Nov. 27, 2006
COLUMBIA, Mo.--Head Track & Field Coach Rick McGuire announced Monday five student-athletes from around the nation that have signed National Letters of Intent to attend Missouri in the fall of 2007. The class includes three from the state of Missouri and standouts from Texas and Georgia.
MEN
Rick Scheff (Middle-Distance, Atlanta, Ga., St. Pius X High School)
Rick Scheff will come to Mizzou from Atlanta, Ga., as a standout in middle-distance events. Scheff, a three-time Georgia High School State Champion, has personal bests of 1:52.22 at 800 meters and 4:24 at 1600 meters. Scheff was the 2006 USA Track & Field Youth Junior Olympic Champion.
"Rick is one of the top returning high-school 800-meter runners in the country," said Jared Wilmes, assistant track and field coach. "Here at Mizzou, Rick will continue the strong tradition of mid-distance running at Missouri."
Scheff chose Mizzou over Georgia Tech, Texas A&M, and Kansas.
Phillip King (Distance/Cross Country, Columbia, Mo., Rock Bridge HS)
Phillip King will come to Mizzou from local Rock Bridge High School where he won bronze at the MSHSAA Class 4 Cross Country Championships this month.
"It is always great when you can sign the local star," said Wilmes. "We are incredibly excited to have Phillip join our team next year. Phillip is a tremendous talent as evidenced by his breakout cross-country season this past fall and appears ready to do big things on the track."
King chose Missouri over Iowa, Notre Dame, and Saint Louis University.
WOMEN
Kinsey Farren (Distance/Cross Country, Dallas, Texas, Bishop Lynch HS)
Kinsey Farren will come to Mizzou from the Lone Star State of Texas after finishing at Dallas' Bishop Lynch High School. Farren is an eight-time Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools (TAPPS) 6A State Champion, having won three-straight titles in the state's cross country championships. On the track, Farren has captured three titles at 3200 meters and twice captured gold at 1600 meters. In addition, Farren holds TAPPS' 6A State Record at the two distances, having personal bests of 10:49 at two miles and 5:00 at 1600 meters. Farren's 5000-meter personal best stands at 16:57.
Also this season, Farren was one of the top-40 high school cross country runners in the nation with her tabbing into the Footlocker National Final. In February, Farren finished 19th at the USATF Junior Cross Country Championships in New York.
Farren chose Missouri over Arkansas, Arizona State, Oklahoma State, and Auburn.
Hope Harris (Throws, Clinton, Mo., Clinton HS)
Hope Harris will come to Mizzou from Clinton High School in western Missouri. Harris has won four state championships, two in Kansas in 2004 with the javelin and discus, and two from the state of Missouri as the reigning two-time MSHSAA Class 3 Discus Champion. Harris was also Class 3's runner up in the shot put event in 2006, and third-place in 2005, behind only current Tigers Kendra Richardson and Krishna Lee.
Harris' personal best are as follows: discus, 159-10; shot put, 42-3¾; javelin, 139-9
Harris chose Mizzou over Texas A&M, SMU, Texas Tech, and Nebraska.
Katie Vanarsdall (Throws, Buckner, Mo., Fort Osage HS)
Katie Vanarsdall will also come to Mizzou from western Missouri and the town of Buckner. Vanarsdall, a stand-out at Fort Osage High School, was the 2006 MSHSAA Class 4 Shot Put Champion and runner-up in the discus event in 2005 at the state championships.
Vanarsdall, with personal bests of 42-7¾ with the shot and 142-0 in the discus, chose Mizzou over Mississippi State, Memphis, and Tulsa. Vanarsdall's father, Dennis, played football at Missouri from 1971 to 1975.
"Both Hope and Katie will make an immediate impact on what is already a very talented women's team," said assistant coach Brett Halter. "Hope and Katie bring the obvious athletic credentials but, more importantly both are great people, adding to a very exciting environment."
The Missouri Track & Field indoor season will start January 12 as the Tigers host the annual Missouri Invitational in the Hearnes Fieldhouse. Missouri is hosts of the 2007 NCAA Mideast Regional that will be held May 25 and 26 in Columbia.
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