Upstate Cross Country Welcomes Newcomers
8/14/2012 12:00:00 AM | Cross Country
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Katie Parker, kparker@uscupstate.edu
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The USC Upstate women's cross country team will welcome seven athletes to the 2012 squad, after graduating the top three finishers at the 2011 Atlantic Sun Conference Women's Cross Country Championship.
Incoming freshman Molly Bliss is the first of the six freshmen on the list. She hails from Milford, Del., where she ran cross country and track & field for Milford Senior High School. Bliss earned All-State accolades in cross country, posting a personal best time of 19:20 in the 5K. She will also help the Spartan women come track season with times of 59.2 in the 400-meter, 2:15 in the 800-meter and 5:19 in the 1,600-meter.
"We are more than looking forward to this season with our cross country program," said Upstate head coach Natalie Smith. "After last year's season it has made this a long summer awaiting the athletes return to see what this season has in store for them. On the men's side, our team will be basically the same names and faces with the only difference being that our team's name now is stamped 'Returning Conference Champions,' while our women's team will be young with a lot of new faces."
Local Boiling Springs, S.C., standout Anastasia Kolenitchenko also joins Upstate for her freshman campaign. She collected All-State honors at Boiling Springs High School for both cross country and track & field. She recorded the fastest cross country time for the 2012-13 Spartan recruiting class, clocking in at 18:51 in the 5K. On the track, Kolenitchenko posted marks of 60.0 in the 400-meter, 2:18 in the 800-meter and 5:21 in the 1,600-meter.
Roanoke, Va., native Ashleigh Torres will run for Upstate this year, competing in both cross country and track & field. The incoming freshman was an all-region selection at Hidden Valley High School for both cross country and indoor track, while receiving All-State nods for outdoor track. Torres, like Bliss, posted a time of 19:20 in the 5K. She crossed the line in 59.87 in the 400-meter, while finishing the 800-meter in 2:20.65.
Danielle Horneff makes her way to Upstate from Haddon Heights, N.J. She was an all-conference pick in cross country at Haddon Heights High School, where she registered a personal record of 20:14 in the 5K. On the track, Horneff recorded times of 5:21 and 12:15 in the 1,600-meter and 3,200-meter, respectively.
"We have a great group of freshmen and transfers this season," said associate head coach Carson Blackwelder, who works primarily with the distance athletes. "I can already tell that they have the focus and drive to have a successful season."
Conway, S.C., product Nia Payne joins the Spartan squad for her freshman season. She competed at Carolina Forest High School in Myrtle Beach, S.C., where she turned in a third-place performance at the South Carolina State Track & Field Championships in the 800-meter. Payne posted a personal best time of 2:19 in the event.
Taylor Crans is the final incoming freshman for the Upstate women's cross country team this year. She was a three-time all-region selection and a four-time all-conference choice at Whitewater High School in Fayetteville, Ga. Crans recorded personal best times of 57.0 in the 400-meter and 2:18 in the 800-meter.
Junior college transfer Sarah Boyd rounds out the newcomers for the 2012 Spartan women. The Dalton, Ga., native was a product of Northwest Whitfield High School. Boyd posted a personal record time of 21:20 in the 5K, while running cross country for the Bruins.
"Losing our three seniors from last year's women's squad is a major hit, however we believe that as we rebuild and reload this season we are going to see some young ladies really step up as big time competitors," Smith said. "I believe that our men's team will be great motivators for our women's team and our men's success last year should be a great motivator for their season this year as I believe that they are hungry and want to repeat a team championship this year."
The Spartan women graduated the 2011 A-Sun individual champion in Jemeli Sang along with fellow First Team All-Conference selections Joan Tangwar and Carolyne Chelulei. Despite finishing 1-2-3 at the league championship, Upstate came in fourth in the overall team standings, marking the third-straight year the Spartans finished fourth at the A-Sun meet. However, the 2011 squad recorded its best score in program history with 91 points.
"Coach Blackwelder is an exceptional leader and coach of these student-athletes and will do everything possible to put each and every athlete in position to maximize their potential," Smith said. "It is exciting to be a part of such building stages of this program in its entirety and we are looking forward to this season, while understanding the work and commitment that it is going to take to see success."
The Upstate cross country team opens the 2012 season Friday, Aug. 31, hosting the Eye Opener Invitational at 6:30 p.m.
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