Eastern Michigan Athletics
Women's Track and Field Introduces 2019-20 Recruiting Class
8/22/2019 2:26:00 PM | Women's XC, Women's Track & Field
14 accomplished athletes join the Eagles for the 2019-20 campaign
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — Eastern Michigan University Head Women's Cross Country and Track and Field Coach Sue Parks announced the 2019-20 recruiting class comprised of 14 incoming student-athletes today, Aug. 22. The new Eagles are highlighted by athletes from eight different states, Australia, Germany, and England, as well as incomers with experience competing at the collegiate level.
"We are excited about our 2019-2020 recruiting class," Parks emphasized. "We expect this class to make an immediate impact on our program in all event areas. We always hope to bring in great students who share our vision of working towards our goals as a team, and this is a group that is motivated to help us be successful at the conference level and beyond."
Joining the Eagles from North Olmstead, Ohio, Lindsay Bush (North Olmstead, Ohio-Magnificat) was a four-year letterwinner and two-year captain for the Blue Streaks' cross country and track and field teams. She capped off her senior year by finishing second in the 800m at the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) Regional Championships and qualifying for the state finals. She also competed in the New Balance Outdoor Nationals in the 800m and 4 x 400-meter relay.
Personal bests: 800m - 2:14.51 | 5000m (XC)-19:19
Competing for the Plainfield South Track and Field team, Miranda Cadwell (Plainfield, Ill.-Plainfield South) had an incredible throwing career for the Cougars. She not only finished her high-school career as the Cougars' highest-placing female track and field athlete at the Illinois State Meet in school history, but was also the first Plainfield South track female athlete to place in multiple events at the prestigious state meet. Her accolades include All-Illinois High School Association (IHSA) honors for her shot put efforts in 2018 and 2019 and discus performances during the 2019 season, as well as All-Southwest Prairie Conference honors in both shot put and discus for the 2017-2019 and 2016-19 seasons, respectively. Furthermore, Cadwell was a six-time Southwest Prairie Conference champion, earning league titles in indoor shot put for the 2019 season, outdoor shot put for the 2017, 2018, and 2019 seasons, and outdoor discus for the 2018 and 2019 seasons.
Personal bests: Shot Put – 13.64m (44' 9") | Discus – 40.75m (133' 8.25)
A native of Lake District, England, Esme Davies (Lake District, England- Queen Elizabeth Grammar School) is one of the Green and White's three international recruits. The distance runner was a four-time Cumbria Schools Cross Country Champion, four-time Cumbria Schools 1500m Champion, and the 2018 3000m Cumbria Schools Champion. In addition to her success within England, Davies competed on the international stage, representing England in the 2016 Junior Home International Mountain Running Championships.
Personal bests: 800m - 2:17.97 | 1500m - 4:40.21 | 3000m - 9:58.40
Alyson Davis (Summerfield, N.C.-Weaver Academy for Performing and Visual Arts) graduated from Weaver Academy for Performing and Visual Arts, while earning three letters and acting as captain for two seasons competing with the Northern Guilford High School Track and Field team. As a Nighthawk, Davis earned a North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) Indoor State Championship individual runner-up finish in the indoor 55m, while aiding the Northern Guilford indoor 4x200-meter relay and outdoor 4x400 relay squads to second-place efforts. She was named Mid-State Athletic Conference outdoor track and field athlete for her efforts in both the 2018 and 2019 seasons while qualifying and earning All-American honors at the 2018 New Balance Outdoor Championships with the Nighthawks' fifth-place finishing 4x200 relay squad.
Personal bests: 55m - 7.03 | 60m - 7.60 | 100m - 11.96
Linda Geißler (Weinheim, Germany-Werner-Heisenberg Gymnasium Weinheim) joins Eastern Michigan after a successful high-school career at Werner-Heisenberg Gymanisum Weinehim in Weinheim, Germany. Geißler primarily ran the 800m and 1500m, collecting the Baden-Württemberg State Championship in the 1500m, while also earning the title of South German Champion in the same event.
Personal bests: 800m – 2:15.34 | 1500m – 4:36.09
A transfer from North Carolina State University, Janay Hall (Fayetteville, N.C.-South View (N.C. State)) comes to the Eagles after competing as a member of the Wolfpack's track and field program during the 2018-19 season. She recorded a collegiate-best mark in the 800m in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Championships, running to a time of 2:11.65. Before her time at N.C. State, Hall was a nine-time letterwinner for the South View Tigers' cross country and track and field programs, where she earned the 2017 North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) 4A Indoor State Championship in the 1000m.
Personal bests: 400m - 59.77 | 800m - 2:11.65 | Mile - 5:04.35 | 3200m - 11:06.72 | 5000m (XC) - 18:41
Hanna Hearn (Laurel,Miss.-Brebeuf Jesuit Prep (Ind.)) joins the squad as a sprinter following a high school career at Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School in Indianapolis, Ind. She was a member of the 4x100 Meter Relay team that won the state title at the 2018 IHSAA Girls Track & Field Championships. For her efforts, she was named an all-star in the state of Indiana, while also taking part in soccer, softball, basketball, and cheer.
Personal bests: 100m - 11.82
Another incoming recruit with collegiate experience, Quintella Johnson (Las Vegas, Nev.-Saint Mary's (Texas Southern)) competed for the Texas Southern track and field team for two seasons, specializing in the high jump, triple jump, and a leg of the Tigers' 4x400-meter relay. Johnson is the defending Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) indoor and outdoor high jump champion and completed her time with the Tigers competing at the 2019 NCAA West Regional Championships in her specialty, clearing 1.70m for 26th overall. Before joining the Tigers, Johnson competed for the Saint Mary's High School Track and Field program, where she was a three-time Arizona State Champion in the high jump and ranked second in the world in the event during her junior campaign with a mark of 1.77m.
Personal bests: High Jump – 1.79m (5' 10.5") | Triple Jump – 11.07m (36' 4")
Nya Lakin (Dacula, Ga.-Mill Creek) comes to Ypsilanti after earning six letters for the Mill Creek High School track and field team. She ended her high school career winning the Region 6 Class 7-A individual championship in the triple jump while also earning a nod to the 2019 Gwinnett All-County Team. Throughout her time as a Hawk, she collected Georgia High School Association (GHSA) All-State honors twice in her high-school career indoor performances and four times for her outdoor efforts.
Personal best: Triple Jump – 12.04m (39' 6")
An additional incoming student-athlete from Ohio, Mariah Myles (Hudson, Ohio-Twinsburg) joins the Eagles after a four-year career competing for the Twinsburg Tigers' track and field team. The three-time Ohio Division I Regional and two-time Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) State Champion primarily ran the 200m, 400m, and a leg of the Tigers' 4x200 and 4x400-meter relays, aiding the Tigers to a runner-up team finish at the 2018 Ohio State Championships.
Personal best: 400m - 57.40
Hailing from Coral Springs, Fla., Daishon Spann (Coral Springs, Fla.-Atlantic Technical Center) graduated from Atlantic Technical Center while competing for Boyd-Anderson High School for the 2016-17 seasons, Hallandale High School for the 2018 season, and Cocoa High School for the 2019 seasons, earning a combined four letters while spending three years as a team captain. Spann was a member of both the 2018 Florida 2A State Champion Hallandale High School team and the 2019 Florida 2A State Runner-Up Cocoa High School program while earning back-to-back individual Broward County Athletic Association (BCAA) in the 800m and collecting the 2019 Cape Coast Conference (CCC) title in the 100-meter hurdles. She holds program records at all three institutions, including Cocoa's 100 hurdles best mark, Hallandale's indoor 800m, and outdoor 600m top performances, and Boyd Anderson's outdoor 600m school record.
Personal bests: 100mH – 14.47 | 400mH – 1:03.21 | 400m – 57.63 | 800m – 2:11.75 | High Jump – 1.68 (5' 6.25") | Heptathlon - 4578
Karlie Swanson (New South Wales, Australia-Bellingen (Boise State)) comes to EMU after competing for three years at Boise State University. She hails from Australia where she won the 2014 ISF World Schools Cross Country Championship while placing second at the U18 3K Australian Junior Athletics Championships in the same yearr. After taking third at the Australia World Cross Country Trials in 2015, Swanson was named a member of the Australian World Junior Cross Country team. She competed in the 2015 IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Guiyana, China finishing in 63rd place and fourth overall for Team Australia.
Personal bests: 1500m - 4:37.40 | 3000m - 9:44.54 | 5000m (XC) - 17:38 | 10,000m - 35:16
Antonia Woods (Winchester, Ohio-Groveport Madison) comes to Eastern Michigan after a high-school career at Groveport Madison, earning four letters and acting as captain of the track and field team for three years. She competed in the long jump, 200m, and ran legs of the 4x100, 4x200, and 4x400-meter relays. The 2017 conference champion in the long jump also collected Ohio Association of Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches (OATCCC) Academic All-Ohio honors in 2019. Woods was named the Cruisers' team MVP and earned the squad's "Diamond in the Rough" award while also playing for the Groveport Madison basketball team.
Personal best: Long Jump - 5.61m (18' 5")
An Arcadia, Wis. native, Abbey Zastrow (Arcadia, Wis.-Arcadia (University of Mary)) arrives at Eastern as a transfer from the University of Mary, spending the last two years competing as a part of the Marauders' track and field team, specializing in the 400m. She aided the University of Mary track and field program to back-to-back indoor and outdoor Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) titles in 2018 and 2019 while earning NCAA Division II All-American honors for her efforts as a part of Marauders' 2018-19 indoor distance medley relay as well for her legs' of the team's 2018-19 4x400-meter indoor and outdoor relays. Before her time at the University of Mary, Zastrow had a successful high school career, earning four letters for the Arcadia High School track and field program. The 2016 Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) State Champion in the 400m holds the Arcadia school and Coulee Conference records in the same event.
Personal bests: 200m - 24.38w | 400m - 55.25
Eastern begins its 2019 cross country campaign at the George Dales Invitational Saturday, Sept. 6. For more information on the Eagles' Women's Cross Country team, be sure to follow the team on twitter @EMUWXC_TF.
"We are excited about our 2019-2020 recruiting class," Parks emphasized. "We expect this class to make an immediate impact on our program in all event areas. We always hope to bring in great students who share our vision of working towards our goals as a team, and this is a group that is motivated to help us be successful at the conference level and beyond."
Joining the Eagles from North Olmstead, Ohio, Lindsay Bush (North Olmstead, Ohio-Magnificat) was a four-year letterwinner and two-year captain for the Blue Streaks' cross country and track and field teams. She capped off her senior year by finishing second in the 800m at the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) Regional Championships and qualifying for the state finals. She also competed in the New Balance Outdoor Nationals in the 800m and 4 x 400-meter relay.
Personal bests: 800m - 2:14.51 | 5000m (XC)-19:19
Competing for the Plainfield South Track and Field team, Miranda Cadwell (Plainfield, Ill.-Plainfield South) had an incredible throwing career for the Cougars. She not only finished her high-school career as the Cougars' highest-placing female track and field athlete at the Illinois State Meet in school history, but was also the first Plainfield South track female athlete to place in multiple events at the prestigious state meet. Her accolades include All-Illinois High School Association (IHSA) honors for her shot put efforts in 2018 and 2019 and discus performances during the 2019 season, as well as All-Southwest Prairie Conference honors in both shot put and discus for the 2017-2019 and 2016-19 seasons, respectively. Furthermore, Cadwell was a six-time Southwest Prairie Conference champion, earning league titles in indoor shot put for the 2019 season, outdoor shot put for the 2017, 2018, and 2019 seasons, and outdoor discus for the 2018 and 2019 seasons.
Personal bests: Shot Put – 13.64m (44' 9") | Discus – 40.75m (133' 8.25)
A native of Lake District, England, Esme Davies (Lake District, England- Queen Elizabeth Grammar School) is one of the Green and White's three international recruits. The distance runner was a four-time Cumbria Schools Cross Country Champion, four-time Cumbria Schools 1500m Champion, and the 2018 3000m Cumbria Schools Champion. In addition to her success within England, Davies competed on the international stage, representing England in the 2016 Junior Home International Mountain Running Championships.
Personal bests: 800m - 2:17.97 | 1500m - 4:40.21 | 3000m - 9:58.40
Alyson Davis (Summerfield, N.C.-Weaver Academy for Performing and Visual Arts) graduated from Weaver Academy for Performing and Visual Arts, while earning three letters and acting as captain for two seasons competing with the Northern Guilford High School Track and Field team. As a Nighthawk, Davis earned a North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) Indoor State Championship individual runner-up finish in the indoor 55m, while aiding the Northern Guilford indoor 4x200-meter relay and outdoor 4x400 relay squads to second-place efforts. She was named Mid-State Athletic Conference outdoor track and field athlete for her efforts in both the 2018 and 2019 seasons while qualifying and earning All-American honors at the 2018 New Balance Outdoor Championships with the Nighthawks' fifth-place finishing 4x200 relay squad.
Personal bests: 55m - 7.03 | 60m - 7.60 | 100m - 11.96
Linda Geißler (Weinheim, Germany-Werner-Heisenberg Gymnasium Weinheim) joins Eastern Michigan after a successful high-school career at Werner-Heisenberg Gymanisum Weinehim in Weinheim, Germany. Geißler primarily ran the 800m and 1500m, collecting the Baden-Württemberg State Championship in the 1500m, while also earning the title of South German Champion in the same event.
Personal bests: 800m – 2:15.34 | 1500m – 4:36.09
A transfer from North Carolina State University, Janay Hall (Fayetteville, N.C.-South View (N.C. State)) comes to the Eagles after competing as a member of the Wolfpack's track and field program during the 2018-19 season. She recorded a collegiate-best mark in the 800m in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Championships, running to a time of 2:11.65. Before her time at N.C. State, Hall was a nine-time letterwinner for the South View Tigers' cross country and track and field programs, where she earned the 2017 North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) 4A Indoor State Championship in the 1000m.
Personal bests: 400m - 59.77 | 800m - 2:11.65 | Mile - 5:04.35 | 3200m - 11:06.72 | 5000m (XC) - 18:41
Hanna Hearn (Laurel,Miss.-Brebeuf Jesuit Prep (Ind.)) joins the squad as a sprinter following a high school career at Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School in Indianapolis, Ind. She was a member of the 4x100 Meter Relay team that won the state title at the 2018 IHSAA Girls Track & Field Championships. For her efforts, she was named an all-star in the state of Indiana, while also taking part in soccer, softball, basketball, and cheer.
Personal bests: 100m - 11.82
Another incoming recruit with collegiate experience, Quintella Johnson (Las Vegas, Nev.-Saint Mary's (Texas Southern)) competed for the Texas Southern track and field team for two seasons, specializing in the high jump, triple jump, and a leg of the Tigers' 4x400-meter relay. Johnson is the defending Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) indoor and outdoor high jump champion and completed her time with the Tigers competing at the 2019 NCAA West Regional Championships in her specialty, clearing 1.70m for 26th overall. Before joining the Tigers, Johnson competed for the Saint Mary's High School Track and Field program, where she was a three-time Arizona State Champion in the high jump and ranked second in the world in the event during her junior campaign with a mark of 1.77m.
Personal bests: High Jump – 1.79m (5' 10.5") | Triple Jump – 11.07m (36' 4")
Nya Lakin (Dacula, Ga.-Mill Creek) comes to Ypsilanti after earning six letters for the Mill Creek High School track and field team. She ended her high school career winning the Region 6 Class 7-A individual championship in the triple jump while also earning a nod to the 2019 Gwinnett All-County Team. Throughout her time as a Hawk, she collected Georgia High School Association (GHSA) All-State honors twice in her high-school career indoor performances and four times for her outdoor efforts.
Personal best: Triple Jump – 12.04m (39' 6")
An additional incoming student-athlete from Ohio, Mariah Myles (Hudson, Ohio-Twinsburg) joins the Eagles after a four-year career competing for the Twinsburg Tigers' track and field team. The three-time Ohio Division I Regional and two-time Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) State Champion primarily ran the 200m, 400m, and a leg of the Tigers' 4x200 and 4x400-meter relays, aiding the Tigers to a runner-up team finish at the 2018 Ohio State Championships.
Personal best: 400m - 57.40
Hailing from Coral Springs, Fla., Daishon Spann (Coral Springs, Fla.-Atlantic Technical Center) graduated from Atlantic Technical Center while competing for Boyd-Anderson High School for the 2016-17 seasons, Hallandale High School for the 2018 season, and Cocoa High School for the 2019 seasons, earning a combined four letters while spending three years as a team captain. Spann was a member of both the 2018 Florida 2A State Champion Hallandale High School team and the 2019 Florida 2A State Runner-Up Cocoa High School program while earning back-to-back individual Broward County Athletic Association (BCAA) in the 800m and collecting the 2019 Cape Coast Conference (CCC) title in the 100-meter hurdles. She holds program records at all three institutions, including Cocoa's 100 hurdles best mark, Hallandale's indoor 800m, and outdoor 600m top performances, and Boyd Anderson's outdoor 600m school record.
Personal bests: 100mH – 14.47 | 400mH – 1:03.21 | 400m – 57.63 | 800m – 2:11.75 | High Jump – 1.68 (5' 6.25") | Heptathlon - 4578
Karlie Swanson (New South Wales, Australia-Bellingen (Boise State)) comes to EMU after competing for three years at Boise State University. She hails from Australia where she won the 2014 ISF World Schools Cross Country Championship while placing second at the U18 3K Australian Junior Athletics Championships in the same yearr. After taking third at the Australia World Cross Country Trials in 2015, Swanson was named a member of the Australian World Junior Cross Country team. She competed in the 2015 IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Guiyana, China finishing in 63rd place and fourth overall for Team Australia.
Personal bests: 1500m - 4:37.40 | 3000m - 9:44.54 | 5000m (XC) - 17:38 | 10,000m - 35:16
Antonia Woods (Winchester, Ohio-Groveport Madison) comes to Eastern Michigan after a high-school career at Groveport Madison, earning four letters and acting as captain of the track and field team for three years. She competed in the long jump, 200m, and ran legs of the 4x100, 4x200, and 4x400-meter relays. The 2017 conference champion in the long jump also collected Ohio Association of Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches (OATCCC) Academic All-Ohio honors in 2019. Woods was named the Cruisers' team MVP and earned the squad's "Diamond in the Rough" award while also playing for the Groveport Madison basketball team.
Personal best: Long Jump - 5.61m (18' 5")
An Arcadia, Wis. native, Abbey Zastrow (Arcadia, Wis.-Arcadia (University of Mary)) arrives at Eastern as a transfer from the University of Mary, spending the last two years competing as a part of the Marauders' track and field team, specializing in the 400m. She aided the University of Mary track and field program to back-to-back indoor and outdoor Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) titles in 2018 and 2019 while earning NCAA Division II All-American honors for her efforts as a part of Marauders' 2018-19 indoor distance medley relay as well for her legs' of the team's 2018-19 4x400-meter indoor and outdoor relays. Before her time at the University of Mary, Zastrow had a successful high school career, earning four letters for the Arcadia High School track and field program. The 2016 Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) State Champion in the 400m holds the Arcadia school and Coulee Conference records in the same event.
Personal bests: 200m - 24.38w | 400m - 55.25
Eastern begins its 2019 cross country campaign at the George Dales Invitational Saturday, Sept. 6. For more information on the Eagles' Women's Cross Country team, be sure to follow the team on twitter @EMUWXC_TF.
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