EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Evansville Director of Cross Country/Track & Field Brooks LeCompte announced the first part of his first official recruiting class as director of the UE running program on Wednesday, as he announced a loaded 19-member class.
Included in the recruiting class on the women's side are nine women, with backgrounds ranging from local stand-outs in cross country to the 2019 Norwegian U20 800-meter champion, the 2023 Austrian U20 Indoor 800-meter champion, and the 2022 Austrian cross country national runner-up. On the men's side, 10 men will join the UE program beginning in the fall of 2023, including the 2022 Spanish U18 National champion in the 800-meters, as well as a top sprinter from Texas, a person who finished fourth in Kentucky in the 400-meters, and a thrower from Illinois who placed sixth in the discus, among others.
"I am extremely humbled by what we as a staff were able to accomplish with this first recruiting class of my tenure," said LeCompte. "Not only do I believe this is the strongest Track & Field recruiting class in UE history, but also arguably one of the top recruiting classes in the MVC.
"The process wasn't easy we, as we put a lot of effort into finding the best athletes that fit into our vision for the new UE T&F team that will not only focus on success in the classroom, but also a focus on athletic achievement and being competitive within the MVC and nationally. We searched the globe for the best in many countries and found some exceptional talent that will re-write our record books and accomplish finishes as a team in cross country, indoor and outdoor track that we have never seen before here at UE.
"This is the just the beginning, and I, as Director, will never waiver my dedication to building a successful Cross Country/Track Program that the Evansville community and UE Track & Field Alumni will be proud of!"
Below are short bios on each new member of the UE program, with quotes from LeCompte. Both groups are listed in alphabetical order by last name.
WOMEN
" Kyndall has primarily been a long jump/sprinter for her track career, while running cross country in the fall. I think a year-long program tailored to Kyndall's development as a runner could yield some major improvements. She seems determined to grow as a runner and I feel UE will be the best environment for her to cultivate her talents."
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"Shelby is joining the Aces XC/T&F family as an up-and-coming distance runner, who I feel can develop into a contributor on our cross country roster in the near future. She has improved a lot the past couple years, and so, I am positive we can keep that streak going here at UE!"
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"Eilén is an elite level mid-distance runner who I believe could immediately make an impact at the MVC level for us individually and on relays. I am excited to have her joining the Aces family next fall"
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"I am happy to have Chase joining us next fall. She will be a sprinter/jumper for us with a ton of untapped potential. She is motivated to keep improving and we are excited she chose UE to continue her journey!"
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"While Sonja is still fairly new to the sport, she's had quite the progression over the past couple years. She is a very strong, determine long distance runner who excels in competitive environments. She will definitely aid in our efforts to be one of the strongest cross country squads in the MVC! I am excited to get to working with Sonja in the fall."
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"From the moment I began getting to know Nayla, I could see her being a Purple Ace. Nayla's the spark our team needs to usher in a new beginning of competitiveness, that will bring us from historically being a bottom feeder to one of the top MD/LD teams in MVC. Nayla will provide youthful leadership, coupled with her range of ability that will transcend from the cross country courses to the relays and middle-distance events on the track."
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"Nicole is a strong middle distance runner who has a strong desire to keep improving and wants to be an elite runner. She has the mental fortitude from having faced some tough adversity to now be back running PBs, and I see her coming here to lead by example with her work ethic. We got a lot better with Nicole choosing UE and I cannot wait to have her in Evansville."
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"Avery is one of the top seniors in the local area. I believe she has a lot of potential to develop into a runner who can be a contributing factor in our overall team improvement for cross country. Usually, cross country teams with the best depth will consistently perform better and adding solid runners like Avery will help us become one of those teams."
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"Kalina is what I call a hybrid runner, since she has such a great range from 400-5k. Hybrid runners, I believe, are most consistent and more likely to succeed at the collegiate level. Much like Nayla, Kalina is going to be able to run very well for the cross country team, but also be a huge contributor on the relays and up to 3k on the track. I could see Kalina becoming an NCAA first-rounder as early as freshman campaign. Blessed to have her joining the UE T&F family."
MEN
"I am excited to add Owen to the roster for fall 2023. He is someone that I believe will start off more as a developmental runner who can potentially grow into a competitive athlete for us at the MVC level with consistent training. He has the determination and will to buy-in to what we are trying to accomplish and so I am confident he can become a strong runner for us."
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"I am beyond grateful to have Ray joining us at UE! He is a highly motivated, positive guy who will ignite this sprints squad with determination and dedication to improving himself and that infectious energy is something we are greatly missing here and need. I can't wait to have Ray here helping create a new culture that will thrive on accountability and consistency."
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"Cedrik will be a great addition to the middle-distance squad who will also be an asset to the long sprint relays and DMR. We will explore his potential to aid the cross country team as well since he has cross country experience as a youth. He's so raw and untapped that once we figure out what works for him training-wise, I could see him running elite 800m times and maybe even up to 1500m"
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"Cole is joining our up-and-coming throws squad at UE for fall 2023. He is an accomplished discus thrower, finishing sixth at the 2A Illinois State Championship meet as a junior. I believe he has a lot of potential to grow as a thrower under Coach Ryan Freeman's tutelage."
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"I am extremely pleased to welcome Samuel to our XC/Track program. He will adjust well to the 8km cross country distance, and aid our push to move up the MVC ranks. He will fit in well with the rest of the incoming class and will be a potential threat in the MVC at the longer distances on the track."
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"Austin is a long-sprinter who has the potential to also grow into a solid middle-distance runner over time. I also feel he will continue to improve at the 400m distance and be a vital member of our 4x4 relay team. Excited to have Austin joining the Purple Aces this fall!"
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"I am pleased to have Tommy on board for fall 2023. The goal has been from day one to put together a well-rounded men's class of what I call "hybrid" runners who can run from 800m up to 3k/5k. These athletes adapt well to my training philosophy and can be very beneficial in both XC and track. He is a very dedicated, smart, and strong runner who will help create a competitive culture unlike anything seen at UE before. We should have the talent and depth to take UE from the bottom of the conference to mixing it up with some of the best teams in the MVC. We are still a few years away from our ultimate goal of contending for a title, but I believe we are going to have the personnel to do it, which includes this great young man"
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"I am thrilled to add Alvaro to our men's squad for the fall 2023 class. He is a strong middle distance runner who has run some fast times and had success at the national level in Spain, and is still only 17 years old. As he develops in the NCAA, he has the potential to be a sub-4:00 miler and possible national qualifier, all while also being able to contribute to the cross country team."
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"Adding depth to the men's mid-distance group, Jakub will have the potential to thrive in an environment with a big group of guys ahead of him pushing him to grow and improve as a runner. He is fairly new to the sport, so there's going to be a lot of upside to his development and finding out what will bring him to his best performances, which are far ahead for him."
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"Rafael is a young middle/long distance runner who is extremely raw, but has a tremendous upside for growth. He could transition well into being a strong 3k/5k runner in the next year or two. I also see him developing into a very strong cross country runner for the fall. Having a complete cross country roster has been a focal point for staff recruiting and I feel Rafael is the final addition we will need to fill that need. We obviously will have some depth with the other signees as well, but for the competitive nature of the MVC, I think we are going to be ready to step up to the plate with the other schools moving forward."
