TRACK AND FIELD WEEKLY
1/22/2009 4:15:21 PM | Men's Track, Women's Track, Track & Field
A new track season means new talent on the field
After the start of the indoor track season at the Clemson Invitational, the team takes a long pause to train and hone the skills they will need for the season ahead. Another important part of this time is integrating the new Ospreys into the team, bringing new talent and enthusiasm into an already well-formed veteran team. As part of a two week series highlighting the new talent coming on board, here are some brief introductions to the Osprey track and field freshmen class of 2009.
The Men
Josh Brown comes to the Ospreys from his hometown of Tallahassee, where he ran for three years. His senior year his team took first place in the 4x800 at districts, continuing all the way to a fifth place finish at state. Also part of the UNF cross country team, Josh made his track debut last weekend with an 18th place finish in the 3000m.
Cameron Dickerson was one of the Ospreys' best runners in the cross country season and made a great debut on the field last weekend. Cameron was part of UNF's second place finish in the distance medley and seventh place in the mile.
Jonathan Esteban is a hometown boy from Jacksonville. Another outstanding runner for the cross country team, he was also part of the distance medley team at Clemson. Jonathan also took fourth in the 3000m, something which points towards a bright future for him on the team.
Christian Homme started for the Ospreys as a cross country runner after coming to UNF from Seminole, Fla. Christian was named the St. Petersburg Times runner of the year his senior year.
Michael Homme, Christian's twin brother, also comes to UNF from Seminole.
Richie Kamaka comes to UNF from Winter Springs, Fla. Richie helped his high school 4x800 team take first in districts and regionals before finishing second in the state.
Mike Strasser comes to UNF from St. Charles, Ill, where he was all-state, all-conference, all-region and all-sectional first team member in 2007and all-area and all-district selection in 2008.
The Women
Brooke Baumann has been an asset to the Ospreys ever since she started running for cross country. Already Brooke has been part of the second place distance medley team at Clemson and sixth in the mile.
Andrea Bridges is just starting for the Ospreys as a sprinter and jumper. At Clemson she ran the 60m, 200m and the long jump.
Sianne Chong comes to UNF from Boca Raton, Fla. There she was awarded all-county and all-city honors as well as all-district second team her senior year. Sianne has also run for the UNF cross country team.
Kayla Conrad was state champion in the 800m for her last three years of high school. She brought this experience to the 800m race at Clemson, finishing 14th. Kayla was also a part of the 4x400 relay team at Clemson. Kayla was a consistent performer in cross country season.
Natalie Hart did the pole vault and triple jump at St. Augustine's Pedro Menendez High School. She also ran the 4X100, 4X400, 4X800, 400m, 200m and 100m. The future will show how this versatile new Osprey will do in the season to come.
Erin Heasley comes to UNF all the way from New Zealand, where she took first in the national 3k steeplechase and in the South Island 1500m and 800m. Erin was one of the cross country team's best runners in the past season.
Christina King did the long and triple jumps in high school as well as being a competitive gymnast. She took fist place in triple and long jumps in her district her senior year.
Morgan McCorkle is a talented runner out of Orlando, winning the All-Metro, All-Region, All-Area and All-District competitions her junior year before coming in second at All-State competition. Her senior year she won All-Metro, took second in All-Region, won All-Area and All-District and again took second at All-State.
Kayla Mobley may be a new member of the Osprey track team, but is no stranger to Osprey athletics as a Lady Osprey's basketball player.
Ava Rivera ran 100m, 200m, 400m, 4x100m, and 4x400m while at Everglades High School. A last minute addition to the team, we will wait and see how this talented sprinter will do in the season to come.
Rachel Stanley comes to the Ospreys from Ft. Myers, where she ran hurdles and pole vault. She took 28th in the 60m hurdles at Clemson.
Keva Stevens comes to the Ospreys all the way from Trinidad, where she was one of the islands most talented athletes. Keva took 27th in the 60m at Clemson.
