Courtesy: GoDucks.com
Release: 02/05/2010
EUGENE, Ore. -- Eight high school stars, including the 2009 Pan American Junior Games champion at 5,000 meters and a pair of indoor national 800 meters champions, have signed National Letters of Intent to join the Women of Oregon next season, Associate Athletic Director Vin Lananna announced Friday.
Among the eight are two New Yorkers in Phyllis Francis (Laurelton) and Megan Patrignelli (Monroe) and three Californians, Lauryn Newson (Richmond), Chizoba Okodogbe (Antioch) and Kortney Ross (San Diego). The class is rounded out by Sarah Andrews from The Woodlands, Texas, English Gardner of Voorhees, N.J., and Laura Roesler from Fargo, N.D.
“Our coaching staff did an outstanding job of attracting a national caliber class from around the country,” said Lananna. “This group will add to our pool of talented veterans and continue to elevate our reputation as an excellent and well-rounded women’s track and field team at the national level.”
The eight will join an Oregon team in 2011 that will feature All-Americans Melissa Gergel, Jordan Hasay, Alexandra Kosinski, Amber Purvis, Brianne Theisen and Jamesha Youngblood.
SARAH ANDREWS, DISTANCE, THE WOODLANDS, TEXAS/THE WOODLANDS HS
Prep Bests: 1,600 Meters - 4:54.64; 3,200 Meters - 10:21.34; 5,000 Meters - 16:42.38.
Andrews is a four-time Texas 5A state champion for The Woodlands High School. After breaking the 2009 Woodbridge Invitational cross country three-mile record in 16:01, she captured the state 5A cross country title, covering the 3,200 meter course in 10:45.1. She followed that win by placing 10th at the Nike Cross Nationals in Portland in December, running 18:01.9 over a slow 5,000 meter course. That was a year after winning the 2008 Texas cross country title as a sophomore and leading The Woodlands to the team title for the first time since 1989. She also took second at the Nike Cross Nationals as a sophomore.
Her 2009 best on the track at 5,000 meters, 16:42.38, came in a victory at the 2009 Pan American Junior Championships in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, and ranked second nationally among all U.S. high schoolers. She advanced to the Pan Am Games by finishing second at the USA Track & Field Junior Championships last June at Historic Hayward Field (16:47.47).
Andrews won both the Texas 1,600 meter (4:55.40) and 3,200 meter (10:21.34) track titles as a junior in 2009 after winning the 3,200 meters in 10:43.78 as a sophomore in 2008. Her time at 3,200 meters ranked 11th nationally last year.
Lananna on Andrews:
“Coach Maurica Powell did a great job in recruiting Sarah. She kicked to an impressive win at the 2009 Pan-American Championships and we’re excited to welcome her back to Hayward Field.”
PHYLLIS FRANCIS, MIDDLE DISTANCE, LAURELTON, N.Y./CATHERINE McAULEY HS
Prep Bests: 400 Meters - 55.80; 800 Meters - 2:04.65
Competing for Catherine McAuley High School in Brooklyn, Francis is one of the nation’s top 800 meter runners. Her time from the Hispanic Games in December, 2:12.82, ranks third nationally this season. A week ago at the Millrose Games at Madison Square Garden, Francis took third in the 400 meters in 55.82 on a slow track. Her 1:32.14 600 meter time during the Stanner Games is the country’s top performance at that distance this season.
Francis burst on to the running scene by breaking the meet record in the 800 meters at the 2008 USA Track & Field National Junior Olympic Championships in Omaha, Neb. She clocked a personal best 2:04.83 in claiming her second straight USATF victory. She followed that with a win at the 2009 National Scholastic Indoor Championships in 2:07.69.
She won the 2009 New York State Division 2 final in the 800 meters in 2:12.71 and followed that with a second-place run in 2:10.03 championship finals (all divisions). She was ranked 11th nationally as a junior with a seasonal best time of 2:07.69.
Lananna on Francis:
“Phyllis and her family connected well with our coaches and our team. Phyllis is an incredibly talented athlete with a wealth of raw talent. She will make an immediate impact on our middle-distance group.”
ENGLISH GARDNER, SPRINTS, VOORHEES, N.J./EASTERN SENIOR HS
Prep Bests: 55 Meters - 6.92; 100 Meters - 11.49; 200 Meters - 23.62.
Gardner has been a fixture on the New Jersey prep scene since her freshman season. Her sprint times are impressive: 6.92 in the 55 meters, 11.49 at 100 meters and 24.11 for 20- meters.
She opened 2009-10 indoor season with a 55 meter dash of 7.32 seconds for Eastern Senior High School in December and followed that with an impressive win at the Hispanic Games in 7.06. She also captured the South Jersey Coaches Relay Championships in 7.34.
As a freshman, she won the New Jersey Meet of Champions 100 meter title (11.62) and was second in the 200 (24.11) during the 2007 spring season after taking the Group 4 state championships in both events. As a sophomore in 2008, she won Group 4 and league crowns in both the 100 and 200.
She missed her junior season due to a knee injury.
Lananna on Gardner:
“Coach Robert Johnson did a remarkable job recruiting English. She is a fantastic competitor with a big heart, and we are confident that English will shine immediately in all the sprints and relays.”
LAURYN NEWSON, SPRINTS/JUMPS, RICHMOND, CALIF./PINOLE VALLEY HS/LANEY CC
Prep Bests: 100 Meters - 11.73; 200 Meters - 23.64; Long Jump - 20-5.25.
Newson helped Laney Community College take second at the 2009 California junior college championships by winning the 100 and 200 meters and the long jump. She set a school record in the long jump going 20-5.25.
Both her long jump and 200 meter time (23.64) were the best in the nation at the time last spring. Her top time in the 100, 11.73, came in a victory at the conference championships.
Before Laney, Newson represented Team USA at the Pan American Junior Championships and took third in the long jump (19-7.5).
After graduating from Pinole Valley High School, where she also played basketball, Newson was the 2008 junior regional winner in the long jump, going 20-2.5 to advance to the USATF Junior Championships.
Lananna on Newson:
“Lauryn and Coach Robert Johnson will be a tremendous team. Lauryn is a gifted and versatile athlete who will strengthen both our sprint and jumps corps. She knows how to succeed in big meets.”
CHIZOBA OKODOGBE, SPRINTS, ANTIOCH, CALIF./DEER VALLEY HS
Prep Bests: 400 Meters - 53.74.
Okodogbe had the 13th-fastest prep time in the 400 meters last season, 53.74 in a third place finish for Deer Valley High School at the California state championships. She was seventh in the 400 as a sophomore (55.91).
Representing her native Nigeria, Okodogbe finished sixth in the 400 meters at the 2009 IAAF World Youth Championships in Sudtirol, Italy (56.01).
She also competed in cross country for Deer Valley.
Lananna on Okodogbe:
“Coach Robert Johnson has built a talented mile relay, and Chizoba will play a significant role in our team’s continued success. Her future in an Oregon singlet is bright. She will continue our excellence in long sprints and help keep our mile relay team among the nation’s best.”
MEGAN PATRIGNELLI, MIDDLE DISTANCE, MONROE, N.Y./MONROE-WOODBURY HS
Prep Bests: 800 Meters - 2:09.26; 1,500 Meters - 4:25.65
Patrignelli is another 2009 New York state champion. She captured the 1,500 meter championship final for Monroe-Woodbury High School in a personal-best 4:25.65. She had the No. 4 time nationally in the mile, 4:46.91 (converted from 1,600 meters), and the No. 23 time in the 800, 2:09.26, as a junior
Patrignelli was a 2009 NSIC All-American in the 800 meters and the distance medley relay, and also a Nike Outdoor All-American at 800 meters (sixth) and the sprint medley relay.
The former soccer player participated in her first cross country season in the fall and recorded an impressive top-10 finish at the New York state meet.
Lananna on Patrignelli:
“Megan has great speed and enormous potential in the middle distance events, having only begun to focus on the 1,500 meters since last spring as a junior. We are thrilled to welcome her to the University of Oregon.”
LAURA ROESLER, MIDDLE DISTANCE, FARGO, N.D./SOUTH FARGO HS
Prep Bests: 100 Meters - 11.92; 200 Meters - 24.81; 400 Meters - 55.10; 800 Meters - 2:03.08.
Roesler, a 2008 Olympic Trials semifinalist in the 800 meters, had the fourth best prep 800 time nationally last season at 2:06.2. Her personal best in the event, 2:03.08, came during her Olympic Trials year of 2008.
She has dominated the North Dakota state championships, winning four straight titles at four different distances: 100 meters, 200 meters, 400 meters and 800 meters.
Roesler also was the 2009 Nike Indoor National Champion at 800 meters last winter despite the cancellation of North Dakota indoor track season due to extreme flooding in Fargo. She was second in the 800 at the 2009 USA Track & Field Junior Championships (2:07.41).
She was also the North Dakota cross country champion as a freshman and sophomore.
Lananna on Roesler:
“Laura is a fierce competitor with superb speed and impressive range. She has a wealth of championship-level experience, including a fantastic showing at the Olympic Trials as a 10th grader. Coach Mauria Powell and I are confident that she’ll electrify the Hayward Field crowds throughout her career.”
KORTNEY ROSS, POLE VAULT, SAN DIEGO, CALIF./WESTVIEW HS
Prep Bests: Pole Vault: 13-4.
One of the nation’s top high school pole vaulters, Ross ranked third in the country in 2009 with a best clearance of 13-4, which was her winning height at the 2009 California state meet for Westview High School.
The defending state champion has been named to the ESPN RISE/DyeStatCal 2010 California All-State Preseason Track & Field first team.
Ross won every high school pole vault competition she participated in but one in 2009, and ended the season on a five-meet winning streak.
She was also a member of the 2009 USA World Youth Track and Field Team.
Lananna on Ross:
“Kortney is an amazing and gifted athlete with a reputation for winning. We are looking forward to hearing the clapping from the East Grandstands at Hayward Field as she clears great heights for Oregon.”
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