Ohio State Adds 14 in Early Recruiting Period – Ohio State Buckeyes
11/25/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
Nov. 25, 2014
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Karen Dennis, Ohio State director of track & field and cross country, announced today the commitment of 14 student-athletes during the early signing period Nov. 12-19.
“The 2015 track and field and cross country recruiting class consists of 10 women and four men with a diverse range of athletic skills,” Dennis said. “We’re excited to have been able to assemble the wealth and depth of talent in the short time we had before the early signing period for our newly combined program. Our staff did an excellent job of assembling some of the best talent within the state and from throughout the country.
“The men’s program will be greatly enhanced with the addition of local standouts Nick Gray and DeShawn Marshall, along with out of state additions DaJuan Seward and Jerry Jackson. All of these men will strengthen our sprint and hurdle core. The class also boasts a host of local Ohio talent on the women’s side in Karrington Winters, Alexis Dowdy, Kristen Denk, Brittany Atkinson, Lilly Saniel-Banrey, Allie Missler and Claire Wiles. Our talented out of state signees include Martha Sams, Mikaela Seibert and Madison Woods.
“Each of these men and women are the best in Ohio and in their respective states. We’re looking forward in having them join Buckeye Nation.”
Learn more about the early signees to the 2015 Ohio State recruiting class:
MEN
Nick Gray
Sprints
Pickerington, Ohio (Pickerington North)
• 2014 OHSAA Division I state champion in the 400-meter dash; placed fourth in the 200 meters and fifth in the 100
• 2014 OATCCC Division I state champion in the 400-meter dash and runner-up in the 200 meters
• Fifth place in the 200 meters at the 2014 New Balance Indoor Nationals
• Fifth place in the 400 at the 2013 OHSAA DI Outdoor Championships
PRs
100m – 10.50
200m – 21.00
400m – 47.41
Jerry Jackson
Sprints
Pascagoula, Miss. (Pascagoula)
PRs
100m – 10.53
200m – 21.14
• Fifth place in the 200-meter dash at the 2013 Mississippi 3A State Championships
• Fifth place in the 200-meter dash at the 2012 Mississippi 5A State Championships; eighth in the 100
Deshaun Marshall
Sprints
Columbus, Ohio (Indiana Tech)
• 2014 NAIA indoor and outdoor national champion in the 400-meter dash
• 2014 WHAC indoor and outdoor champion in the 400-meter dash; fourth in the indoor 200 and sixth in the 100
PRs
60m – 6.89
100m – 10.86
200m – 21.78
400m – 46.98
DaJuan Seward
Hurdles/Jumps
Lawrenceville, Va. (Brunswick)
• Four-event Virginia Group 1A/2A state outdoor champion in 2014, winning the 110- and 300-meter hurdles, along with the long jump and triple jump; runner-up in the high jump
• Four-time Virginia state indoor champion (55-meter hurdles in 2014 and 2013, long jump and triple jump in 2014)
• Fourth place in the triple jump at the 2014 New Balance Outdoor Nationals
• 2014 All-American in the triple jump
PRs
55m hurdles – 7.48
110m hurdles – 14.27
300m hurdles – 38.28
Triple Jump – 14.68m (48-2.00)
Long Jump – 7.02m (23-0.25)
High Jump – 1.93m (6-4.00)
WOMEN
Brittany Atkinson
Distance
Ohio (Liberty Center)
• 2013 OHSAA Division III state cross country champion; state runner-up in 2014
• 2014 OHSAA DIII state champion in the 3200-meter run; fourth place in 2013
• 2014 Mid-East Cross Country Championships participant
PRs
1600m – 5:06.56
3200m – 10:53.48
5k (XC) – 17:34.10
Kristen Denk
Pole Vault
North Royalton, Ohio (North Royalton)
• Fourth place in the pole vault at the 2014 OHSAA DI Outdoor Championships
• Runner-up in the pole vault at the 2014 USATF Youth Outdoor Championship
• Sixth place in the pole vault at the 2014 OATCCC DI Indoor Championships
PR
Pole Vault – 3.76m (12-4.00)
Alexis Dowdy
Throws
Van Wert, Ohio (Van Wert)
• Fourth place in the shot put at the 2014 OHSAA Division II State Championships; 10th in 2013
PR
Shot Put – 13.06m (42-10.25)
Allie Missler
Throws
Toledo, Ohio (University of Toledo)
• Placed 10th in the javelin at the 2014 MAC Championships; eighth in the 2013
• Finished ninth in the discus at the 2013 MAC Championships.
• At Whitmer High School, was named to Ohio’s Division I All-State team after finishing sixth in the discus at the 2012 OHSAA DI Championships
PRs
Javelin – 42.46m (139-3.75)
Discus – 44.23m (145-1.25)
Martha Sam
Sprints
Silver Spring, Md. (James Hubert Blake)
• 2014 Maryland 4A state champion in the 400-meter dash; runner-up in the 100- and 200-meter dashes
• 2014 MPSSAA indoor champion in the 300-meter dash; third in the 55-meter dash
• Third place in the 400 and fifth in the 200 at the 2013 Maryland 4A Championships; seventh in the 400 in 2012
PRs
55m – 7.18
100m – 11.95
200m – 24.48
400m – 54.52
Lilly Saniel-Banrey
Distance
Hilliard, Ohio (Hilliard Davidson)
• Sixth place at the 2014 OHSAA Division I State Cross Country Championships, helping Davidson to a third-place team finish; placed 32nd overall in 2013
• Sixth place in the 1600-meter run at the 2014 OHSAA DI Outdoor Championships
• Third place in the 1600-meter run at the 2014 OATCCC DI Indoor Championships
• Nike Cross Nationals Midwest Regional participant
PRs
1600m – 5:02.37
5k (XC) – 18:10.60
Mikaela Seibert
Jumps
Waxhaw, N.C. (Cuthbertson)
• Runner-up in the triple jump at the 2014 North Carolina 3A Indoor Championships
• Fourth place in the triple jump at the 2013 North Carolina 2A Outdoor Championships; eighth in the long jump
• Fourth place in the triple jump at the 2013 USATF Youth Outdoor Championship
PRs
Triple Jump – 11.79m (38-8.00)
Long Jump – 5.23m (17-2.00)
Claire Wiles
Distance
Powell, Ohio (Olentangy Liberty)
• Ninth place at the 2014 OHSAA Division I State Cross Country Championships, helping Liberty to a sixth-place team finish; placed 12th overall in 2013
• Fifth place in the 1600-meter run at the 2013 OHSAA DI Outdoor Championships; placed seventh in 2014
• Nike Cross Nationals Midwest Regional participant
• 2014 Mid-East Cross Country Championships participant
PRs
1600m – 5:00.93
5k (XC) – 18:16.24
Karrington Winters
Sprints
New Albany, Ohio (New Albany)
• Two-time OHSAA Division I state champion in the 400-meter dash
• Two-time OATCCC Division I state champion in the 400-meter dash
• Fifth place in the 100-meter dash at the 2013 OHSAA DI Outdoor Championships
• Third place in the 400 at the 2013 New Balance Outdoor Nationals
PRs
100m – 11.97
200m – 24.22
400m – 53.59
Madison Woods
Distance
Mishawaka, Ind. (Penn)
• Third place at the 2014 Indiana High School Athletic Association Cross Country Championships, helping Penn to a fourth-place team finish; sixth in 2013
• Fourth place in the 3200-meter run at the 2014 IHSAA Outdoor Championships; 12th in 2013
PRs
3200m – 10:47.05
5k (XC) – 17:55.70
