Redbird Track & Field/Cross Country Signs 44 to 2021-22 Class

NORMAL, Ill. – Illinois State Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Jeff Bovee announced the addition of 44 student-athletes to the 2021-22 Redbird track & field/cross country teams. An additional 37 student-athletes join the previous seven Redbirds who were announced on National Signing Day in November of last year.

"As our staple, we focus our recruiting on the talent-rich state of Illinois and the surrounding states and then we go from there," Bovee said. "The staff has done a great job finding talented student-athletes that will make an immediate impact. We have added a nice blend of international students, two and four-year transfers, and high school recruits from all around the country and the world. We have added several talented sprinters and distance runners that will bolster our success at the conference level and also at the national level. Although we return a deep roster in the field events, we found some gems to add to our depth in this area as well. We thank our graduating seniors for setting the bar high in winning championships and helping us attract talented young men and women to our program."

The following student-athletes are the newest additions to the Redbird track & field/cross country family:

Reem Damli // Dearborn, Mich. // Dearborn Edsel Ford High School // Sprints

• 2021 All-State selection in the 400m
• Four time All-City, All-Area, All-Conference honoree (2018-2021)
• Set personal bests of 58.51 in the 400m dash and 25.91 in the 200m dash during her senior campaign
• Finished 20^th in the 400m dash at the 2021 MHSAA State Championships LP-1

Claire Fuhlhage // Olathe, Kan. // UMKC // Distance/XC

• Set a PR in the 6K at the WAC Championships (10/27) with a time of 21:42.2
• Took eighth overall in the 5,000m at the Mel Tjeerdsma Classic (12/6) and posted a time of 17:30.10 to set a PR
• Set a PR in the 3,000 at the John McDonnell Invitational (4/12) with a time of 10:30.44 and she placed 10th overall

Lucie Grandjean // Florenville, Belgium // Institut Saint Laurent // Distance/XC

• Holds personal best of 2:09 in the 800m and 4:21 in the 1500m
• U20 European Championship Qualifier 2021
• Placed fourth place in the 1500m at the 2021 Belgium Championships
• Finished seventh in the 1500m at the 2020 Belgium Championships
• Logged a third-place finish at the Belgium Cross Country Championships

Jenna Gruber // Brownsburg, Ind. // Cardinal Ritter High School // Distance/XC

• 2021 State Qualifier in the 1600m
• 2021 Conference Champion in the 800m, 1600m, 3200m
• 2021 City Cross Country Champion
• Four-time All-Conference in Cross Country
• Set a personal best in the 5K at the Ray Gerkin Cross Country Invitational with a time of 18:37.00

Atleigh Hamilton // St. Joseph, Ill. / St. Joseph Ogden High School // Horizontal Jumps/Sprints

• Two-time State Champion in the long jump (2018, 2019)
• Runner-up in both the long jump and 400m dash at the 2021 IHSA Girls T&F State Championships
• Finished third in the 200m dash at the State Championships with a time of 25.80.
• Set a personal best of 12.56 in the 100m dash at the State Championships to finish sixth

San'Toria Harris // Byram, Miss. // Mississippi State // Sprints

• Finished third with a new personal-best of 54.76 in the 400m at the 2021 War Eagle Invitational (4/17)
• Finished eighth in the 400m at the 2021 USC Indoor Open; as well as finishing second in the 4x400m relay (2/13)
• Recorded a new personal best of 54.98 in the 400m at the 2020 SEC Indoor Championships (2/28)

Gracie Jessup // Sidell, Ill. // Salt Fork High School // Hurdles

• 2021 State Champion in the 100m hurdles (14.81)
• Set a personal best in the 100m hurdles with a time of 14.57 at the Lady Sages Invite
• All-State in the 100m hurdles, 300m hurdles and long jump in her senior campaign
• Awarded All-Area First team (2021)

Taylor Kesner // Highland, Ill. // Highland High School // Throws

• Placed sixth in the shot put at state as a sophomore
• 2019 All-Conference in shot put and discus
• 2019 All-County in shot put
• Set the shot put meet record at Granite City
• Named Female Athlete of the Meet at the 2019 Granite City Relays

Kenzie Klink // Bloomington, Ill. // Normal Community West High School // High Jump

• Set a personal best in the high jump with a mark of 1.60m (5-3 ft.) at the 2019 Clinton Last Chance meet.
• Finished 13^th overall in the high jump at the 2021 IHSA Girls T&F State Championships

Caroline Meyers // Lee's Summit, Mo. // UMKC // Distance/XC

• At the 2019 Bob Timmons Classic (8/31), recorded a PR in the 5K with a time of 19:45.6
• Took fourth on the team and 27th overall at the 2019 WAC Cross Country Championships (11/2)
• Took seventh place overall in the 5,000m at the Mel Tjeerdsma Classic (12/6) while setting a PR with a time of 17:25.39
• Finished 11th at the WAC Championships (2/28) in the 5,000m with a 18:35.01 clocking

Matti Plummer // Pleasant Hill, Iowa // Southeast Polk High School // Distance/XC

• 2020 Cross Country District Champion (5K)
• Placed 13th at the Iowa State Cross Country Championships in October 2020
• Finished second at the Iowa State Cross Country Championships as a freshman
• Placed sixth in the 3K at the Iowa State Track & Field Championships in 2019

Viviana Sanfilippo // Addison, Ill. // Addison Trail High School // Distance/XC

• Two-time Cross Country State Championship qualifier
• Set personal bests with a time of 2:20.63 in the 800m and a time of 5:22.81 in the 1600m

Madison Saunders // Chicago, Ill. // Whitney Young High School // Horizontal Jumps/Sprints

• Finished fifth in both the long jump and triple jump at the 2021 IHSA Girls T&F State Championships
• Personal bests of 5.60m (18-4.5 ft.) and 11.69m (38-4.25 ft.) in the long jump and triple jump, respectively
• Set a PR of 12.34w in the 100m dash 2020 Illinois Meet of Champions

Lauren Schulze // West Des Moines, Iowa // Valley High School // Distance/XC

• Finished second at the 2020 Iowa State Cross Country Championships, recording a personal-best time of 18:18.30
• 2020 CIML – Central Conference Cross Country Champion
• Competed at the Nike Cross Nationals Heartland Regional in 2017, 2018 and 2019
• Four-time cross country state qualifier and two-time track & field state qualifier

Kaitlin Skeate // Bloomington, Ill. // Bloomington High School // Distance/XC

• Ran a personal-best time of 17:33.3 in the three-mile run to place second at the Big 12 Conference Cross Country Championships
• Placed sixth at the 2020 Cross Country Championships, clocking in at 18:48.9 in the 5K
• Won the 2020 IHSA 2A Metamora Cross Country Regional
• Finished second at the 2020 IHSA 2A Peoria Notre Dame Cross Country Sectional

Gabriella Vacek // Aurora, Ill. // Oswego East High School // High Jump/Multi

• Finished 13^th at the 2021 IHSA Girls T&F State Championships
• Personal best of 1.65m (5-5 ft.) in the high jump set at the 2021 Southwest Prairie Girls Conference Meet
• Holds a PR of 52.56 in the 300m Hurdles

Arianna Walker // Richton Park, Ill. // Rich South High School // Sprints

• Placed third overall in the 100m dash at the 2021 IHSA Girls T&F State Championships; also set a personal best in the prelim with a time of 12.22
• Holds a personal best of 24.96 in the 200m dash set at the IHSA 3A Girls - Minooka Sectional

Sa'Mone Winters // Milton, Ontario // St. Francis Xavier CSS // Sprints

• Part of the Track Life University's record setting 4x400m relay team, which won the relay in a time of 3:39.59 at the AAU Junior Olympic Games, setting a new national record.
• Holds personal best of 12.27 in the 100m dash and 24.79 in the 200m dash

Ariel Atias // Hafia, Israel // South Alabama // Multi

• Finished first in the heptathlon at the Samford Multi 2021 with a personal best score of 5,172 points
• Placed 10^th in the heptathlon at the 2021 Sun Belt Indoor Track & Field Championships
• Competed in the shot put at the Indoor Championships

Max Barrios // Chicago, Ill. // Van Steuben High School // Distance/XC

• Personal-best of 16:05 for three miles in cross country
• Earned All-City and All-Sectional honors as a sophomore
• Ran a personal-best times of 9:59 in the 3,200m, 4:36 in the 1,600m and 6:32 in the 2K steeplechase

John Bickel // Tinley Park, Ill. // Andrew High School // Sprints

• Earned All-State honors after finishing ninth in the 100m dash at the 2021 IHSA Boys State Track & Field Championship
• Holds personal bests of 10.76 in the 100m and 21.98 in the 200m
• School record holder in the 100m dash

Darcis Bitangalo // Rockford Ill. // Boylan High School // Horizontal Jumps

• Finished third in the long jump and ninth in the triple jump at the 2021 IHSA Boys T&F State Championships
• Holds personal bests of 6.87m (22-6.5 ft.) in the long jump and 13.06m (42-10.25 ft.) in the triple jump

Jake Borman // South Elgin, Ill. // Burlington Central High School // Throws

• Set the indoor school record in the shot put (54-4 ft.) as a junior
• Earned All-Conference honors during his junior season
• Ranked No. 1 in 2A in the shot put in 2020
• Helped Burlington Central to a team conference championship as a sophomore
• Was ranked the No. 1 sophomore shot putter in the state in 2019

Cecil Brownridge III // Middletown, Ky. // Northwest Kansas Tech // Sprints

• Holds personal bests of 10.89 in the 100m, 22.07 in the 200m and 47.50 in the 400m
• Ran a leg of the 4x400m relay team that finished seventh at the 2021 NJCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships

Isaiah Chatman // Gibson City, Ill. // Gibson City Melvin-Sibley High School // Hurdles

• State Champion in the 300m hurdles (2021)
• Set a personal best in the 110m hurdles with a time of 14.77 at the Heyworth Quad Meet
• Personal best of 39.02 in the 300m hurdles

Mathis Chavand // Feurs, France // Lycée du Forez // Distance/XC

• Placed third at the 2019 U18 Outdoor Nationals in the 1,500m
• Finished sixth overall the 2019 U18 Cross Country Nationals
• Placed eighth in the 800m at the 2018 U18 Indoor Nationals
• Three-time District Champion
• Two-time Regional Champion

Marshaun Cook // Decatur, Ill. // Indian Hills CC // Sprints

• Holds personal best of 6.92 in the 60m dash, 10.71 in the 100m, 22.50 in the 200m and 38.24 in the 300m
• Finished 14^th in the 200m dash at the 2020 NJCAA Region XI Indoor Championships

Keegan Cullison // Plano, Ill. // University of St. Francis // Sprints

• Holds personal bests of 10.71 in the 100m and 22.51 in the 200m
• Placed sixth in the 100m dash at the 2021 Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Outdoor Championships
• Ran a leg of the 4x100m that finished first at the 2021 Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Outdoor Championships
• Finished second in the 60m dash at the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Indoor Championships

Melcon DeJesus // Kewanee, Ill. // Kewanee High School // Sprints

• Finished fifth in the 400m dash at the 2021 IHSA Boys T&F State Championships
• Set a personal best of 49.66 in the 400m dash at the 2019 IHSA Boys State Track & Field Championship
• Personal bests of 11.09 in the 100m and 22.69 in the 200m

Tyler Didde // Leawood, Kan. // Blue Valley High School // Sprints

• All-State in the 100m, 200m, 4x400m relay (2021)
• Finished fifth in both the 100m and 200m at the 2021 Kansas State Track and Field Championship
• Ran a leg of the 4x100m relay team that finished fourth 2021 Kansas State Track and Field Championship
• Holds personal bests of 10.82 in the 100m and 22.56 in the 200m

Lamar Frederick Jr. // Lithia Fla. // Newsome High School // High Jump/Multi

• Set a personal best of 2.02m in the high jump at the Newsome Tri Meet #3 to take first place
• Notched a third place finish in the high jump at the 2021 FHSAA 2A/4A Outdoor State Finals
• Ranked fourth in the state of Florida in the high jump in 2021

Korey Hairston // Denver, Colo. // Denver East High School // Sprints

• Finished third in the 100m dash at the 2019 Colorado USATF Junior Olympic Championships
• Holds personal bests of 6.89 in the 60m, 10.88 in the 100m and 22.37 in the 200m

Julian Head // Naperville, Ill. // Naperville North High School // Distance/XC

• Finished 12^th in the 800m at the 2021 IHSA Boys T&F State Championships
• Set a personal best in the 800m with a time of 1:57.65 at the IHSA 3A Boys - Naperville North Sectional
• Holds a personal best of 4:31.38 in the 1600m

Junias Holmes // Grand Rapids, Mich. // Oakland University // Sprints

• Placed first in the 4x400 (3:16.92), sixth in the 60 (7.00) and ran the 200 (22.23) at the Horizon League Indoor Track & Field Championships (Feb. 29-Mar. 1)
• Holds personal best of 6.92 in the 60m, 11.21 in the 100m and 22.23 in the 200m

Loyal Howard // Chicago, Ill. // Alabama A&M // Horizontal Jumps

• Holds a personal best 4.41m (14-6 ft.) in the pole vault

Solomon Hudson // Wheeling, Ill. // Wheeling High School // Sprints

• Set a personal best and placed first in the 100m dash with a time of 10.84 at the Wheeling vs Prospect Boys Dual

Kerry Jackson II // Farmington Hills, Mich. // North Farmington High School // Sprints

• Finished 12^th and set a new personal best in the 60m dash at the 2020 MITS State Championships with a time of 7.13
• Holds personal bests of 11.12 in the 100m and 22.88 in the 200m

Charlie Kistner // Danvers, Ill. // Stanford Olympia High School // Distance/XC

• Finished seventh in the 3200m run at the 2021 IHSA Boys T&F State Championships with a time of 9:32.71, a new personal best
• Logged a sixth-place finish at the 2020 IHSA XC Championships
• Holds a personal best of 16:04.66 in the 5K

Chase Knoblett // Palestine, Ill. // Vincennes University // Hurdles

• Finished ninth in the decathlon at the NJCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships with a score of 5,671
• Set three personal bests at the 2021 Blue & Gold Twilight in the 400m hurdles, long jump and javelin
• Holds personal bests of 16.07 in the 110m hurdles and 1:00.42 in the 400m hurdles

Zachary Loomis // St. Charles, Ill. // St. Charles East High School // Distance/XC

• Finished 10^th in the 5K at the 2020 IHSA XC Championships
• Holds personal bests of 2:03.03 in the 800m, 4:17.80 in the 1600m and 9:28.27 in the 3200m

Michael Marrs // Aurora, Ill. // Sandwich Community High School // Sprints

• Placed third at the IHSA Boys T&F State Championships 2021 in both the 100m and 200m dashes
• Earned All-State honors in the 100m and 200m as a senior
• Set personal bests of 10.84 in the 100m dash and 22.12 in the 200m dash

Joseph Morrison // Ellesmere Port, England // Chester University // Distance/XC

• Holds personal bests of 1:49.2 in the 800m and 3:51 in the 1500m
• Placed third in the 800m at the British University Championships

Connor Murphy // St. Charles, Ill. // St. Charles East High School // Distance/XC

• Placed 54^th in the 5K at the 2020 IHSA XC Championships
• Holds a personal best of 1:26.42 in the 600m, which ranked 10^th in the state of Illinois during the 2020 indoor season
• Set a personal best in the 800m at the Distance Night In Palatine meet with a time of 1:58.61

Devin Turner // Columbia, Mo. // Hickman High School // Sprints

• Finished fifth in the 100m dash at the 2021 MSHSAA Class 5 State Championship
• Holds personal bests of 10.84 in the 100m, 22.58 in the 200m and 6.90m in the long jump

Edward Watkins // Orchard Lake, Mich. // Orchard Lake St. Mary's High School // Sprints

• State Champion in the 400m dash (2021 MHSAA State Championships LP-2)
• Placed seventh in the 400m dash at the 2021 AAU Indoor National Championships
• Holds personal best of 48.62 in the 400m

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