June 5, 2008

Track and Field/Cross Country Head Coach Helen Lehman-Winters announced the signing of 13 recruits for the 2008 season. "We are pleased to welcome this young and talented group to our program," said Lehman-Winters. "They are highly motivated to improve and immediately contribute to our program."

Headlining the women recruits is a trio of solid distance runners- Haley Nemra (Marysville Pilchuck HS, WA), Sophia Ditty (Newport Harbor HS, CA) and Hilary Kigar (El Camino HS, CA).

Nemra was fifth in the 2008 Washington 4A State Track Championships in the 800m and sixth in the 1600m. She has personal bests of 2:13.83 (800m), 5:00.62 (1600m) and 11:06 (3200). Ditty led her team to the Division II California Cross Country State Championship title in 2007 and has a personal best of 10:51.19 in the 3200m. Kigar has a personal best of 10:59.38 in the 3200m.

Also part of the 2008 recruiting class is Alanna Nulph (Hoopa Valley HS, CA), Sahar Bala (Snohomish HS, WA) and Cassidy Robey (Thomas Jefferson HS, WA). Bala has personal bests of 5:15 (1500m) and 2:16.20 (800m) and Robey has a personal best of 2:20.31 in the 800m. Nulph was third at the North Coast Meet of Champions in the shot put qualifying for the 2008 California State Championships. She will become the first female thrower for the Dons in the history of the Track and Field program.

The men have the largest and strongest recruiting class in program history with the addition of seven freshmen recruits. The 2008 class is led by local standout Ganbileg Bor (Jefferson HS, CA), along with Will Marquardt (Union Mine HS, CA), Michael Barnes (Ventura HS, CA) Tyler Alvarez (Dana Hills HS, CA) and Jeremy Grace (Dublin HS, CA).

Bor was sixth in the California Division I Cross Country Championship and 28th at the Footlocker West Regional race. This spring he ran a 9:14.60 in the 3200m at the Central Coast Section Championships. Marquardt has personal bests of 4:19.07 (1600m) and 9:33.07 (3200m), which he achieved this spring. Barnes has a personal best of 4:15.80 (1600m), Alvarez finished 18th in the California Cross Country Championship with a time of 15:41, helping Dana Hills capture the CIF Division I Team Championship and Grace was eighth in the Division III California State Cross Country Championship with a time of 15:45.

Also part of the seven man recruiting class are Thomas Estrada (Rancho Buena Vista HS, CA) and Steve Garboden (North Bend HS, OR). Estrada finished fifth in the Division I San Diego Cross Country Championship and has a personal best of 4:25.20 in the 1600m and Garboden finished fourth overall in the Oregon 4A Cross Country State Championship, helping North Bend HS capture the team title.