Missouri Track and Field Signs Top Recruits
5/25/2000 12:00:00 AM | Track & Field
May 25, 2000
The University of Missouri head track and field coach Rick McGuire has announced the signings of seven outstanding recruits to National Letters of Intent for the coming 2000-2001 academic year. According to McGuire, "Our recruiting has gone like the rest of our year-GREAT! With our current team, we were great everywhere we went. We just finished a spectacular Big 12 meet that has us all thrilled and really happy. That describes how we feel about this recruiting class as well."
Jemma Archibald of Lafayette-Rockwood High School comes to Missouri from Wildwood, Mo. An outstanding hurdler, Archibald will make an immediate contribution to the Tigers' competitive fortunes, bringing her 14.2 clocking in the hurdles. The runner-up at the 1999 class 4A Missouri state track meet in the 100m hurdles, Archibald will impact MU's hurdle group from the onset of the 2000-2001 season.
"Jemma Archibald is a great prospect in the hurdles," said Coach McGuire. "She is a very talented athlete who may also compete in other events, but we recruited her as a hurdler. She also brings a bubbling personality that allows her to fit like a hand in the glove with the hurdle and multi-event group."
Amanda Fleskoski of Mission Viejo, Calif. is an outstanding multi-event athlete. She is strong in both the hurdles and throwing events. With her body build, she will impact the heptathlon from the get go. She adds depth to the Tigers already strong group of multi-event women.
"McGuire says, "Amanda had great potential in the heptathlon. She comes to us at the recommendation of Andy Sythe at Long Beach State and has a passion for the heptathlon. She is particularly strong in the hurdles and throws and her size allows her to be exceptionally strong in the multi-events."
In the field events, Mizzou has signed two outstanding females who will affect the look of the Tigers from the moment they take to the runway and enter the circle. Both athletes will be able to step right in and contribute.
Holly Scherder of Frankford, Mo., the 1999 Missouri state champion in the shot put, will join the Tigers. The Bowling Green High School student-athlete has qualified for the shot put as well as the discus. The 2000 season is Scherder's first competing in the discus. At Missouri, she will expand her throwing repertoire to include the discus and shot put along with the hammer and javelin throws as well. Scherder has already thrown the shot put 44 feet, 10 inches.
Missouri throws coach, Brett Halter says, "Holly is a great addition to our team and will make an immediate impact. She is a fabulous basketball and softball player as well and her athletic ability has carried over into the shot put. This is Holly's first year throwing the discus and she has already qualified for the state meet without the technical skills required in this event. Her athleticism is very exciting and we look forward to what she can bring to the team both on and off the track."
Lindsey Vlesides of Lee's Summit, Mo. and Lee's Summit High School will be the Tigers lone vaulter on the women's side. She has already cleared 10 feet, 6 inches and placed eighth at the 1999 Missouri state meet in the pole vault. Vlesides becomes Mizzou's first recruit in the pole vault, an area in which Missouri plans to focus on and target to become one of its strengths.
"Lindsey has us really excited," McGuire says. "She is the first of several women pole vaulters we hope to have success with at Missouri. As we target events, the pole vault is an area we are extremely interested in. She is our first official woman pole vault signee and that has us really excited."
The middle distance events have traditionally been strong at Missouri and they look to be even stronger in the future with the signing of this group of athletes. MU's middle distance and distance coach Jeff Pigg is exceptionally excited about this group. "This is a home run group when it comes to citizenship. In two years, we will be able to look back at this group of kids that we have signed and feel we have signed our best class to date. They are not a bunch of headliners, but a solid group that will impact us from the start."
Katherine Bonugli of St. Charles, Mo. was a member of the Francis Howell High School team that claimed top honors at the 1999 Missouri State Cross Country Championships. She is no stranger to the Missouri track program as she has attended the Tigers camps for years. Bonugli will be able to step right in and impact the Tiger line-up this fall in cross country.
"Katherine is a kid I have known for years," Pigg said. "She has a great work ethic and attitude about running. I wanted her on my side from the start and I am really excited about the qualities she brings to the team. She is a talented runner who has a great future ahead of her."
Erin Hagan of Mexico, Mo. finished third at the 1999 cross country state meet. Hagan has also earned All-State honors on three different occasions. She will also step right in and impact MU on the cross country course this fall. She can run a wide range of events which makes her a valuable asset.
Pigg says, "I saw her run for the first time at the Missouri Relays this spring and was immediately interested. I knew after watching her at the meet, she is going to be good. I have only heard great things about her in regards to her personality and the quality of person she is and am extremely excited to have her on the team."
Amanda Holferty of Liberty, Mo. and Liberty Senior High School is another Missouri runner who has a bright future. She runs anything from the 800 to 3200 in high school and will make MU a better place.
"Amanda is another great kid who has a tremendous running future," stated Pigg. "Once I got to know her, I knew if she was at Missouri, we are a better place. She is a great talent who adds depth in the middle distance events."
Angela Naeth of Prince George, British Columbia and Prince George Secondary School in Canada. She has already run the 800m in 2:14.78, the 1500m in 4:42.65 and the 3000m in 10:39.22. Naeth has excited the Tiger staff for quite some time and they are looking forward to actually meeting her in person. She chose to come to Missouri over several other prominent schools without ever making a trip to Columbia.
Coach Pigg comments, "Angela is a well rounded athlete who can run anything from the 800 to the 3000. The sky is the limit for her. She will immediately impact our cross country squad when she walks in the door. She realized Missouri is different and special without ever coming to visit. She liked what we are able to do to create the whole person here and she will make us better by adding her to our team."
Ryan Hampton of Liberty, Mo. is well rounded athlete who can run a wide range of events. He finished as the runner-up in the 1600m run at the 1999 Missouri state high school meet while also placing third in the 3200m. Hampton can run anything from the 800 to the distance events. Look for Hampton on to make an impact on the cross country course as well this fall.
"Ryan is a well rounded athlete who has good range in the events he can run," said Pigg. "He can run anything from the 800 to the two mile. He has great enthusiasm and is a first class citizen. He is going to be exciting to watch both on the track as well as the cross country course."
Jordan Millam is from Clinton, Mo. and Clinton High School. He was the 1999 Missouri state cross country champion after finishing as the runner-up in 1998. Millam placed third in the 3200m run at the 1999 Missouri state track meet and finished fifth in the 1600m run as well. Millam is another athlete who will compete both on the track as well as on the cross country course.
Coach Pigg says, "Jordan is a fantastic runner who is exciting to watch. When I visited with him and his family, I knew we needed him here at Missouri! He is just a great person and one of those 'must have kids'. He has a bright future in front of him."
Matt Whitehead of Carthage, Mo. and Carthage Senior High School is one of the better half-milers out there this year. He finished third in the 800m at the 1999 Missouri state high school track meet. Whitehead has run a 1:53 in the 800m and 4:30 in the 1600m. Whitehead will be able to continue the great middle success that the Black and Gold has become familiar with in the last few years.
"Matt is an exciting half-miler," stated Pigg. "He has a great high school 800m time and we will see what the next few weeks bring. He and I are both excited about him coming to Missouri and carrying on the great 800m tradition we have. Matt will have a great future with us."
McGuire, Pigg, Natasha Brown and Halter are proud of the continued commitment to build a strong track and field program at the University of Missouri around the kids from Missouri. "This is a large number of great kids who will add to the strength and depth of what has made the Missouri track and field teams very strong. There is a real commitment to achieving excellence and I know these kids recognized it and want to be a part of it."
