University of Evansville cross country coach Don Walters has announced the addition of eight student-athletes to his squads beginning with the 2013 campaign.
“I am excited about the additions for both teams,” Walters said. “We are bringing in runners on both teams that will make immediate impacts while giving us a deeper team.”
Four men will join the squad including: Ross Frondorf, Matthew Spencer, Kyle Wilson and Benjamin Woolems. The group brings a wealth of experience including a pair of local products.
Woolems is a native of Lincoln City, Ind. where he attended Heritage Hills High School. That just happens to be the same high school as former UE runner and Hall of Famer Nick Waninger. Waninger is coach of the team where Woolems enjoyed great success. Finishing his cross country career in 2012, Woolems was the Pocket Athletic Conference Champion, Sectional Champion and 1st Team All-State as a senior.
He was a 3-time all-conference runner, 3-time regional qualifier, 3-time semi-state qualifier and was a 2012 state qualifier. He lettered in track and cross country all four years, leading his team to the 2009 Pocket Athletic Conference Championship. His accomplishments were also strong on the track side where he was the 2012 3200M Sectional Champion and in 2013, won the PAC Championship, sectionals while finishing 3rd in regionals and 18th in the state in the 4x400m event. His top 5K time was a 15:46, which came as a junior in 2011.
Also from the area is Wilson, who is from Henderson, Ky. Wilson’s experience comes primarily on the track side where he had a pair of stellar outings at the Kentucky State Championships. Wilson took fourth in both the 800M (1:57.38) and the 1600M (4:23.67).
Ross Frondorf comes to Evansville from Cincinnati, Ohio where he went to Oak Hills High School. He ran cross country all four years while participating in track for three seasons. As a sophomore, he was named Second Team All-GMC Conference before making the first team as both a junior and senior.
Frondorf was an Individual Regional Qualifier in each of his last two years while making the 2nd Team All-City Team as a junior before being named Honorable Mention All-City last year. His PR in the 5K event is a 16:04.
Coming to UE from Denver, Colorado is Matthew Spencer. Running at Loveland High School, Spencer ran track and cross country in all four years of high school while swimming for one season. Not only will Spencer be an asset on the course, he brings a pair of Academic All-State honors to UE as this class will certainly benefit the Aces’ success in the classroom.
“We are going to have a deeper team this year. All four of the freshmen are coming in with cross country experience that is going to help the program in a big way,” Walters said.
The 2013 freshman class for the women’s squad consists of Katherine Beaber, Bailey George, Anna Loef and Tamara Munro.
A native of Farmington Hills, Mich., Beaber ran at South Lyon High School where she participated in track and cross country in all four years. Beaber ran a 5K PR of 20:21 and has a goal of lowering that under the 20-minute mark. She also earned a varsity letter in academics while making the honor roll and principal’s list all four years.
Bailey George lives in Aviston, Ill. where she was one of the top runners in the state of Illinois, posting top ten finishes in each of the last two years. In 2011, George took sixth place before coming home ninth in 2012. Her top 5K time was a 19:04 in her time at Mater Dei Catholic High School. George was a member of the National Honor Society while graduating with high honors.
A four-sport athlete in high school, Anna Loef earned four letters in cross country and basketball, three in soccer and two in track at St. Joseph Catholic Academy in Kenosha, Wis. As a junior and senior, she served as the team captain and was named MVP of her team. She was 1st team all-conference, a state qualifier and All-State Academic in her last two years.
Loef earned 1st team all-county honors as a junior and was named to the second team as a senior. Her top 4K time (15:52) came at the 2012 St. John’s Invitational and was just two seconds over her previous PR, which came in the same event in 2011. In 2011, her performances helped the girls become the first from their school to qualify for states. As a senior, St. Joseph’s won their conference while being runners-up in the sectionals.
Bringing in two years of experience in both track and cross country is Tamara Munro, who comes from Huntington, Ind. Running at Huntington North HS, Munro helped her team to the NCC Championship along with wins in the sectionals and regionals. The team took fifth place at the semi-state meet while qualifying for states.
The winner of the 2012 Dedication Award and the Mental Attitude Award ran a 21:05 for her top 5K time in the 2011 Marion Invitational.
“Bailey George is going to make an impact first, she ran in the low 19’s at the state meet,” Walters added. “Anna and Katherine both should be running in the top eight and all will make great impacts for us. Our additions on the women’s side, as well as the men, bring in great academic backgrounds that will help us continue our academic success.”
|
