Aug. 31, 2010
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ---- The Samford University track and field team announced 23 new additions to its 2010-11 roster Tuesday. The men's team will add 10 freshmen and a transfer for the spring while the women will welcome 12 freshmen to the squad.
Samford head coach Rod Tiffin is excited about the incoming class and knows that it only adds to the talent and foundation that has been laid to develop Samford track and field into a nationally-recognized program.
"As always our freshman class will be counted on heavily," Tiffin said. "We feel that we have brought in a great group of freshmen this year and look forward to seeing them train and compete. As our freshmen go, so will our team so we are anxious to see how they turn out."
For the women, four cross country newcomers will have already gotten a taste of collegiate competition in the fall. Lauren Ewart, Claire Grogan, Rachel Sims and Brooke Smith will compete for the Bulldog cross country team. Ewart hails from Troy, Ill. (Triad HS) and boasts a personal best of 20:07.00 in the 5000 meters while Sims (Trussville, Ala.) and Smith (Woodstock, Ga.) hold personal bests of 19:45.47 and 20:27.00, respectively, in the same event. Grogan (LeGrange, Ky.) boasts personal bests of 5:29.57 in the 1600 meters and 19:24.69 in the 5000 meters.
Madeline Cross comes out of Battle Ground Academy in Franklin, Tenn., to join the sprints crew for the Bulldog women. She holds personal bests of 12.41 in the 100 meters and 25.38 in the 200 meters.
Shelby Builta will compete in the throws for the Samford women. Builta comes out of Bayside Academy in Mobile, Ala., and boasts personal bests of 132-5 in the javelin, 129-4 in the discus and 35-09.75 in the shot put.
Macy Conger and Ashley Cope will look to contribute to the multi-event crew for the Bulldog women. Conger is a product of Brentwood (Tenn.) Academy and holds personal bests of 5-0 in the high jump and 17-10 in the long jump. She also has personal bests of 14.79 in the 100-meter hurdles and 10-0 in the pole vault. Cope comes out of First Presbyterian Day School in Juliette, Ga., and holds personal bests of 11-6 in the pole vault, 17-6 in the long jump and 15-06 in the 100-meter hurdles.
Rachel Gregory and Sarah Reed will compete in the pole vault. Gregory is another product of Brentwood, Tenn., and holds a personal best of 10-6 in the event. Reed comes out of Bishop John J. Snyder High School in Fleming, Fla. She holds a personal best of 9-0 in the pole vault.
Danielle Blanco and Emma Small round out the newcomers for the 2010-11 women's team and will both compete in the hurdles. Blanco hails from Abilene Cooper High School in Abilene, Texas, and holds personal bests of 15.02 in the 100-meter hurdles and 44.92 in the 300-meter hurdles. Emma Small comes out of Wando High School in Mt. Pleasant, S.C., and holds a personal best of 66.61 in the 400-meter hurdles.
On the men's side, four cross country newcomers will also join the track and field team in Layton Dorsett, James Graham, Henry Stevens-Carty and John Gayle. Dorsett, Graham and Stevens-Carty will compete for the Bulldog distance field while Gayle will add to the already talented middle distance team.
Dorsett (Mountain Brook HS) comes into Samford with personal bests of 4:20.20 in the 1600 meters, 9:37.10 in the 3200 meters and 15:46.75 in the 5000 meters. Graham (Vestavia Hills HS) holds personal bests of 4:24.37 in the 1600 meters, 9:47.15 in the 3200 meters and 16:00.00 in the 5000 meters. Stevens-Carty's (Kennesaw, Ga.) personal best of 1:52.21 in the 800 meters is a Cobb County record set in the spring. He also holds personal bests of 4:21.72 in the 1600 meters and 16:18.00 in the 5000 meters. Gayle (Oak Mountain HS) was a runner-up in the Alabama 6A 2010 800 meters. He holds a personal best of 1:54.75 in the event and a personal best of 49.78 in the 400 meters.
Joining the sprints squad will be Johnathan Bush, Justin Emerson, Connor McGee and Alex Richter. Bush hails from Oak Mountain High School and has a personal best if 50.28 in the 400 meters. Emerson is a High School All-American out of the Christian Academy of Knoxville (Tenn.) who boasts personal bests of 6.79 in the 60-meter dash, 10.57 in the 100 meters and 21.70 in the 200 meters.
McGee is a freshman out of Nashville's David Lipscomb High School. He holds personal bests of 11.13 in the 100 meters and 22.47 in the 200 meters. Lastly, Richter is a Cullman, Ala., native who has transferred from Mississippi State. He holds personal bests of 10.68 in the 100 meters, 21.51 in the 200 meters and 48.62 in the 400 meters.
Bob Elliot III will be the only new addition to the Bulldog jumps program. Elliot comes out of Alabama's own Brewton High School and holds personal bests of 45-10 in the triple jump and 6-4 in the high jump.
Jared Lawson and Owen Wagoner will add to the very successful and talented pole vault crew of Patrick Wells, Michael Seaman and Zac Epperson. Lawson hails from Bolton High School out of Bartlett, Tenn., and holds a personal best of 14-6. Wagoner comes out of Carroll High School in Fort Wayne, Ind., with a personal best of 15-8. He also sports a personal best in the 100 meters of 10.88.
