Sparks announces 2011-12 Laker track and field recruiting class

SAULT STE. MARIE – Lake Superior State second-year track and field coach Matt Sparks has announced his recruiting class for the 2011-12 season, and it includes a strong core of sprinters who will add much-needed depth to the women’s squad.

“I’m thrilled to announce the student-athletes who have decided to attend LSSU in the fall,” Sparks said. “This recruiting class as a whole is an extremely talented group that has had success athletically and academically throughout its high school/junior college careers, and will continue that success as a Laker for years to come.

“There is now a new expectation for the women’s team to contend immediately on the conference and national level, and I know they are up for the challenge. The men’s program is adding quality depth in every discipline. The incoming freshmen will combine with our returning athletes to create a well rounded, talented team capable of conference and national honors.”

Sparks is still finalizing this recruiting class and anticipates a total of 35-40 new student athletes joining the Lakers’ track and field program in 2011-12. Here is a roundup: 

WOMEN

Selena Meser

Previous School: Sault Area

Events: Hurdles/Sprints

Accomplishments: One of the most-decorated athletes in Sault Area high school history, Meser won four individual MHSAA Upper Peninsula Division 1 State Championships in 2011. Meser is the U.P. state record holder in the 300-meter hurdles (:45.40) and 400-meter dash (:58.72), and won 2011 titles in 100-meter hurdles (:15.86) and 200-meter dash (:26.75).  She will immediately factor into multiple Laker relays and contend for conference honors in the sprints and hurdles. 

Carolinne Strasser

Previous School: Dearborn-Divine Child

Events: Jumps/Sprints

Accomplishments: Strasser has the ninth-furthest long jump in the state of Michigan in 2011 and is a versatile athlete who will add depth to the Lakers jumps, sprints, and relays.  Strasser has a personal bests of 17-7 in the long jump, :26.68 in the 200 meters and :13.05 in the 100 meters. Strasser was a member of the 2010 MHSAA Division 2 Track & Field State Championship team at Dearborn-Divine Child.

Jessica Myers

Previous School: Grandville

Events: Sprints

Accomplishments: Myers has a personal-best time of :56.79 in the 400-meter dash and was the 2010 MHSAA Division 1 state runner-up. She had the seventh-fastest high school 400-meter dash time in Michigan in 2010.  Myers has also run a personal-best time of :26.55 in the 200 meters, and will be an immediate contender in the long sprint and relay events for the Lakers.

Sashawna Bennett

Previous School: Cloud County Community College     

Events: Jumps/Sprints

Accomplishments: Bennett, a Kingston, Jamaica native, comes to LSSU after attending Cloud County Community College in Kansas. Bennett has a personal-best leap of 18-7 in the long jump, and has run :14.44 in the 100-meter hurdles, and :08.86 in the 60-meter hurdles indoors. She will be a key contributor on the Laker relay teams as well as contend for conference and national honors in the jumps and hurdles. 

Leslie-Ann Mitchell

Previous School: Western Texas College          

Events: Sprints/Hurdles

Accomplishments: Mitchell, a Mandeville, Jamaica native, joins the Lakers after one season at Western Texas College. While at WTC, Mitchell was the NJCAA national runner-up in the 100-meter hurdles and a finalist in the 100 and 200-meter dashes. She has personal-best marks of :13.63 (100-meter hurdles), :11.77 (100-meter dash), :23.69 (200-meter dash) and 2:22.90 (800-meter run), and was also a member of the 4x100 and 4x400-meter relay teams that qualified for the NJCAA Championships in 2011. Mitchell will look to be an immediate conference and national contender in the sprints, hurdles and relays.

Maggie Beal

Previous School: Kenosha (Wis.) St. Joseph

Events: Jumps/Sprints

Accomplishments: Beal is a versatile athlete who has experienced high-school success in the jumps, sprints, and relays. Beal owns personal-best marks of 16-4 in the long jump and 35-2 in the triple jump. Both marks were set at the 2011 Wisconsin Track & Field State Championships. 

Shaina Walther

Previous School: Flushing

Events: Hurdles

Accomplishments: Walther was a 2011 MHSAA Division 1 State Championships qualifier in the 300-meter hurdles with a personal-best time of :46.91. Walther is also an avid 100-meter hurdler, running :15.58 in 2011 at regional level.    

Michaela Newberry

Previous School: Iron Mountain

Evenst: Sprints

Accomplishments: Newberry won the 2011 MHSAA U.P. Division 1 100-meter dash state title and has a personal-best time of :12.65. Newberry was the U.P. runner-up in the 400-meter dash with a time of :59.55 and in the 200-meter dash with a time of :26.82.  She will challenge for individual conference honors as well as be a major factor on the Lakers sprint relays.

Becca Carruthers

Previous School: Brimley

Events: Hurdles

Accomplishments: Carrutherss was the 2011 MHSAA U.P. Division 3 state champion in the 100-meter and 300-meter hurdles. She is a talented athlete with great potential. She also ran on the 2011 U.P. state championship 4x200-meter relay team for Brimley High School, setting a new state record.

Brooke Simon

Previous School: Lansing Community College

Events: Distance/Cross Country

Accomplishments: Simon will contribute immediately in cross country and be an impact middle distance athlete capable of running multiple distances, including relays for the Lakers. Simon has prep personal-best marks of 5:19.23 (1,600 meters) and 12:17.35 (3,200 meters). She also competed in track and field and cross country while attending Lansing CC.  

Giselle Gomez

Previous School: Manton

Event: Hurdles/Sprints

Alexis Michelin

Previous School: Monroe

Event: Jumps

Kassidy Pawlitz

Previous School: Romeo

Event: Distance / Cross Country

Jessica Titus

Previous School: Cedar Springs

Event: Distance / Cross Country

Jessica Allen

Previous School: Dearborn Divine Child           

Event: Distance / Cross Country

Sarah Smith

Previous School: Marlette

Event: Distance / Cross Country

MEN

Justin Balczak

Previous School: Cedar Springs                                   

Events: Hurdles

Accomplishments: Balczak is the 2011 MHSAA Division 1 110-meter hurdles state champion and 300-meter hurdles state runner-up. With personal-best times of :14.19 (110-meter hurdles) and :38.25 (300-meter hurdles), Balczak enters LSSU as one of the most-talented incoming freshman athletes in program history. Additionally, Justin had a personal-best mark of 49-3 in the shot put, and will possibly be training as a multi-event athlete. Balczak will immediately challenge for conference and national honors in the hurdles, and will play a major factor on the Lakers sprint relay teams. 

Sebastian Kucera

Previous School: Traverse City West

Events: Distance/Cross Country

Accomplishments:  A northern Michigan standout, Kucera was a 2011 MHSAA Division 1 State Championships qualifier in the mile and 2-mile runs. He has personal-best times of 4:24.20 in the mile and 9:49.30 in the 2-mile. Kucera will team with fellow underclassmen Mark List and Taylor Heath to provide the Lakers with a young and talented distance group in 2011-12. 

Rob Gallinger

Previous School: Central Algoma (Ontario)

Evenst: Jumps

Accomplishments: A standout scholar-athlete and multiple OFSAA Track & Field Championships qualifier, Gallinger will add depth to the jump events and has the potential to develop into a conference scorer and national qualifier.  Gallinger was awarded the outstanding athlete award at his high school in 2011 and was the student athlete council president in 2011. 

Nathan Sleight

Previous School: Beaverton

Events: Jumps/Hurdles

Accomplishments: Sleight will look to develop into a key point scorer in multiple events for the Lakers in 2011-12. He has experience as a hurdler and jumper, and has a personal-best mark of :15.72 in the 110-meter high hurdlers.

Coleson Wrenge

Previous School: Macomb Lutheran North

Events: Distance/Cross Country

Accomplishments: A standout scholar-athlete, Wrenge will add much-needed depth in long sprints. With experience running the 400-meter dash (:51.78) and 800-meter run (2:02.20), Wrenge will look to be a key member of the Laker relays. 

Josh Oldham

Previous School: Hudsonville               

Events: Throws

Brandon Hein

Previous School: Macomb

Events: Sprints

Lain Veihl

Previous School: Kirtland Community College

Events: Distance/Cross Country

Tucker Seese

Previous School: Lakewood

Events: Distance/Cross Country

Tony Silva

Previous School: Crystal Falls-Forest Park

Events: Distance/Cross Country

Logan Boutorwick

Previous School: Macomb Lutheran North

Events: Distance/Cross Country