Track Announces 2010 Signees
August 03, 2010 | Track & Field
Aug. 3, 2010
GREENVILLE, N.C. - The East Carolina track and field program has signed 19 athletes to national letters-of-intent to attend and compete at the university beginning in the fall, according to an announcement by head coach Curt Kraft.
"We are extremely excited about this new recruiting class on both the men's and women's side," Kraft said. "We feel as a coaching staff that this class, along with last year's, will keep us on course to win a Conference USA championship someday very soon. If these men and women continue to work as hard as they have been, we will keep building the foundation of a perennial championship program."
This year's signing class consists of nine distance runners, two pole vaulters, one thrower and seven sprinters. The group also includes 14 state champions, five high school national championship participants and the Polish Junior National Champion.
Chloe Early, Throws, Frenchtown, N.J. (Delaware Valley HS)
Early is a multi-sport athlete for Delaware Valley High School that won the 2009 Group 2 state championship in the discus and was the runner-up at the Meet of Champions. She arrives with personal-best marks of 141-6 feet in the discus and 37 feet in the shot put and adds to a deep throwing corps for the Pirates.
Kraft on Early: "We have had our eye on Chloe since we first saw her at the New Jersey Meet of Champions her junior year. Her balance and athleticism is outstanding. Put that together with the great whip and arm speed she has, and she has all the physical attributes to excel at the NCAA level in both the discus and the hammer throw."
Kathryn Warner, Pole Vault/Hurdles, Batavia, Ill. (Batavia HS)
Warner joins the program capable of scoring points both on the track and in the field. She has reached 11 feet in the pole vault and is the 3A state champion in the 300 hurdles. Warner also competes in the 100 hurdles and should help the team in several areas.
Kraft on Warner: "Kathryn is likely going to be the fastest pole vaulter in the conference this season. Most people don't realize that she won the state 300IH title with an injured hip. She certainly exceeded expectations and now that she's healthy, she'll be able to learn the skill of pole vaulting. We're looking forward to some quick progress."
Henry Johnson, Pole Vault, Smithfield N.C. (Selma HS)
A native of Smithfield, N.C., Johnson brings his vast vaulting talents to the program. With the 2010 4A state championship and a 14-8 personal-best mark to his credit, he adds great depth to the already deep pole vault group for the Pirates.
Kraft on Johnson: "Henry is an extremely athletic young man that made huge improvements from his junior to senior year. As a former football player and wrestler, he has tremendous body awareness and his runway mechanics are beautiful. He will be knocking on the door of a talent-loaded C-USA pole vault corps this season."
Michelle Bailey, Distance/Cross Country, Garner, N.C. (Garner HS)
Bailey was the 2010 4A East Regional champion in the 1600m and placed fourth in the state in both the indoor and outdoor seasons. She is a rangy distance runner capable of competing in everything from the 800m to the 5000m.
Kraft on Bailey: "Michelle is one of the top mile runners in the state of North Carolina. She has good natural speed and a competitive spirit. That should allow her to improve tremendously once she is surrounded by some other top runners."
Kaylee Bythell, Distance/Cross Country, Hazlet, N.J. (Raritan HS)
Former Raritan High School runner Bythell looks to help bolster an East Carolina distance and cross country team that is continuing to make strides. She brings personal bests of 2:20.19 in the 800m and 5:15.84 in the 1600m to the program.
Kraft on Bythell: "Kaylee is a highly energetic young woman that we are excited to have on our team. She brings us more depth for the cross country and distance squads. She has experience in the hurdles and could be a contributor in the steeplechase."
Chelsea Hollingsworth, Distance/Cross Country, Greensboro, N.C. (Northwest Guilford High School)
Hollingsworth brings a great amount of experience to the ECU distance corps, from cross country to the track. She was the number one runner for a Northwest Guilford team that placed 5th in the state this past season and sixth in 2008. She also took sixth-place at the 4A state meet in the 1600m. Her personal bests of 5:10.54 for 1600m and 11:22.76 for 3200m stack up well with the current East Carolina squad.
Kraft on Hollingsworth: "Chelsea is a top distance runner in North Carolina and has great range. She has consistently been one of the top cross country runners in the state over the past few years as well. Her fantastic work ethic should take her far."
Kelly Miko, Distance/Cross Country, Clinton Township, Mich. (L'Anse Creuse HS)
Miko arrives at ECU from Clinton Township in Michigan. A multi-sport athlete in cross country, basketball and track and field, she has tremendous upside and potential. She looks to contribute both in cross country and track.
Kraft on Miko: "Kelly is an out of state athlete with tremendous potential for growth. She was a basketball player in high school, so year-round running will be new for her. However, her strength, athleticism and competitiveness should allow her to blossom in our program."
Olivia Slate, Middle Distance/Cross Country, Wilmington, Del. (Concord HS)
The addition of Slate brings both track and harrier experience to the Pirates. She was the No. 2 runner on a third-place team at the state meet and scored a bronze medal in the outdoor 1600m. Her speed in the 800m (2:14.76) and her prowess in the 1600m (5:12.06) are a dangerous combination.
Kraft on Slate: "We recruited Olivia for her speed and 800m ability, but she showed very steep improvement over the last few weeks of her senior year. We will not be surprised if she ends up excelling with cross country. We are pretty excited about her potential."
Bjork Olsen, Distance/Cross Country, Faroe Islands
Olsen is arguably the most decorated female middle and long distance runner from the Faroe Islands. She holds the national record in the 800m (2:20.01), 1500m (4:37.83), 3000m (10:02.47) and 5000m (17:49.70). Olsen owns a wealth of international and championship experience and immediately raises the visibility of the Pirates' distance program.
Kraft on Olsen: "Bjork is very talented international athlete and should make an immediate impact for us. She comes from the Faroe Islands, a place with roughly half the population of Greenville. She has had little opportunity to train with some elite females, so being part of this program should really benefit her."
Amanda Tomlin, Distance/Cross Country, Prince George, Va. (Prince George HS)
A former Prince George High School distance runner, Tomlin brings a wealth of talent and range to the distance corps. She has experience in the 800m (2:22.17), mile (5:10.59), 3200m (11:21.38) and 5000m (19:24.86) and should provide excellent depth on the track and in the cross country course.
Kraft on Tomlin: "Amanda is a tough competitor with some great range. It is not often you see a distance runner that dabbles in the high jump, triple jump and pole vault like she has. However, she loves to compete. Her father is a coach so Amanda is no stranger to high level athletic competition. We are looking forward to seeing her develop."
Jakub Trzasalski, Middle Distance/Cross Country, Poland
Trzasalski joins the Pirates track and field team as the 2009 Polish Junior National champion in the 800m. Consistently among the best runners in his age group, he brings a rare combination of 400m speed (48.31), 800m strength (11:50.03) and 3000m endurance (9:04) to the program.
Kraft on Trzasalski: "We are very excited to have Jakub as part of our team. He is the epitome of a competitor and isn't afraid to line up against anyone, regardless of their resume. Anytime you can bring in an athlete with national championship credentials, he or she immediately makes your program better. He should be an impact runner from day one at the conference level and will most likely be a NCAA threat very soon."
Chase Miller, Distance/Cross Country, Wilkesboro, N.C. (Wilkes Central HS)
One of the most decorated distance runners in the state of North Carolina, Miller has five state championships to his credit. With personal bests of 4:28.28 (1600m), 9:40.94 (3200m) and 16:22.0 (5000m), he should be an immediate contributor for both the track and cross country squads.
Kraft on Miller: "Chase is a very experienced distance runner with five state titles on his resume. Even with that, there is still a tremendous upside for this young man. His enthusiasm and heart to compete at the Division I level is really going to carry him far."
Aiesha Goggins, Sprints, Durham, N.C. (Riverside HS)
Goggins is the reigning 4A state runner-up in both the outdoor 400m and indoor 500m. With a personal best of 54.36 in the 400m, she brings immediate visibility to the sprint program and should be a competitor at the conference level from the start of her collegiate career.
Kraft on Goggins: "Aiesha is an incredibly talented young woman without a lot of experience, which means her potential is through the roof. She should be able to compete with Conference USA's best right away. Look for her to be an All-American sooner rather than later."
Tyshonda Hawkins, Sprints, Goose Creek, S.C. (Goose Creek HS)
Hawkins brings a wide range of talent to the Pirate sprint squad. She is the 4A state champion in the 400m, also taking second in the 200m and third in the 100m. Hawkins owns personal-best times of 55.45, 24.94 and 11.94, respectively.
Kraft on Hawkins: "Tyshonda is a very well-rounded sprinter with a great deal of untapped potential. We see her helping out on all of our relay squads right away. She is certainly the kind of quality individual that we look for to represent our program."
Tania Minkins, Sprints, Newport News, Va. (Menchville HS)
Minkins, a Menchville High School product, brings a great deal of experience and talent to East Carolina. She has experience at the high school national level and owns personal-best times of 11.91 (100m), 24.11 (200m) and 39.98 (300m) on her resume. Minkins looks to contribute to many of the sprint and relay teams for the Pirates.
Kraft on Minkins: Tania is a rangy sprinter that has the potential to be a premier 200m runner and should be an immediate All-Conference threat. She is a quietly competitive young woman and hates to lose. We as a coaching staff like that quality as it should take her far."
Erin Tucker, Sprints/Hurdles, Concord, N.C. (Jay Robinson HS)
Tucker joins the Pirates as the reigning state champion in the 55m and 55HH. Her speed and athleticism have helped her become one of the top hurdlers in North Carolina. With a personal best of 14.21 in the 100HH, she looks to be a factor in the sprint hurdle events and relays for ECU.
Kraft on Tucker: "Erin is a very driven and coachable young woman. She's an immediate help to us in the sprint hurdles. Her power and explosiveness in the sprints makes her a dangerous high hurdler."
Desmond Lawrence, Sprints, Durham, N.C. (Southern Durham HS)
Lawrence is the 4A 55m state champion and 100m runner-up and carries respective 10.78 and 21.67 credentials with him to East Carolina. He has been described as fast and explosive and should help bolster an already deep sprint squad and help the 4x100m relay become an immediate conference threat and NCAA qualifier.
Kraft on Lawrence: "Desmond is a raw short sprinter with a great deal of untapped potential. He is extremely patient when he runs and always runs for the win. He hasn't been running as long as most, so his upside is pretty high. Look for him to be an immediate impact for us."
Taylor Sykes, Sprints, Chesapeake, Va. (Great Bridge HS)
Sykes joins the program with incredible range and ability. A 2010 National Scholastic Indoor Championship finalist in the 400m, he has displayed speed in the 55m (6.37) and 400m (47.28). Sykes also boasts a 1:53.90 personal-best mark in the 800m and is capable of being an immediate conference-level contender.
Kraft on Sykes: "Taylor is the kind of athlete that has uncanny ability in whatever he chooses to compete. His speed and strength make him an immediate conference force and will help him be part of some memorable 4x400m relays this season. A big-time recruit like this is who we need to return to the glory days of East Carolina relays."
Ben McKenzie, Sprints, Upper Marlboro, Md. (Largo HS)
McKenzie has two state titles (300m and 500m) and a runner-up finish (400m) on his resume. His speed in the 200m (21.62) and 400m (47.9 relay) will fit in well with the squad. The coaching staff looks for him to be an immediate contributor to both the open 400m and the 4x400m relay.
Kraft on McKenzie: "Ben has flown under the radar a little this year and we are fortunate to have him as part of our team. He is a young man of extremely high character. He was student body president of his high school and we see immediate leadership potential in him."
