CALDWELL, Idaho - A trio of sprinters highlight a group of 10 student-athletes that have signed NAIA Letter of Intents to compete at The College of Idaho in women's cross country and track for the 2012-13 season.
Last season was a banner year in both sports for head coach Pat McCurry, as the Lady Yotes won the 2011 Cascade Conference cross country championship, while the track team placed tenth at Outdoor Nationals.
Incoming freshmen Nichole DeGrange and Tiana Thomas, along with redshirt freshman Hannah Lentz will be keys for the Yotes in the sprints and jumps. DeGrange had an outstanding senior season at Mountain View High, running a leg on the 5A 4x400-meter state champion team, taking second in the 200-meters (25.05) and third in the 100-meters (12.23), helping the Mavericks to the state title. Thomas, from Middleton High, also had a banner season, taking second at the 4A state meet in the 100-meter hurdles (15.28). Lentz, who spent a year at Boise State, but did not compete, won the 2010 3A long jump title at Kimberly High with a mark of 17-9 1/4, placing second in 2011.
Also heading to The C of I is Oregon State transfer, Jordan Engelhart, will return to the Treasure Valley after three seasons with the Beavers. The redshirt junior was a two-time 4A District III cross country champion at Bishop Kelly High and was a four-time Top-15 finisher at the 4A cross country state meet.
Six others will join the program, including sprinter Mekenzie Messick from Weiser High, hurdler Anne Grover of Crescent High in Washington, and distance runners Claire Cushing of Sandy High in Oregon, Ruth Lewinski of McCall-Donnelly High, Sarah Walsh of Meridian High, and Kristin Niemi, a transfer from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls.
