NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State Track and Field and Cross Country programs added 17 newcomers to the 2018-19 roster during the most recent signing period, as announced by Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Jeff Bovee Wednesday. The incoming class now totals 26 student-athletes who will compete for ISU track and field and cross country.
The 26 incoming student-athletes garner numerous accolades and awards. Collectively, the newest Redbirds have:
- Qualified for the High School Track & Field State Championship (indoor or outdoor) 103 times
- Qualified for the High School Cross Country State Championship 23 times
- Won 10 High School Track & Field State Championships
- Placed second at the High School Track & Field State Championship nine times
- Finished third at the High School Track & Field State Championship nine times
"The spring signing period was extremely productive for us, as we were able to pick up quality performers on both the track and in the field," said Bovee. "The success of our current student-athletes was instrumental in our ability to attract this talented group, and I have no doubt that many of our recruits will be immediate impact performers in 2018-19."
On the women's side, the newest Redbirds are:
Ali Cranston (Angola, Ind./Angola High School) / Pole Vault
PRs: Pole Vault – 3.43m (11-03.00)
- Three-time IHSAA Outdoor State T&F Championships Qualifier in pole vault
- Posted top-10 finishes in the pole vault at the 2017 and 2018 IHSAA Outdoor State T&F Championships
- Placed fifth in the pole vault at the 2018 Hoosier State Indoor T&F Finals
Hannah Johnson (Bloomington, Ill./Normal Community High School) / Throws
PRs: Shot Put – 12.57m (41-03.00) / Discus – 37.36m (122-07)
- 2018 IHSA Class 3A State T&F Championships qualifier in the discus and shot put
- Won the discus competition at the 2018 Danville Sectional with a personal-best throw of 37.36m (122-07), advancing to the state finals
Tori Ortiz (Batavia, Ill./Batavia High School) / Sprints
PRs: 100m – 12.06 / 200m – 25.26 / 400m – 58.68
- Finished 10th in the 100-meter at the 2018 IHSA Class 3A State T&F Championships
- Also qualified for the 2018 IHSA Class 3A State Finals in the 4x100-meter relay and 4x200-meter relay
- 2017 IHSA Class 3A State T&F Championships qualifier in the 4x200-meter relay
- 2016 IHSA Class 3A State T&F Championships qualifier in 4x100-meter and 4x200-meter relays
Kassye Todd (Elmwood, Wis./Elmwood HS) / Distance
PRs: 800m – 2:27.07 / 1600m – 5:11.63 / 3200m – 11:23.83 / 5K (XC) – 19:30.20
- Seven-time WIAA T&F State Championships qualifier
- 2016 WIAA T&F State Championships 1600-meter Runner-Up
- 2016 WIAA T&F State Championships 3200-meter Third-Place Finisher
- Qualified for the WIAA Cross Country State Championships in 2015, 2016, and 2017, placing sixth in 2015 and ninth in 2017
For the men, the newest Redbirds are:
Lucas Capistrant (O'Fallon, Ill./O'Fallon High School) / Distance
PRs: 1600m – 4:24.33 / 3200m – 9:47.12 / 3 mile (XC) – 14:54.00
- Two-time IHSA XC Class 3A State Championship qualifier (placed 30th in 2017)
- Finished second at the IHSA 3A Granite City XC Sectional in 2017, advancing to the state finals
- Placed second at the 2017 Nike Cross Nationals Midwest Regional
Cam Dawson (Pontiac, Ill./Pontiac High School) / Jumps
PRs: High Jump - 2.00m (6-06.75) / Long Jump – 6.65m (21-10.00) / Triple Jump – 13.81m (45-03.75)
- Five-time IHSA Class 2A State T&F Championship qualifier
- Qualified for the 2018 IHSA Class 2A State T&F Championships in the high jump, long jump, and triple jump
- Placed third in the triple jump at the IHSA State Finals in 2016 and 2018
- 2018 Illinois Top Times qualifier in the high jump and triple jump (placed fifth in the high jump)
Zach Fiser (Benton, Ky./Marshall County High School) / Throws
PRs: Discus – 44.07m (144-07) / Shot Put – 13.61m (44-08.00)
- Placed fifth in discus at the 2018 Kentucky Class AAA State Track Meet
- Won the 2018 Area 1 and Class 3A Regional Championships in the discus, advancing to the state finals
- Also qualified for the 2018 Kentucky Class 3A State Track Meet in shot put
Cameron Getz (Macon, Ill./Meridian High School) / High Jump
PRs: High Jump – 2.03m (6-08.00)
- Two-time Illinois Top Times qualifier in the high jump
- 2018 Illinois Top Times High Jump Champion
- Three-time IHSA Class 1A State T&F Championship qualifier in the high jump
- Finished third in the high jump at the 2018 IHSA Class 1A State T&F Championship
Brett Haffner (Hinsdale, Ill./Hinsdale South High School) / Distance
PRs: 1600m – 4:20.58 / 3200m – 9:20.27 / 3 Mile (XC) – 14:56.00
- Three-time IHSA Class 2A XC Championships qualifier (placed 13th in 2017)
- Three-time Illinois Top Times qualifier in the 3200-meter
- Finished third in the 3200-meter at the 2018 Illinois Top Times
- 2018 IHSA Class 3A State T&F Championships qualifier in the 3200-meter
- Finished second at 2017 Nike Cross Nationals Midwest Regional
Kai Larson (Naperville, Ill./Neuqua Valley High School) / Sprints
PRs: 400m – 49.84
- Finished third in the 4x400-meter relay at the 2018 IHSA Class 3A State T&F Championships
- Placed fourth in both the 4x100-meter relay and 4x200-meter relay at the 2018 IHSA 3A Boys Plainfield South Sectional
Cole Maguire (Indianapolis, Ind./North Central High School) / Hurdles
PRs: 60m Hurdles – 8.34 / 110m Hurdles – 14.83 / 300m Hurdles – 38.29
- Three-time IHSAA State T&F Championships qualifier in the 300-meter hurdles
- Placed third in the 300-meter hurdles at the IHSAA State T&F Championships in 2016 and 2017
- 2017 IHSAA State T&F Championships qualifier in the 110-meter hurdles (placed 11th)
- Three-time Hoosier State Relays Indoor Championships Qualifier in the 60-meter hurdles
(finished 6th in 2017)
Caleb Miedema (Bangor, Wis./Bangor High School) / Jumps/Multi
PRs: High Jump – 1.93m (6-04.00) / Long Jump – 6.55m (21-06.00)
- 2018 WIAA Class 3A T&F State High Jump Champion
- Finished fourth in the long jump at the 2018 WIAA Class 3A Track & Field State Championships
- Three-time WIAA Class 3A Track & Field State Qualifier
- 2018 W/TFA State Indoor Championships qualifier in the high jump and long jump
Harrison Porter (Normal, Ill./University High School) / Mid-Distance
PRs: 400m – 51.34 / 800m – 1:56.40 / 3 Mile (XC) – 15:23.80
- Back-to-Back IHSA Class 2A State T&F Champion in the 4x800-meter relay in 2017 and 2018
- Finished third in the 4x400-meter relay at the 2018 IHSA 2A State T&F Championships
- Helped team win the 2017 IHSA Class 2A State Championship
- Three-time IHSA Class 2A State Cross Country Championship Qualifier
- Cross country team was IHSA 2A State Runner-up in 2017
Alex Saunders (Burbank, Ill./St. Laurence High School) / Jumps
PRs: Long Jump – 7.00m (22-11.75) / Triple Jump – 13.98m (45-10.50)
- Crowned the 2018 Illinois Top Times Champion in the long jump and triple jump
- Placed fourth in the long jump at the 2018 IHSA Class 2A State T&F Championships
- Two-time IHSA Class 2A State Championships Qualifier in the triple jump
Max Schweitzer (McHenry, Ill./McHenry High School) / Pole Vault
PRs: Pole Vault – 4.35m (14-03.25)
- Won the pole vault competition at the 2018 McHenry Country T&F Championships
- Crowned the 2018 Fox Valley Conference Champion in the pole vault
- Finished eighth in the pole vault at the 2018 Illinois Top Times
Tim Stevenson (Elmhurst, Ill./York High School) / Distance
PRs: 1,600m – 4:31.93 / 3,200m – 9:32.32 / 3 Mile (XC) – 14:55.60
- 2018 IHSA Class 3A Cross Country State Championship Qualifier (placed 48th)
- Three-time Nike Cross Nationals Midwest Regional Qualifier
Nick Swartzendruber (Geneseo, Ill./Geneseo High School) / Mid-Distance
PRs: 400m – 48.49 / 800m – 1:54.66
- 2018 IHSA Class 2A State T&F 400-meter Champion
- Finished fourth in the 800-meter at the 2018 IHSA Class 2A State T&F Championships
- Three-time IHSA Class 2A State T&F Championship Qualifier
- 2018 Illinois Top Times 800-meter Runner-up
These 17 Redbirds join the following fall signees to complete the 2018-19 recruiting class:
Maddi Exline (Streamwood, Ill./Streamwood High School) / Distance
PRs: 800m – 2:15.46 / 1600m – 5:09.14 / 3 Mile (XC) – 18:10.06
- 2017 IHSA Class 3A State T&F Championships 800m qualifier (placed 14th)
- 2017 IHSA Class 3A State T&F Championships 1600m qualifier
Rachel Hickey (LaSalle, Ill./LaSalle-Peru High School) / Mid-Distance
PRs: 800m – 2:10.09 / 1600m – 4:56.54 / 3200m – 11:06.86 / 3 Mile (XC) – 17:41.00
- Two-time IHSA Class 2A State T&F Championships 800m Champion
- Two-time IHSA Class 2A State T&F Championships 800m Runner-up
- Two-time Illinois Top Times 800m Champion
- 2018 IHSA Class 2A State T&F Championships 1600m Runner-up
- Four-time IHSA Class 2A XC State Championships qualifier (placed 15th in 2017)
Natalie Sparreo (Buffalo Grove, Ill./Stevenson High School) / Distance
PRs: 800m – 2:21.07 / 1600m – 5:13.40 / 3 Mile (XC) – 17:58.00
- Three-time IHSA Class 3A XC State Championships qualifier (placed 64th in 2016)
Rebecca Waite (Sterling, Ill./Milledgeville High School) / Sprints
PRs: 100m – 12.18 / 200m – 25.17 / 400m – 57.51
- Thirteen-time IHSA Class 1A State T&F Championships qualifier
- 2018 IHSA Class 1A State T&F Championships 200m Third-Place Finisher
- 2017 IHSA Class 1A State T&F Championships 200m runner-up
- 2017 IHSA Class 1A State T&F Championships 400m runner-up
- 2016 IHSA Class 1A State T&F Championships 100m runner-up
Destiny White (Oak Park, Ill./Oak Park-River Forest High School) / Sprints
PRs: 200m – 26.46 / 400m – 57.35
- Two-time IHSA Class 3A State T&F Championships 400m qualifier
- Placed sixth in the 400-meter at the state finals in 2017 and 10th in 2018
- Finished first in the 400m dash at the 3A Chicago Kenwood Sectional, punching her ticket to the state championships
Maddie Wright (Dexter, Mich./Dexter High School) / Pole Vault
PRs: Pole Vault – 3.66m (12-00.00)
- Two-time MHSAA D1 State T&F Championships pole vault qualifier (finished ninth in 2018)
- Three-time MITS State Indoor T&F Championships pole vault qualifier (placed sixth in 2018)
- New Balance Nationals pole vault qualifier in 2017 and 2018 (finished 10th in 2018)
Micah Amerson (Bloomington, Ill./Normal West High School) / Sprints
PRs: 100m – 10.81 / 200m – 21.69 / 400m – 50.68
- Finished third in the 200m at the 2017 Illinois Top Times Meet
- 2017 IHSA Class 3A State T&F Championships 100-meter qualifier
- 2017 IHSA Class 3A State T&F Championships 200-meter qualifier (finished eighth)
Matt Blanco (Oswego, Ill./Oswego East High School) / Distance
PRs: 1600m – 4:27.05 / 3200m – 9:15.19 / 3 Mile (XC) – 14:55.40 / 5K (XC) – 15:43.54
- Placed 10th in the 1600-meter at the 2018 Illinois Top Times
- Finished third in the 3200-meter at the 2018 IHSA Class 3A T&F Plainfield South Sectional
- 2017 IHSA Class 3A XC State Championships Qualifier
- Placed second at the 2017 IHSA Class 3A Aurora XC Sectional
Riley Fortune (Mahomet, Ill./Mahomet-Seymour High School) / Distance
PRs: 800m – 1:56.91 / 1600m – 4:27.34 / 3 Mile (XC) – 14:48.00 / 5K (XC) – 15:48.90
- Two-time IHSA Class 2A T&F State Championships 800m qualifier (placed ninth in 2018)
- Also qualified for the 2018 IHSA Class 2A T&F State Championships in the 1600m
- Two-time Illinois Top Times 1600m qualifier (finished seventh in 2018)
- Member of the 2016 and 2017 IHSA Class 2A State Champion Cross Country team
- Three-time IHSA Class 2A XC State Championships qualifier (finished sixth in 2017)
"This group of young men and women will be integral to our program as we strive to win more MVC titles," said Bovee. "With most of our top contributors returning and a strong incoming class, we are truly looking forward to the upcoming year."
For more information on all incoming athletes and the upcoming season, please visit GoRedbirds.com.
GoRedbirds.com: Your online source for Illinois State Athletics tickets, Weisbecker Scholarship Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
