May 19, 2017
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State cross country and track & field head coach John Gondak has announced the signing of 14 additional future Nittany Lions who will join the Penn State Track & Field team this coming fall.
"We are thrilled to add to our fall recruiting class with these outstanding individuals. They will be great additions to Penn State both as students and athletes. We look forward to providing them an outstanding experience and help them continue to excel as athletes," said head coach John Gondak.
The 2016 recruiting class, including the fall signees, now includes 18 student-athletes from Pennsylvania as well as three from New York, one from Canada, Colorado, Delaware, Maryland, and Massachusetts each.
James Abrahams
Havertown, Pa.
Haveford Township High School
Event: Mile, 3,200-meters, 5K (XC)
Personal Best(s): 4:20.06, 9:34.14, 15:44
Highlights: Fifth-place finish in the Mile at the 2017 PTFCA Indoor State Championships
Ryan Barton
Downington West High School
Downingtown, Pa.
Event: 1,600-meters
Personal Best: 4:18.09
Highlights: Helped his team win the 2015 Nike Cross Country Nationals Northeast Regional Championship
Vail Freed
Appoquinimik High School
Middletown, DE
Event(s): 3,200-meters, 5K (XC)
Personal Best(s): 9:23.89, 16:05.76
Highlights: 2016 DIAA Division-I Cross Country Champion
Madeline Frew
Pine Grove Area High School
Pine Grove, Pa.
Event: Triple Jump
Personal Best: 36'-11.50"
Highlights: 2016 PIAA District 11-AA Championships runner -up
Brandon Hontz
Rustin High School
West Chester, Pa.
Event(s): 1,600-meters, 5K (XC)
Personal Best(s): 4:19.29, 16:05.00
Highlights: 2017 PTFCA State Finalist in the Mile
Reilly Madsen
Fayetteville-Manlius High School
Manlius, N.Y.
Event: 5K (XC)
Personal Best: 18:50.50
Highlights: Finished 51st at the 2017 Nike Cross Country Nationals. Helped her team capture the 2017 New York State championship as well as the Nike Cross Country Nationals Team Title.
Kier Miner
Mechanicsburg, Pa.
Cumberland Valley High School/Shippensburg University
Event: 400-meters
Personal Best: 47.29
Highlights: 2016 PIAA State Runner-up in the 400-meters
Moira O'Shea
Greensburg Central Catholic
Greensburg, Pa.
Event: Mile
Personal Best: 5:02.59
Highlights: Finished eighth in the Mile at the 2017 PTFCA Indoor State Championships
Brenna Rindfuss
Fort Leboeuf High School
Waterford, Pa.
Event: High Jump
Personal Best: 5'-3"
Highlights: 2015 PIAA District 10-AA Championships High Jump Champion
Noah Swaby
Taylor Allerdice High School
Pittsburgh, Pa.
Event: Multi-Events
Personal Best(s):
Highlights: Noah finished fifth at the New Balance Indoor Nationals in the Pentathlon. Placed second at the USATF National Junior Olympics in the decathlon
Alex Tomasko
Mechanicsburg Area High School
Mechanicsburg, Pa.
Event(s): 1,600-meters, 3,200-meters, 5K (XC)
Personal Best(s): 4:21.06, 9:35.19, 15:37.00
Highlights:
Nick Wagner
Penn-Trafford High School
Harrison City, Pa.
Event: 800-meters
Personal Best: 1:53.68
Highlights: 2017 PTFCA State Finalist in the 800-meters
Jordan Williams
Sharon High School
Sharon, Pa.
Event: 800-meters, 1,600-meters
Personal Best: 2:17.72, 5:00.11
Highlights: 2016 PIAA-AA 1,600-meter state champion and 800-meter runner-up
Alyssa Yeboah-Kodie
Saint Anthony's High School
Huntington, N.Y.
Event: High Jump, Triple Jump
Personal Best(s): 5'-4.00", 14.55
Highlights: 2016 NSCHSAA Sectional Championships runner-up