Men's Cross Country/Track and Field Inks 22 for 2014-15

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — Eastern Michigan University's men's track and field team has announced the addition of 22 new student-athletes to the 2014-15 squad. With six state champions among the 22 signees, the Eagles will look to retain their strength among the Mid-American Conference after winning conference titles in the cross country and outdoor track and field seasons, while taking third in the indoor track and field campaign.

"Coaches Howard Booth, Steve Manz, Sterling Roberts and I are very appreciative of Vice President/Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Heather Lyke, the sport supervisors, sports media, sports medicine, compliance, student academic support advisors, many professors, and our student-athlete hosts who have all been an integral part of our recruiting process and our success in attracting such a promising group of student athletes," remarked Head Coach John Goodridge. "We as a staff believe that this group of incoming athletes has exciting potential for development, and we look forward to welcoming them to campus and becoming their university coaches."

The Eagles will have two newcomers in the jumps, both of whom are pole vaulters. With the graduation of two-time EMU record holder and First Team All-American Max Babits, the Green and White is looking to the incoming pair of vaulters to fill some considerably large shoes in the event. Andrew Dumont does not travel far from home to join the Eagles, hailing from Dexter, Mich. The incoming freshman took third in the Michigan Division I State Championships, and holds a personal-best vault of 4.36 meters/14 feet 4-inches. Joining Dumont will be a native of the Hoosier State, Brett Laura. After prepping at Chesterton High in Indiana, Laura comes to Eastern with a personal record of 4.57 meters/15 feet.

There has been a long history of dominance in the middle distance and distance events for the Eagles. At the 2014 MAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships, where the Green and White claimed its 22nd program title in EMU history, an Eagle took either first or second in the 1500m, 3000m steeplechase, 5000m, and 10,000m, to go along with a 1-2 sweep in the 800m. Coach Goodridge has a deep list of athletes that come into the program looking to make an impact in the track events as well as during the cross country season.

Hlynur Andresson transfers to EMU from Alderson Broaddus College in West Virginia with four years of eligibility remaining. The Icelandic product has run career-best times of 1:55.00 in the 800m, 3:55.00 in the 1500m, 8:29.00 in the 3000m, and 14:55.00 in the 5000m.

After leading Maine-Endwell High School at the 2013 New York State Class B cross country meet with a sixth-place finish, Cody Brizzolara will look to make an impact in the steeplechase. Brizzolara holds a personal record of 9:29.00 in the event.

Coming to Eastern from the Grand Canyon State, Rickey Carr was a vital member of the Higley High team in 2013, when the Knights claimed runner-up at the Arizona D3 state meet. Carr took third in the 400m and 800m and was also a member of the winning 4x400m relay and third-place 4x800m relay teams. Carr holds a personal record of 49.82 in the 400m, while his best mark in the 800m stands at 1:57.00.

Steve Hammond joins the Eagles with one year of eligibilty remaining after transferring from Wingate University in South Carolina. The senior had a successful career as a Bulldog, collecting numerous South Atlantic Conference Runner of the Week accolades as well as garnering All-SAC honors three times and being named the SACRunner of the Year in 2012. When the Bulldogs won the first-ever SAC Championships this past year, Hammond won the 3000m steeplechase, leading to all-region and Capital One Academic All-America® Third Team honors. He hold a personal best of 9:10.00 in the steeplechase.

Prepping at Roosevelt High in Wyandotte, Mich., Danny May comes to EMU after a strong career for the Bears, where he was the fastest 800m competitor that the school had seen in over a decade. May sits at third on Roosevelt's all-time list with a personal record of 1:59.17.

Haslett, Mich. native Alex McCormick will don the Green and White after taking fourth at the Michigan Division II Cross Country Championships, finishing the 5000m race in 15:58.10. Throughout his senior campaign, McCormick took either first or second in six of his eight appearances. On the track, McCormick holds a personal record of 1:55.75 in the 800m.

Fresh off setting the Hillsborough High School record in the 1600m with a 4:14.67, Nick McFarland will look to compete in the 800m, 1500m, and mile for the Green and White. The New Jersey native earned the title of Somerset County Indoor Track Athlete of the Year during his senior campaign, and boasts a personal-best mark of 1:54.64 in the 800m to go along with his high school record-breaking mile time.

Byron Center graduate John Sattler joins the Eagles after claiming the Michigan Division II championship in the 800m, posting a career-best and Byron Center record-breaking time of 1:53.34 en route to his victory. The Michigan product was a double medal winner, taking second in the 1600m. Sattler also broke records in the 1600m (4:15.00) and 3200m (9:29.00), making him the most prolific distance runner in Byron Center history.

The final addition to the middle distance and long distance runners is Stephen Sparks. The 2014 Eagle-Gazette Track Athlete of the Year after winning the Ohio Division I State Championship title in the 800m in 1:51.23, Sparks has the potential to make an impact at a variety of distances. Though the 800m is undoubtedly his strong suit, as Sparks is ranked No. 23 in the nation among high schoolers in the event, he also had a stellar performance at the Ohio Capital Conference Championships to help Lancaster High earn a runner-up finish. The senior won the 800m and 1600m, posting a personal best in the latter in 4:17.71, while also finishing second in the 3200m with a career record time of 9:44.39. Sparks could also be used in the 400m, in which he has run a 49.96.

The Eagles have had tremendous success in the sprints and hurdles this past season after being represented in six events at the NCAA East Regional, May 29-31. With the addition of four promising student-athletes, the Green and White will have a field of fierce competitors in the shorter distances on the track.

Solon High School standout Brandon Bolden has tremendous potential to excel as an Eagle, especially in the 100m dash. The incoming recruit stands at No. 27 in the nation after winning the Ohio Division I State Championship title in 10.53 seconds. Bolden also took third in the 200m in 21.48, but his best mark in the event stands at 21.19 seconds. The Buckeye State native should come strong off the blocks in the indoor season as well, boasting a personal best of 6.87 seconds in the 60m dash, which ranks No. 22 nationally.

Mark Cooke should add immense talent in the hurdles, as the New Jersey product is ranked No. 7 in the nation in the 400m hurdles. Cooke won the New Jersey Meet of Champions title in 52.09, and went on to take third at the New Balance Nationals. He should also be a strength in the 110m hurdles, posting a career-best time of 14.41 seconds.

A familiar name will be joining the track and field family in Anthony DeBardelaben, as his sister, Makeda, is currently a member on the women's squad. The Arthur Hill graduate steps onto the EMU campus as the Michigan Indoor MITS 60m dash state champion, notching a time of 6.96 seconds that is just 0.02 seconds shy of his personal record. DeBardelaben also holds a time of 10.93 in the 100m.

One more hurdler will join the EMU team in the 110m high hurdles. Cameron Jackson won both the 110m and 300m hurdles at the Columbus City League Championships before going on to place third at the Ohio Division 2 State Championships. Jackson holds personal records of 14.30 in the 110m hurdles and 38.99 in the 300m hurdles, while also having a personal-best time of 8.23 in the 60m hurdles.

While the Eagles improved steadily in the throws throughout the 2013-14 season, the team will have eight fresh faces to welcome to the rising program.

A native of Smithville, Ohio, Connor Booth will specialize in the shot put after taking second at the Ohio Division II State Championships. Booth threw a personal-best 18.01 meters/59 feet 1.25-inches at the state meet, adding just under three feet to his personal record.

In the discus, Kevin Bouchard of Whitemore Lake High School comes to the team after taking third at the Michigan Division III State Championships. The Michigan native has a personal best of 52.45 meters/172 feet 1-inch in the event.

Joining Sparks from Lancaster High School will be Austin Crist, a multi-disciplined thrower who took sixth in the weight throw at the Ohio Indoor State Championships with a 18.69-meter/61-foot 4-inch launch. Crist also holds a personal record of 49.50 meters/162 feet 5-inches in the discus throw and 15.34 meters/50 feet 4-inches in the hammer throw.

Another pair of athletes with identical prep training will be added to the team in Austin Hazek and Mike Hierholzer, both from Medina High in Ohio. Hazek has marks of 15.90 meters/52 feet 2-inches in the shot put and 47.87 meters/157 feet 1-inch in the discus throw. His counterpart, Hierholzer, is ranked No. 39 in the nation in the shot put at 18.66 meters/61 feet 2.75-inches, while his discus throw of 55.65 meters/182 feet 7-inches stands at No. 49 nationally.

Adding to the depth at shot put and discus will be Zach Purcilly and Colin Sipe, who took second in both events at their respective state championships. Purcilly had a pair of runner-up finishes for Avondale Auburn Hills, throwing a personal-best 17.01 meters/55 feet 10-inches in the shot put and 48.69 meters/159 feet 9-inches in the discus throw. Additionally, he has a mark of 17.11 meters/56 feet 2-inches in the weight throw. Sipe, who competed for Urbana High School in Maryland, had his second-place finishes with throws of 16.66 meters/54 feet 8-inches in the shot put while his discus throw mark fell just shy of his personal-best 48.03 meters/157 feet 7-inches.

Wrapping up the 2014-15 recruiting class is Sean Ward, who will fill the spot as the team's javelin throw specialist. Ward graduated from Billings Central in Montana, where he was the state champion in 2013 before suffering a torn labrum in his senior campaign. Ward has a personal record of 53.61 meters/175 feet 11-inches, which he set in his junior season.