsang - Jr - 3rd Big 12 800, 8th Big 12 5K
Patience Knight - Sr - 1st Big 12 SP/5th D-I, 7th Big 12 DT
Kelsey Lloyd - So - 6th Big 12 HJ
Ozie Okolie - Jr - 4th Big 12 HT, 16th at the D-I meet
Erica Worthy - Sr - 9th BIg 12 400
REDSHIRTS
Amanda Alley - Jr - placed in the Big 12 PV both 2006 and 2007
Addison Lemaster - FR from Tulia - 2A state qualifier in the 400/800 in 2005 and 2006
Kayla Sayegh - Fr from Cedar Park
Tori Smith - Jr - 7th in the Big 12 100H in 2007
Kaci Westervelt - Fr from Coppell
OTHER RETURNEES
Michelle Edman - Jr
Tori Epperson - Jr
Christina Graham - Sr
Katherine Priebe - So
SIGNEES ANNOUNCED LAST SPRING
Trudeann Clarke - Jr-JC from New Mexico JC - JC indoor national champ in the 400 in 2007
Terra Evans - Fr from Phoenix South Mountain - AZ 5A state champ in the 100 and 200, ranked 6th nationally in the 100 - beat the Texas 4A state champ, Victoria Jordan from Dunbar, at the Great Southwest meet in Albu.
Brintney Green - Fr from Spring Westfield - 3rd 5A 800 in 2005
Sage Lasater - Fr from Stephenville - 2nd 4A PV
OTHER ADDITIONS - these kids signed later in the signing period and some of them will REALLY help this team
Lillian Badaru - Jr from South Plains - signed with Ohio State, but got her LOI release - 3rd in the JC 5K/10K and JC runnerup in cross country
Devin Bailey - So from Coppell - ran 2 injury-filled years for UH - 4th in 5A 400 in 2006, 3rd National Jr Olympic 800 in 2006
Amanda Dowdy - Fr from Lexington, TX - 2A state champ in the HJ and volleyball starter - this kid is 6-3!
Roxie Greve - Fr from FB Clements - 2nd Dist 23-5A 100H
Claire Jones - Fr from Harper - has placed at A state in both the PV and the 800 - unusual combination
Caroline Mueller - Fr from Kansas City St. Thomas Aquinas - hurdler trying to make the team as a heptathlete
Ifeatu Okafor - Fr from Houston Westbury - 2nd in the 5A SP at the state meet and 4th in the Region II-5A DT - LAST NAME LOOK FAMILIAR?
Angela Onyia - Fr from Katy Cinco Ranch - 3rd Dist 18-5A SP
Jamie Simanek - Fr from Plano West - 3rd Region II-5A 100H, after winning the Dist. 9-5A 100H
Kylee Singleton - Fr from Breckenridge - 5th Region I-5A PV
There are lots of new kids who could contribute. But, what this team needs is more depth. Even with the addition of key people on the 4X400 (Trudeann Clarke and Devin Bailey) and the 4X100 (Terra Evans), both relays look rather weak. I still hold out hope that there could be 1-2 more additions at midterm who could help. Anyone know any sprinters??
Still, the national prognosis for this team looks good. There is simply not the kind of depth needed to compete for a conference championship.
RETURNEES WHO COMPETED AT THE CONFERENCE MEET
Janell Appelhans - Jr - 21st Big 12 LJ
Jonisha Boleware - Jr - 11th Big 12 400
D'Andra Carter - Sr - 1st Big 12 DT and 3rd at the national meet
Asia Diaz - Sr - 5th Big 12 800
Veronica DiLullo - Jr - 20th Big 12 LJ, 21st Big 12 TJ
Michelle Guzman - So - 11th Big 12 5K, 18th Big 12 10K
Sandra Iwunze - Jr - 1st Big 12 400H/national qual., 6th Big 12 110H
Shannon Jackson - So - 11th Big 12 800
Kearci Jobe - So - 20th Big 12 800, former 4A 800 state champ
Gladys Kipsang - Jr - 3rd Big 12 800, 8th Big 12 5K
Patience Knight - Sr - 1st Big 12 SP/5th D-I, 7th Big 12 DT
Kelsey Lloyd - So - 6th Big 12 HJ
Ozie Okolie - Jr - 4th Big 12 HT, 16th at the D-I meet
Erica Worthy - Sr - 9th BIg 12 400
REDSHIRTS
Amanda Alley - Jr - placed in the Big 12 PV both 2006 and 2007
Addison Lemaster - FR from Tulia - 2A state qualifier in the 400/800 in 2005 and 2006
Kayla Sayegh - Fr from Cedar Park
Tori Smith - Jr - 7th in the Big 12 100H in 2007
Kaci Westervelt - Fr from Coppell
OTHER RETURNEES
Michelle Edman - Jr
Tori Epperson - Jr
Christina Graham - Sr
Katherine Priebe - So
SIGNEES ANNOUNCED LAST SPRING
Trudeann Clarke - Jr-JC from New Mexico JC - JC indoor national champ in the 400 in 2007
Terra Evans - Fr from Phoenix South Mountain - AZ 5A state champ in the 100 and 200, ranked 6th nationally in the 100 - beat the Texas 4A state champ, Victoria Jordan from Dunbar, at the Great Southwest meet in Albu.
Brintney Green - Fr from Spring Westfield - 3rd 5A 800 in 2005
Sage Lasater - Fr from Stephenville - 2nd 4A PV
OTHER ADDITIONS - these kids signed later in the signing period and some of them will REALLY help this team
Lillian Badaru - Jr from South Plains - signed with Ohio State, but got her LOI release - 3rd in the JC 5K/10K and JC runnerup in cross country
Devin Bailey - So from Coppell - ran 2 injury-filled years for UH - 4th in 5A 400 in 2006, 3rd National Jr Olympic 800 in 2006
Amanda Dowdy - Fr from Lexington, TX - 2A state champ in the HJ and volleyball starter - this kid is 6-3!
Roxie Greve - Fr from FB Clements - 2nd Dist 23-5A 100H
Claire Jones - Fr from Harper - has placed at A state in both the PV and the 800 - unusual combination
Caroline Mueller - Fr from Kansas City St. Thomas Aquinas - hurdler trying to make the team as a heptathlete
Ifeatu Okafor - Fr from Houston Westbury - 2nd in the 5A SP at the state meet and 4th in the Region II-5A DT - LAST NAME LOOK FAMILIAR?
Angela Onyia - Fr from Katy Cinco Ranch - 3rd Dist 18-5A SP
Jamie Simanek - Fr from Plano West - 3rd Region II-5A 100H, after winning the Dist. 9-5A 100H
Kylee Singleton - Fr from Breckenridge - 5th Region I-5A PV
There are lots of new kids who could contribute. But, what this team needs is more depth. Even with the addition of key people on the 4X400 (Trudeann Clarke and Devin Bailey) and the 4X100 (Terra Evans), both relays look rather weak. I still hold out hope that there could be 1-2 more additions at midterm who could help. Anyone know any sprinters??
Still, the national prognosis for this team looks good. There is simply not the kind of depth needed to compete for a conference championship.
