Murray State University Athletics
Racer XCTF Announce Recruiting Class of 2019
8/6/2019 1:10:00 PM | Men's Cross Country, Women's Cross Country, Women's Track and Field
The Murray State track and field and cross country teams would like to officially announce their recruiting class of 2019. Overall there are 16 new student-athletes joining the Racers track and field team, seven of which will also run cross country as well as three men who will run cross country.
"We are very excited about the 2019 recruiting class," said head coach Adam Kiesler. "We had a lot of quality student-athletes graduate this past year and we think this class can help lessen the blow of losing them. We have added depth in almost every event area which we are probably most excited about. These young ladies and men will add something to our team, but also something to this university because they are all great kids. We look forward to working with them and seeing what they can accomplish during their time here as Racers!"
Track and Field
Sprints (Quotes from head coach Adam Kiesler)
Valesha Watson – Paducah, Ky. – Paducah Tilghman High School
"Valesha will bring depth to our program in the 100, 200 and 400. She has done a very good job of competing and being successful here in Kentucky at the high school level and we look forward to watching her do that again at the college level."
Lucia Herrero – Fuensalona, Spain
"We look forward to having Lucia in the short sprints group and making an instant impact on the OVC level. Coming all the way from Spain she brings a wealth of knowledge about our sport as well as the experience of very high-level competitions that we hope she can share with the group and team."
Kenia Seals – Southaven, Miss. – DeSoto Central High School
"I have been around a lot of student-athletes during my coaching career, but I haven't come across very many who want to win as bad as Kenia does. The last year she has really come around and we look forward to watching her improve over the next four years."
Wambui Watene – Dublin, Ohio – Dublin Coffman High School/Ball State University
"I am excited to get a chance to work with Wambui. Her upside is scary and we hope to be able to achieve that in the next few years. Once she gets settled into a new environment, I believe she will become a very good leader for our team."
Joza Mikulcik – Throws – Murray, Ky. – Calloway County
"I believe Joza is a great fit for us here at Murray," said throws coach Connor Neu. "Being a local she knows what Murray State is all about and she's a phenomenal student as well as a great athlete. Joza possesses all the qualities we are looking for in building our program and maintaining our culture."
Jumps and Multi (Quotes from assistant coach Kelsey Riggins)
Keyandra Mason – Richmond, Ky. – Madison Central High School
"I am excited to be adding Keyandra to our jumps group, she is a hard worker both on the track and off. She has shown consistent improvement in the Triple Jump and only continues to grow in that event. She is a great fit for our program; athletically, academically and comes from a great family."
Jenna Pauly – McHenry, Ill. – McHenry High School
"Jenna has the ability to make an impact for us at the conference level right away in both the High Jump and the Pole Vault. She is a very dedicated young woman and her excitement for track and field is contagious. Jenna is very competitive and has a drive to improve that will serve her well at this level."
Meghan Fletcher – Grayslake Ill. – Grayslake Central High School
"Meghan has had a wonderful career so far in the high jump and we are excited to see what is in store for her. The addition of Meghan to our high jump group of Jenna, Jessikha [Ribeiro] and Ashlyn [Oren] give us some additional depth and allows us to have a larger presence in the high jump at the conference level. She will be fun to watch!"
Maddie Dahlberg – Prince Frederick, Md. – Calvert High School
"Maddie loves Murray State and what our team is about, she is eager to grow as an athlete and is dedicated to track. She will be learning some additional events this year and competing in the multi events for us."
Women's Cross Country and Track and Field (Quotes from distance coach Jordan Wallace)
LaMiah Campbell – Lexington, Ky. – Lafayette Senior High School
"I love the challenge of working with former sprinters, such as LaMiah, that have transitioned into the mid-distance events. She has the natural leg speed needed for a competitive 800m and she improved tremendously her senior year and I hope to keep that momentum going into her first collegiate season."
Kristin Dent – Bowling Green, Ky. – Bowling Green High School
"Kristin is a true cross country athlete and I am looking forward to her pushing the girls at practice this fall and contributing to the team's conference finish in November."
Amirr Evans – Elizabethtown, Ky. – Elizabethtown High School
"I am thrilled to work with Amirr! Having played basketball throughout high school, she has the tough competitive edge needed to be successful in track and I know that regardless of the event she is put in, she is going to be a gamer and fight for the win."
Emma Graff – Koenigstein, Germany
"What really interested me about Emma was her unique background in swimming and cycling which has led her to a successful triathlon career. I think that with her transition into competitive distance racing, she will really surprise herself and make a big impact her freshmen year."
Zarra Humphry – Hamilton. Ill. – Hamilton High School
"Zarra has such an unbelievable amount of potential in both cross country and the mid-distance events. Working with the rest of the girls on the team will be such a gamechanger for her over the next several years as she transitions to a more rigorous year-round style of training."
Jennifer Reeb – Fenton, Mo. – Rockwood Summit High School
"Jenny is versatile in a number of different races and I am excited to coach her in the steeplechase for the first time, joining a group of strong ladies in their second year of the event."
Jessica Stein – Louisville, Ky. – Assumption High School
"Jessica's work ethic and love for the sport are some of the key traits I look for in a student-athlete. She comes from a very successful high school program and her commitment to better herself I hope will be contagious to the rest of the team."
Men's Cross Country (Quotes from Wallace)
Ryan Dent – Bowling Green, Ky. – Bowling Green High School
"I am excited to work with Ryan's fresh talent. He has only been running for a short period of time but has a great work ethic and I am looking forward to seeing him grow over the next several years."
Robert Gibson – Sunset Hills, Mo. – Pattonville High School
"Robert has shown a lot of success on the track in the mile and I am excited to see how that translates into cross country this year. He is a workhorse and someone that will push the other men on the team when they need it."
Benjamin Hall – Louisville, Ky. – Atherton High School
"I believe Ben has so much untapped potential in the distance events, having previously split his time between other sports and consequently not running year-round. He is someone that I anticipate making an impact on the team and I am eager to watch him improve."
