Jesse Robinson
7/21/2010 4:02:08 PM
DULUTH, Minn. – Head St. Scholastica track & field coach Kirk Nauman has announced the recruiting class for his women’s team for the upcoming year. A list of the class is as follows.
Maggie Bair (Ham Lake, Minn./Blaine)
- Four-Year Varsity Athlete
- Team Captain
- Third Ranked 100m High School Hurdler in Minnesota
- State Finalist In The 100m hurdles
- Three-Year Hurdle MVP
- Most Improved As Freshman
- School Record in 100m Hurdles
- Section Champion
- Section Record Holder
Coach Nauman: “Maggie joins our program after a stellar senior season at Blaine. She went from being a good hurdler to being ranked third in Minnesota this season. It was exciting to watch her times keep dropping as the season progressed. I look forward to watching her progress as a hurdler in college.”
Katie Brownson (Florence, Wis./Florence)
- Three-Year Varsity Athlete
- Team Captain
- Six-Time USATF Wisconsin and Minnesota Champion
- Four-Time State Finalist including Third place in triple jump and three top 3 finishes in relays
- 12-Time Sectional Finalist
- Six-Time Regional Champion
- Most Valuable, Most Improved and Coaches Choice Award
- School Record Holder in Triple Jump, 300m Hurdles, 4 x 400m
- Honor Student
Coach Nauman: “Katie has had a lot of success in a number of events during her high school career. She has the opportunity to be a successful pentathlete/heptathlete at the college level with her abilities in many different events, plus still having the opportunity to still be a standout in individual events.”
Danielle Carter (Andover, Minn./Meadow Creek Christian)
- Five-Year Varsity Athlete
- State Qualifier in the 100m Hurdles
- Multiple Time Sub Section Champion
- Performance Award Winner
- Multiple Time All-Conference Selection
- School Records in the 100m Hurdles, 300m Hurdles, 4 x 200m
- National Honor Society Member and Honor Student
Coach Nauman: “Danielle had a great high school career which culminated in an appearance in the 100m hurdles at the Minnesota State meet. Her speed and height will really help her take her hurdling to the next level in college.”
Christa Diedrich (Superior, Wis./Superior)
- Four-Year Varsity Athlete
- Team Captain
- Five-Time State Qualifier
- Conference Champion
- All-Conference Selection
- Iron Woman Champion
- MVP, Spartan Spirit and Rookie of the Year
- Frank Cirilli Athlete Award
- WIAA Scholar Athlete Award
- Spartan Athlete of the Year
- Most Athletic Senior
- School Records in the Triple Jump and 4 x 400m
- President’s Education Award for Academic Excellence
- National Honor Society Member and Honor Student
Coach Nauman: “Christa had a great career while at Superior. During that time, she had five appearances at the state meet. She is such a dynamic athlete that it will be difficult to just focus in on a few things. It is possible we will do the pentathlon/heptathlon, but we will see where next season takes her.”
Brea Durovec (Meadowlands, Minn./Floodwood)
- Six-Year Varsity Athlete
- Three-Time State Qualifier in the 300m Hurdles
- Section Champion in the 300m Hurdles
- Four-Time Sub Section Champion
- Four-Time All-Conference Selection
- Four-Time Team MVP and Coaches Award as a Senior
- School Record in the 300m hurdles
- National Honor Society Member and Honor Student
Coach Nauman: “As a three-time state qualifier in the hurdles, she has a lot of experience in big meet situations. We are excited to get Brea on board as she has a lot of untapped potential in the hurdles. She has a lot of speed which with training will allow her to be a quality college hurdler.”
Becky Huberty (Lena, Wis./Lena)
- Four-Year Varsity Athlete
- Team Captain
- Wisconsin State Champion in the Shot Put
- Sectional Champion in the Shot Put
- Two-Time Regional Champion in the Shot Put
- Conference Champion in the Shot Put
- County and Conference Record Holder in the Shot Put
- Undefeated Senior Year in Shot Put
- Recipient of Bruce Kimball Award for Dedication
- Peshtigo Times Area Female Athlete of the Year
- Green Bay Press-Gazette All-Area Team
- WIAA Scholar-Athlete Nominee
- M&O Conference Achievers Award
- Wisconsin Athlete Women’s Award
- DAR Recipient
- Class President
- National Honor Society Member and Honor Student
Coach Nauman: “Becky had an outstanding senior year in the shot put. She started the year with a victory and never looked back on her way to winning the WIAA state championship in the shot put. Becky’s dedication has taken her to this level in the circle and in the classroom. We are excited to see where her college career takes her.”
Alex Illg (Stacy, Minn./Cambridge – Isanti)
- Three-Year Varsity Athlete
- Team Captain
- Section Finalist
- Team Conference Champions
- Multiple Time All-Conference Selection
- Most Improved Award
- Excel Award Nominee
- A.P. Scholar of Distinction
- National Honor Society Member and Honor Student
Coach Nauman: “Alex has done a little bit of everything in the sprints and the jumps while at Cambridge – Isanti. She is a good all-around athlete with a strong gymnastics background. We look forward to developing her into a quality college track & field athlete while focusing in on one or two events.”
Chelsea Johnson (North Branch, Minn./Chisago Lakes)
- Five-Year Track & Field and Six-Year Cross Country Varsity Athlete
- Team Captain
- State Qualifier in Cross Country
- Most Improved and Rookie of the Year
- Multiple All-Conference Awards in Track & Field and Cross Country
- School Record in the 800m and 4 x 800m
- National Honor Society Member and Received Highest Academic Honor at Chisago Lakes
Coach Nauman: “Chelsea’s work ethic and physical strength led to a lot of success during her high school career. She is a versatile athlete with good foot speed. We see her as someone who will make an impact right away in the 800m/1500m and cross country.”
Tia Lindberg (Chisholm, Minn./Chisholm)
- Five-Year Varsity Athlete
- Team Captain
- Three-Time State Qualifier: Two Times in the 200m and One Time in the 100m
- 10-Time Section Finalist
- Multiple Time Sub Section Champ
- Multiple Time Conference Champion
- All-Conference Selection
- School Record in the 4 x100m
Coach Nauman: “Tia has been one of the top sprinters over the last few years in Northern Minnesota. She dabbled a bit this past season in the 400m, but came back down in distance to qualify for state in the 200m for the second straight year. We look for her to move up to the 400m as I feel Tia has a great opportunity for success in the event while still competing in the 100m and 200m.”
Brittnie Menze (Ottertail, Minn./New York Mills)
- Six-Year Varsity Athlete
- Team Captain
- Two-Time State Qualifier in the Shot Put
- Two-Time Sub Section Champion
- Three-Time Conference Champion
- Two-Time New Your Mills Athlete of the Year
- Three-Time MVP and Most Improved
- School Record in the Shot put
- National Honor Society Member and High Honor Student
Coach Nauman: “Brittnie had a great high school career at New York Mills in which she qualified for state twice in the shot put and finished fourth this past season. She is a good athlete with the tools to be successful in the throws at the college level. We foresee her throwing the shot put, hammer and weight throw.”
Laurel Ohaju (Duluth, Minn./Central)
- Five-Year Varsity Athlete
- Section Finalist in Many Events Over High School Career
- Conference Champion
- Newcomer of the Year Award
- Trojan Award Winner
- Ranked Second All Time at Central in the 400m
Coach Nauman: “Laurel has been has been a main stay for the Duluth Central Track & Field team over the past five years. In that time, she has competed in running events up to the 800m and competed in the jumps too. We think that if Laurel focuses in on one or two events at the college level she has the opportunity to shine.”
Tracy Perish (Long Prairie, Minn./Browerville)
- Six-Year Varsity Athlete
- Team Captain
- Fifth Place Finish at State in Long Jump as Senior
- State Qualifier: Three-Time in Long Jump, One-Time in Triple Jump and One-Time in 300m hurdles
- Two-Time Section Champion
- 16-Time Sub-Section Champion
- Conference MVP in 2008 and 2010
- School Records in the Long Jump, Triple Jump, 300m hurdles and the mile
- Honor Roll Student
Coach Nauman: “Tracy has been a state qualifier for four years in Minnesota. She is very athletic and has the ability to achieve at a high level in college. She competed in most events in high school with a lot of success. We will look for Tracy to compete in the pentathlon/heptathlon, while still doing other events on a weekly basis.”
Maria Valesano (Crystal Falls, Mich./Forest Park)
- Four-Year Varsity Athlete
- Team Captain
- Eight-Time Upper Michigan State Champion
- 14-Time State Qualifier
- Upper Michigan Record in the 4 x 100m
- Eight-Time Regional Champion
- Team Regional Champion
- 14-Time Conference Champion
- Two-Time Team Conference Champion
- Three-Time Team MVP
- Forest Park Female Athlete of the Year
- School Records in the 100m, 200m, and 4 x 100m
- MHSAA Athlete Award
- National Honor Society Member and High Honor Student
Coach Nauman: “Maria had an outstanding high school career that resulted in eight Upper Michigan titles. She is strong and fast. We look forward to challenging her as I believe she has a lot more in her. Maria will look continue her success at the college level running the 55m, 100m and 200m.”