ITHACA, N.Y. -- With the start of the fall semester right around the corner, the Cornell women's track and field program announced that 21 newcomers will compete beginning in the 2011-12 season. The group will attempt to stamp their names on a program that has captured 15 of the last 20 Heptagonal championships. In all, the newcomers come from 11 states and one foreign country.
Mina Amick-Alexis
St. Ignatius College Prep, San Francisco, Calif., College of Arts and Sciences
An accomplished short hurdle talent Mina finished second at the Connecticut State Open running 14.62. Her family moved to California where she was a semi-finalist in the CCS meet.
Tess Berghoff
Arcadia HS, Phoenix, Ariz., College of Arts and Sciences
Tess is the Arizona state champion at 800 meters, the state runner-up in the 1600, and boasts personal bests of 2:13.38 and 5:10.39.
Eve Bishop
Andover HS, Andover, Mass., College of Arts and Sciences
An excellent sprint talent Eve ran personal bests indoors at 300 meters – 40.11 and outdoors at 200 meters 25.17. She was third at the Massachusetts state championships and has a best pole vault of eleven feet.
Abbie Clifford
Perry HS, Perry, Ohio, College of Arts and Sciences
Clifford placed second at the Division 2 Ohio state cross country meet, was a state qualifier several times in track and also is an accomplished swimmer. She has run 2:18.71 for 800m and 5:03.71 for the 1600m.
Marianne Collard
Crystal Lake South HS, Crystal Lake, Ill., College of Engineering
Marianne was among the Chicagoland area's best cross country runners, placing second at the AAA state track meet in the 1600m and has a personal best of 4:58.12 in the event.
Megan DeFord
Grangeville HS, Grangeville, Idaho, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Double state champion in the shot put (43-0) and the discus(137-3) Megan brings loads of talent to the Red's throwing group.
Corey Dowe
Coe-Brown Northwood, Barrington, N.H., College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Corey was the New Hampshire Division II state champion in the indoor 3K and placed sixth at the New Hampshire Meet of Champions in cross country. She as PRs of 5:04.25 for 1600 and 11:03.98 for 3200.
Christine Driscoll
Geneva HS, Geneva, N.Y., College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
The New York state class B state cross country champion, Christine was among the best in the distance events in the state throughout her high school career. She finished 12th at the 2010 Footlocker Northeast Cross Country Championships. Her PRs are 4:36.85 for 1500 and 9:56.44 for 3000 meters.
Lindsey Enders
Holy Trinity Academy, Melbourne, Fla., College of Arts and Sciences
Two-time Florida HS state pole vault champion with a best of 12-10, Lindsey is also the Golden South champ as well. She was the All Space Coast girls track and field athlete of the year and 8th at the New Balance High School Nationals.
Anna Johnson
Great Oaks HS, Temecula, Calif., College of Arts and Sciences
Anna was Riverside Country Runner of the year as a junior, is the Great Oaks school record-holder for 1600 and 3200 meters, and placed third in the 3200 at CIF Finals in 2010. A terrific cross country runner, Anna placed sixth at the Nike Cross Country Nationals in the open race in 2009. She has run 5:01 for 1600, 10:37 for 3200 and 16:59 for 3 miles in cross country.
Katie Johnson
Great Oaks HS, Temecula, Calif., College of Arts and Sciences
Katie ran cross country and track all four years of high school, earning first-team all-county honors, and was Inland Empire Champion in the 3200m twice. She has competed in the California CIF Division One State Championships four times, and qualified with her team for Nike Cross Nationals her senior year. She helped lead her cross country team to the 2010 California state Division One team title. She has run 5:05 for 1600, 10:39 for 3200 and 16:55 for 3 miles in cross country.
Alesha Knudson
Mountain Range HS, Westminster, Colo., College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
One of Colorado's best at 800 meters, Alesha was also a terrific basketball player and plans to do the multi-events in college. She boasts PRs of 57.87 for 400 meters and 2:12.93 for the 800.
Zena Kolliesuah
Pickerington North HS, Pickerington, Ohio, College of Arts and Sciences
At the Ohio state track meet Zena was the runner-up at 400 meters running 54.77. She has other bests of 11.82 at 100 meters and 24.62 for 200 meters and has been a regular scorer at her state meet.
Renee McKee
Midpark HS, Middleburg Heights, Ohio, College of Arts and Sciences
A scorer at the Ohio state meet Renee has a best high jump effort of 5-7. She has qualified for her districts and regionals the past three years.
Felicia Reid
Kiski Area High School, Leechburg, Pa., College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Runner-up in the javelin at the Pennsylvania High School Championships Felicia has a best throw of 148-9. She was 3rd at the outdoor New Balance National Meet in North Carolina.
Jasmine Smith
Twinsburg HS, Twinsburg, Ohio, College of Human Ecology
One of Ohio's top prep long sprinters, Jasmine has recorded bests of 56.2 at 400 meters and 25.3 for 200 meters. She is a two time district champion and outdoor state runner-up on the 4 X 200 relay.
Elyse Wilkinson
Penn Charter HS, Philadelphia, Pa., College of Agriculture/Life Sciences
One of the top middle distance runners on the East Coast, Elyse enters Cornell with an 800 meter best of 2:10.92. She was second at the USATF National Junior Olympics in 2010 and was named Athlete of the Year by the Mid-Atlantic Division of USA Track and Field.
Jade Williams
St. Michael's, Llanelli, Wales, College of Arts and Sciences
One of the United Kingdom's best, Jade has won Welsh Junior National titles at 400, 800, 1500, 3000 and 5000 meters, bringing great range to the Big Red team. The all-time Welsh junior record-holder indoors in the 800 and 1500, Jade has finished as high as second at the indoor United Kingdom Junior Championships and fourth at the Outdoor Junior meet in the 800 meters. Her personal bests are 2:11.00 for 800 meters and 4:32.29 for 1500 meters.
Sydney Williams
Susquehenna Valley HS, Binghamton, N.Y., College of Arts and Sciences
Sydney was among the very best cross country and distance runners in upstate New York the past two years and is a many time state qualifier. Syd is also a many time section champion in cross country and track. She has run 4:39.42 for 1500 and 10:06.55 for 3000 meters.
Emily Woodford
Oxford Academy, Oxford, N.Y., College of Arts and Sciences
The area's top 200 meter runner Emily was the New York state runner-up recording a best of 24.9. She excelled in the triple jump as well and was a member of several state scoring relay teams.
Katie Woodford
Oxford Academy, Oxford, N.Y., College of Arts and Sciences
A New York state champion in the sprints Katie enters Cornell with bests of 55.68 at 400 meters and 12.02 for 100 meters. She has won numerous Section 4 track titles in both open and relay events.
