COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – University of Colorado Colorado Springs head men's and women's track & field coach Ross Fellows finalized his 2023-24 recruiting class on Wednesday morning with a total of 53 incoming student-athletes set to join the roster for the upcoming indoor and outdoor track & field seasons.
 
"It is a great time to be a part of the Mountain Lion track and field program as we just won our 15th RMAC title in the span of 6 years," stated Fellows. "Our staff has worked extremely hard to sign not only our biggest class but our most talented class to date. As we work to stay on top of the podium at the RMAC, we are pushing to bring home bigger hardware at the national level. Student-athletes come here with the intention of winning both on and off the track, and that makes me extremely proud. As we continue to raise the bar in recruiting, I know we will see the results on the track as well."
 
Coming off their fourth consecutive indoor conference title and their third straight outdoor conference championship, the UCCS men's track & field team is set to bolster the squad with the addition of 32 student-athletes to the roster for the 2023-24 season.
 
A native of Alamosa, Colo., Jayr Almeida graduated from Alamosa High School this spring where he was a two-time all-conference performer in the 800m run. The 2022 Inter Mountain League Runner of the Year, Almeida helped the Moose of AHS take third place at the 2022 3A state cross country championships, and fourth place at the 2021 state track and field championships. A three-time team captain, Almeida was on the student council all four years. He recently posted a personal best time of 1:56.71 in the 800m run.
 
A sprinter from Dripping Springs, Texas, Gunnar Betts joins the Mountain Lions after graduating from Dripping Springs High School in the spring of 2023. As a three-year member of the Tigers' varsity track & field team, Betts posted personal best times of 10.84s in the 100m and 22.67s in the 200m while also contributing to a school record time of 42.23s in the 4x100m relay. Betts served as a captain on the track & field team for two seasons, helping the squad qualify for the Area Meet in 2021 and the Regional Meet in 2022. In the classroom, Betts was tabbed Academic All-District for the 2021 and 2022 seasons and was named an Academic All-State Honorable Mention for the 2022 season.
 
Kyle Briggs will bring his running resume to UCCS from Eugene, Ore. A 2023 graduate of Churchill High School, Briggs owns personal best times in the 800m (1:58.25), 1500m (4:08.02), 3000m (9:32), and the 5000m (16:32). A seven-time letterwinner in cross country (four times) and track (three times), Briggs earned All-Midwestern League Second Team accolades in 2021 and 2022. He received a 2023 OSAA OnPoint Community Credit Union 5A Track and Field State Championships certificate of participation.  Briggs helped the Lancers take second place at the conference cross country meet in 2021 and 2022 after placing third in the 2019 conference meet. He and the CHS Lancers qualified three times for the Oregon state cross country championship meet while winning the 2021 5A state championship and claiming first place in the 2021 5A 4x400m relay.
 
Michael Burke Jr. (Pompton Lakes, N.J.) will join the Mountain Lions after spending the 2022-23 season at Texas Tech University where he took a redshirt season as a freshman. During his prep career at Pompton Lakes High School, Burke posted personal best times of 9:44 in the two-mile and 16:15 in the 5k. Burke, who competed in cross country and track for seven seasons for the Cardinals, graduated from PLHS in 2022 and was a member of the National High School Honors Society.
 
Hailing from Gig Harbor, Wash., Tyler Campbell has registered career best times of 15:22 in the 5000m, 9:25 in the 3200m and 4:30 in the 1600m. Campbell earned his 5k PR time of 15:22 earlier this month, finishing 29th overall at the Nike Outdoor Nationals in Eugene, Ore. A two-year varsity letterwinner in cross country and track at Gig Harbor High School, Campbell notched top-10 finishes at the cross country and the track and field conference championships the past two seasons. He finished third at the 2021 cross country West Central District Championships followed by a 10th place finish his senior year.  Campbell was part of a Tides team that finished second at the 2021 WIAA 3A state cross country championship meet and fourth place the following year. Campbell and the Tides earned 2021 South Sound Conference Cross Country Championship and 2022 SSC Track & Field Championship titles, and the 2021 West Central 3A District team championship. He ran to a third-place finish in the 3200m run in 9:25 at the West Central District Track & Field meet, helping his team to a second-place finish. A 3.87 GPA student, Campbell was awarded the Gig Harbor Tides Scholarship Foundation's Scholar Athlete, Notebook Excellency and Spirito of a Tide awards.
 
A product of The Vanguard School in Colorado Springs, Colo., Matt Campos has garnered 2A cross country All-State Honorable Mention honors and Tri-Peaks All-Conference accolades twice. The owner of personal best times in the 800m (2:08.48), 1600m (4:29.92), 3200m (9:56.72) and the 5k (16:25.3), Campos finished seventh at the state track meet last year in the 1600m event and took eighth place in the 3200m. A four-year letterwinner and a three-year Honor Roll student, Campos finished eighth overall as a junior at the state cross country championship meet.
 
Sonny Ciccarelli joins his older brother, Skye, on the men's track & field team for the 2023-24 season after graduating from Woodland Park High School this spring. As a member of the Panther's track & field program, Ciccarelli primarily competed in a trio of jumps events, posting personal bests of 6' 10" in the high jump, 21' 9" in the long jump, and 43' 5" in the triple jump. The Woodland Park, Colo., native was the 3A Colorado State Champion in the high jump for the 2021 season before putting together another strong performance at the 2022 Colorado State Meet that saw him finish second in the high jump, fourth in the long jump, and sixth in the triple jump to lead his team to an eighth-place finish overall in the state.
 
A 2023 graduate from Brighton High School, Hayden Cuevas joins the men's track & field roster as a 6-foot-3 thrower who was a four-year member of the Bulldogs' varsity track & field team. Across his high school career, the Henderson, Colo., native earned Second Team All-Conference accolades, was named the team's Field Athlete MVP, and logged a third-place finish at the 5A Colorado State Meet. Cuevas, who was a three-time Academic All-State Honorable Mention, also earned three varsity letters in football and two varsity letters in wrestling.
 
Brett Davis graduated from Horizon High School this spring in Thornton, Colo. where he helped the Hawks win a 5A Region 4 championship in 2021 before finishing in fourth place as a team the following two seasons at the regional meet. He earned seven letters at HHS in cross country (four-time letterwinner) and three in track while being named the team MVP once and Academic All-State twice.  He registered PR times of 4:19 (1600m) and 9:22 (3200m) and was named Colorado 5A All-State in both cross country and track. Davis, who holds two school records, qualified for the state meet three times and was named all-conference twice. A four-year academic letterwinner, he finished fourth in his class and was awarded the AP Scholar award.  Two weeks ago at the Nike Outdoor Nationals at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore., Davis clocked a time of 15:07.19 in the 5k to finish 17th overall among 50 competitors.
 
Jeffrey Franquemont comes to UCCS as a 2023 graduate from ThunderRidge High School where he competed in a trio of sports, including basketball (two years), track & field (three years), and football (four years). As a jumper and sprinter for the Grizzlies track & field team, Franquemont was named to the All-State team and was tabbed the ThunderRidge MVP while leading the squad to a league championship. In addition, the Highlands Ranch, Colo., native earned Academic All-State honors on two occasions and was involved with the FBLA and Desire to Lead clubs at THS.
 
A long sprinter from Phoenix, Ariz., Jose Garcia joins the UCCS track & field program as a 2023 graduate from Valley Christian High School. The 2021 and 2022 Track MVP for the Trojans, Garcia posted personal best times of 49.95s in the 400m and 1:58 in the 800m and helped his team win a pair of track & field state championships.
 
From Resurrection Christian School in Windsor, Colo., Tre Garcia joins the Mountain Lion family as a former member of the Cougars' track & field program. A two-time All-Conference selection and one-time conference champion, Garcia posted personal best marks of 15.12s in the 110m hurdles and 39.38s in the 300m hurdles. The hurdler also helped his team win the 2021 3A State Championship in 2021, marking Resurrection Christian School's fifth championship title in school history. Garcia also excelled on the academic side throughout his high school career as he was named to the Highest Honor Roll in each of his four years and finished top-5 in his graduating class to earn the Superintendent's Award. In addition, he served as the vice president of the National Honors Society and the team captain of the speech and debate team.
 
Jonas Graff will join his older brother, Sean Graff, on the men's program this fall. From Montrose, Colo. and a 2023 graduate of Montrose High School, Graff was part of a Red Hawks program that qualified for the 4A state cross country championships in 2019, 2020 and 2022. A four-year academic letterwinner, Graff was part of the 2022 state track and field 4x400m relay team. He owns career best times in the 5k (15:58), 1600m (4:30.11), 800m (1:57.21) and 400m (52 seconds).
 
From Parker, Colo., Grayson Hardy is set to join the Mountain Lion throws event group after graduating from Legend High School this spring. During his time with the Titan's track & field program, Hardy earned a pair of All-League Honorable Mention accolades and was a one-time All-League First Team honoree while competing primarily in the shot put and discus throw. Academically, the 5-foot-11 thrower graduated with high honors, was a two-time academic letterwinner, and was a two-year member of the honor roll.
 
A teammate of Jayr Almeida at Alamosa High School, Isaac Higareda was a three-sport student-athlete for the Moose where he earned back-to-back all-conference honors in cross country and track. Higareda received 3A All-State First Team accolades and was named the Distance Runner of the Year and the Colorado MileSplit Athlete of the Year. He posted a seventh-place finish as an individual at the 3A state cross country meet, while helping AHS take third place as a team at the state meet and winning three straight regional championships. During his prep career, Higareda recorded top times in the 5k (16:11), three-mile (15:00), 3k (9:00), 3200m (9:48) and 1600m (4:36).
 
A 2023 graduate from East High School in Denver, Colo., Nigel James joins UCCS after earning a pair of varsity letters for the Angels in both track & field and football. James made a name for himself in the Dnever East High School ranks as he established school records in the 300m hurdles (37.61s) and 4x400m relay (3:18.59) while also posting the second fastest 110m hurdle time in school history at 14.36s. A two-time state champion and three-time national qualifier, James also posted strong marks in the 200m dash (22.96s), long jump (20' 6"), and high jump (5' 10"). James also excelled off the track during his high school career as he was an honor roll recipient in 2022 and earned the 2023 Seal of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Senior Award. In addition to his athletic and academic success, James was involved in multiple extracurricular activities including being a member of the Hustle Track Club and the president of the Meet and Eat club, which created a community for students that have difficulties making friends.
 
Tyler Jamieson (Santa Barbara, Calif.) ran for the Chargers of Dos Pueblos High School where he was a state qualifier for the 2021 and 2022 California cross country state championships. An all-league performer in cross country in 2022 and 2023, Jamieson won the CIF Academic All-Sport in cross country in 2021 and in track and field in 2022. He and the Chargers qualified for the 2021 and 2022 state championships and finished 11th at the state meet his senior season. He clocked personal best times during high school in the 1600m (4:32), 3200m (9:58), 5k (16:18) and the three-mile (15:42). Jamieson graduated from DPHS with a 4.6 GPA and was a member of the National Honor Society every year.
 
Bryce Joshlin signs with UCCS after graduating from Piedra Vista High School this spring. A native of Farmington, N.M., Joshlin is set to compete in the hurdle events for the Mountain Lions as a freshman during the 2023-24 season.
 
A transfer student from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pa., junior Will Lamb is from Beaver, Pa. where he graduated from Beaver Area High School in 2021. As a sophomore at Duquesne in 2022-23, he competed in four cross country meets and five track and field meets. He ran an 8k at the Canisius Alumni Classic in 27:09.9 to finish 55th overall. On the track, he competed in the 800m, 1500m and 3000m, posting a PR time of 9:15.10 in the 3000m at the CMU Last Chance meet on April 13. As a prep athlete, he won the RWB Invite in 2019 and finished runner-up the following year. A three-time state qualifier, Lamb won the WPIAL in 2019 and notched a fifth-place finish in the same meet in 2020. A four-year letterwinner and four-time all-conference performer, Lamb won the district championship and was named All-District three times. A High Honors student all four years, he graduated with Honors in 2021.
 
David Maldonado is added to the roster after finishing a highly decorated career with the track & field program at Grandview High School this spring. In his four years with the Wolves, the sprinter was a four-time state champion and a two-time All-American in addition to winning one individual national championship.
 
Hailing from the Lone Star State, Jack McDaniel joins the Mountain Lions as a 2023 graduate from Georgetown High School in Georgetown, Texas. As a member of the GHS track & field team, he posted personal best times of 21.50s in the 200m and 48.31s in the 400m to help the Eagles record their first Area and Regional Championships in program history. The 5-foot-11 sprinter put together an incredible junior season in which he was the event champion in the 400m, 4x100m, and 4x400m at the District, Area, and Regional Meets before also competing in each of the three events at the Texas State Meet. McDaniel also performed well on the academic side during his high school career, making his way onto the A-B Honor Roll in each of his four years while also being an active member of the Mu Alpha Theta math club.
 
A six-foot sprinter from Fishers, Ind., Christian Miller joins the UCCS track & field roster for the 2023-24 season after graduating from Hamilton Southeastern High School this spring. While a member of the HSHS track & field program, Miller was named to the Indiana 6A All-State Team on two occasions as he made a pair of appearances at the Conference, Sectional, and Regional Meets along with one appearance at the State Meet.
 
A 2022 graduate from Cornell University with his Bachelor of Art and Sciences, Donovan Mini comes to UCCS as another addition to the Mountain Lion's strong stable of short sprinters. In four years as a Bear, Mini posted personal best marks of 10.54s in the 100m dash and 21.20s in the 200m dash and was a First Team All-Ivy League honoree in the 4x100m after contributing to Cornell's first place relay team at the 2019 Ivy League Outdoor Championships. A native of Atlanta, Ga., Mini also posted strong results in the classroom as he was named to the Deans List in each of his four years at Cornell.
 
A native of Omaha, Neb., TJ Nissen makes his way to UCCS after graduating from Creighton Preparatory School, where he was a four-year member of the Jr. Jays varsity swimming team and a three-year member of the track & field team. In addition to a strong high school career inside the pool, Nissen was a two-time member of the Metro Conference All-Academic Team and earned First Honor Roll in each of his eight semesters. He was also involved in the community as he spent one semester mentoring kindergarten students at an inner-city elementary school and volunteered at a local food bank.
 
A decathlete from San Jose, Calif., Patrick O'Leary graduated from Abraham Lincoln High School this spring after spending the first three years of his high school career at Archbishop Mitty High School. In addition to his participation in track & field, O'Leary found strong success on the academic side as he was a four-year member of the honor roll and was a member of the National Honors Society for one year.
 
A native of Germantown, Wis., Gavin Sadowski competed at Valdosta State University as a freshman last year. He ran in six meets for the Blazers, capping his 2022 season with a 79th place finish (28:15.2) at the Gulf South Conference cross country championship meet. Sadowski, who graduated from Germantown High School in 2022, posted top prep times in the 5k (16:21), 3200m (9:50), and the 1600m (4:34). A seven-time honor roll student and a six-time varsity letterwinner, Sadowksi was named first team all-conference and first team all-sectional in 2021. He helped the Warhawks win three conference championship titles and two sectional championships, while placing third at the state meet in 2018 and fifth place at the 2019 state meet.
 
Chanhassen, Minn. native Colin Scheller is a two-time all-conference cross country performer at Chanhassen High School. A 2023 graduate from CHS, he qualified for state and was named the cross country team MVP. On the track, he helped the Storm win the 4x800m relay at sectionals and qualify for the state meet.  He picked up all-conference honorable mention honors in the 800m. Scheller, whose cousin (Anna Fauske) also runs for the Mountain Lions, posted a career best 800m time of 2:03.05, and has a 1600m time of 4:35.01, and a 3200m PR time of 9:42.32.
 
Boden Sirey graduated from Los Altos High School in Los Altos, Calif. this spring where he ran cross country and track for the Eagles. He posted top prep times in the 800m (1:58.45), 1600m (4:36.01), and the 5k (16:35) while being a four-year varsity member of the cross country team. Named the 2021 team MVP in 2021 and the team captain in 2022, Sirey was selected the 2019 Freshman Athlete of the Year and all-league first team. As a senior this past spring, he was a finalist in the 800m at the Central Coast Sectional meet. He was part of an Eagles team that took second place at the 2019 section cross country meet and fourth place at the same meet in 2022.
 
A local product from Colorado Springs, Colo., Luke Trinrud joins the Mountain Lions after a strong four-year career with the track & field program at Grandview High School. During his tenure with the Wolves' track & field team, Trinrud contributed to a Colorado high school state record time of 40.59s in the 4x100m relay and a school record time of 1:26 in the 4x200m relay while also posting personal best times of 10.74s in the open 100m dash and 22.20s in the open 200m dash. The two-time Nike All-American finished his high school career with an individual national championship in the 4x200m as he helped the GHS boy's track & field team win back-to-back state championships in 2021 and 2022. Trinrud's success also carried over into the classroom, where he was a two-time All-Academic Honorable Mention selection and served as the Vice President of the Unified Club.
 
Michael Vargas (Littleton, Colo.) attended Skyview Academy in 2019-20 before moving to Rock Canyon High School where he graduated from in 2023. He lettered all four years in high school and notched times of 15:44 in the 5k, 9:42 in the 3200m and 4:34 in the mile run. He garnered All-State Second Team, All-Region Second Team and All-Continental League Second Team recognition. The 2020 Rock Canyon Top Newcomer, Vargas and the Jaguars qualified for the state meet twice. This past season as a senior, they won the conference and regional meet championships, and placed fifth at the state meet. Vargas earned 2021 and 2022 Academic All-State First Team honors and was awarded the highest academic award as a junior.
 
Kyree Wilson joins the Mountain Lion squad for the 2023-24 season after graduating from William J. Brennan High School this spring. A native of San Antonio, Texas, Wilson helped the Bear's track & field team win a District Championship during his time with the team and will compete in the hurdle events for UCCS.
 
From Erie, Colo., Ashton Whisler comes to UCCS after spending four years with the varsity track & field squad at Erie High School. Primarily a long sprinter, Whisler posted a personal best 400m time of 48.49 during his time with the Tigers, earning him All-Conference and MVP honors. Whisler currently holds the EHS school records for the 4x100m, 4x200m, and 4x400m and was crowned the state champion in the 4x200m during the 2022 season. The 6-foot-1 sprinter closed his high school career on a high note as he helped his team with the 2023 Front Range League Championship.
 
 
The women's track & field team is set to add 21 incoming student-athletes to an already impressive squad for the 2023-24 season after they collected their third consecutive outdoor conference title at the end of April.
 
From Midland High School in Midland, Texas, Brielle Bracken joins the Mountain Lions as a four-year varsity letterwinner with the Bulldog's track & field program. A two-time regional qualifier and the highest-scoring student-athlete for MHS, Bracken competed primarily in the short sprints and jumps events during her high school career, posting personal best marks of 37' 10" in the triple jump, 17' 4" in the long jump, 12.34s in the 100m, and 8.08s in the 60m. Bracken was also named the Miss Bulldog Track Star Athlete while helping her team win District and Area Championships. A member of the National Honors Society and the Midland College Health Science Program, Bracken was an academic letterwinner and A/B Honor Roll student for the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons.
 
A native of Greeley, Colo., Madison Brosig graduated this spring from Frontier Academy High School where she was a four-time cross country letterwinner for the Wolverines. She was named All-State in 2020 and 2022 and was a three-time all-region performer after earning all-conference first team honors as a freshman and senior. As a senior, Brosig ran personal bests of 5:18 and 11:30 at altitude to qualify for the state championships in both events. A three-time all-conference performer in track and field, Brosig collected Freshman Runner of the Year, Sophomore Runner of the Year, Jumps MVP and Distance MVP honors. A state qualifier all four years, she received the Excellence in Extracurriculars, Excellence in Language Arts, and Rotary Certificate of Excellence awards in 2022.
 
Zane Bullock comes to UCCS after graduating from Rangeview High School in the spring of 2023. After her freshman year of high school track & field was inconclusive due to the pandemic, Bullock went on to have a strong career with the Raiders as she earned First Team All-Conference honors in the 4x100m and Second Team All-Conference honors in the 200m during her sophomore year before putting together a stellar junior season that saw her secure First Team All-Conference honors in the 200m, 4x100m, and long jump as well as Second Team All-Conference accolades in the 100m. She also went on to qualify for the State Meet in the 100m, 200m, 4x100m, and long jump during her junior season, where she finished ninth in both the long jump and 4x100m to earn the team MVP and Outstanding Sprinter of the Year awards. A four-time conference champion during her sophomore and junior seasons, Bullock also excelled in the classroom as she was a four-time member of the Athletic Honor Roll and earned Highest Honors three times.
 
A native of Thornton, Colo., Emma Chambers joins the UCCS women's track & field team after graduating from Mountain Range High School this spring. As a three-year varsity letterwinner for the Mustang's track & field program, Chambers posted personal best times of 7.98s in the 60m, 12.29s in the 100m, 26.24s in the 200m, and 1:06.66 in the 400m throughout her high school career and made an appearance at the 2023 Indoor National Meet. Chambers, who also competed with the MRHS cross country team for two seasons, was named an Academic All-State Honorable Mention during her junior season and was involved in the National Technical Honor Society and the Student Athletic Leadership Club.
 
Lilyana Delagarza remains in her hometown of Colorado Springs, Colo., to continue her track & field career with the Mountain Lions after she finished her career at Doherty High School in the spring of 2023. Delagarza, who will suit up for UCCS as a multi athlete, was involved in the Student Council and Link Crew during her time at DHS.
 
Trinity Dixon is a 2022 graduate of San Marcos High School. The Carlsbad, Calif. native competed in the 400m (58.6), 800m (2:12), 1600m (4:57) and the 5k (18:57.5) events for the Knights. The 2019 Rookie of the Year, Dixon was also named the 2021 Most Valuable Runner and the 2022 Most Valuable Athlete. She competed at nationals in 2022 and was a state participant as a junior and senior. Named to the 2020 honor roll, Dixon helped her team qualify for the regional, state, and national competitions.
 
A native of nearby Monument, Colo., Phia Edwards is set to join the Mountain Lion's pole vaulters for the 2023-24 season after graduating from Plamer Ridge High School this spring. As a member of the Bears' track & field program, Edwards went to the 4A state meet in back-to-back years, logging a tenth-place finish in the pole vault in her first year and a fourth-place finish in same event during her second year. Edwards also showed off her speed on the track as she competed in sprint medleys and the 4x100m relay throughout her time at Palmer Ridge.
 
Kaley Fergus hails from Gig Harbor, Wash. where she competed for the Tides at Gig Harbor High School. She owns personal best times in the 800m (2:25), 1500m (4:55), 1600m (5:14), 3200m (11:20) and the 5k (19:03). After winning the 3200m race at the Arnie Young Invite in track, Fergus placed 21st at the 2022 state cross country championships. An eight-time letterwinner, Fergus was named to the all-conference team five times and was a 2022 Washington West All-Star. She helped the Tides win the 2020 cross country and 2022 track and field league championships, place third at the 2021 state cross country meet, and won the 2022 cross country district championship followed by a runner-up finish at the state cross country championship meet. Fergus is a three-year member of the National Honor Society and has been named to the honor roll all four years.
 
Hailing from the Golden State of California, Taryn Fettig makes her way to Colorado Springs to compete for the UCCS women's track & field team after graduating from Saint Mary's College High School. A 5-foot-4 sprinter from El Sobrante, Calif., Fettig helped the Panthers track & field team earn a TCAL conference title in 2022 and went on to compete in the 4x400m at the California State Meet that same year. Outside of the track, Fettig was a member of the honor roll in each of her four years in high school and was involved in the Student Council, Girl Scouts, and Service Groups.
 
Victoria Malaki comes to UCCS as a junior transfer from Mesa Community College in Mesa, Ariz., where she was a two-time All-American with a sixth-place finish in the discus throw and an eighth-place finish in the hammer throw at the national championship meet. Prior to beginning her collegiate career, Malaki spent her prep years at Dobson High School before graduating in 2020. While a member of the Mustangs' track & field team, Malaki was named the Lionel Goar award winner (2019-20), Dobson Track MVP award recipient (2019-20), and the Steve Johnson Outstanding Thrower award winner (2020).
 
Emma Montoya joins the Mountain Lions from Los Alamos High School in Los Alamos, N.M.  She owns a career best time of 18:19 in the 5k, 11:18 in the 3200m at altitude, 5:08 in the mile, 2:19 in the 800, and 1:02 in the 400m. She claimed all-district honors five times in cross country and five times in track and field while being named all-state all four years in cross country and seven times in track and field. Montoya won state championship titles in the 800m, 1600m, and 3200m events, and she anchored the 4x800m relay team that set the 4A state record. Montoya and the Hilltoppers won three state cross country titles and finished runner-up one year, and three state titles and a runner-up finish in track and field. She is a 10-time academic all-district honoree.
 
A 2021 graduate from Palmer Ridge High School, Madissyn Moore returns to Colorado after spending the first two seasons of her collegiate career at Dakota State University, where she was a two-time honor roll student and a member of the Trojans track & field program. Prior to starting her collegiate career, Moore put together an outstanding four-year career as a member of the varsity track & field team at Palmer Ridge as she established the Bears current long jump school record and had a pair of top finishes at the Colorado State Championship Meet, finishing fourth in the 4x100m in 2018 and second in the long jump in 2021. While at Palmer Ridge, Moore was also a member of the Choir and the French Club.
 
Coming to UCCS from Lake Oswego High School in Lake Oswego, Ore., Casey Moran is set to join the Mountain Lion throws event group for the 2023-24 season. Moran was a dual-sport athlete at LOHS as she earned a trio of varsity letters with both the track & field and volleyball teams. With the Lakers track & field program, Moran was named the 2020-21 and 2021-22 Lake Oswego High School Field Athlete of the Year after she helped the squad win a pair of Three Rivers District Championships and their first State Championship in program history during the 2021-22 season. A First Team All-League honoree and the Three Rivers District Discus Throw champion for the 2021-22 season, Moran posted personal best marks of 133' 8" in the discus throw and 38' 3.5" in the shot put during her high school career. Moran also secured Honor Roll accolades on two occasions with the Lakers and was a member of multiple clubs at LOHS, including the National Honors Society, Green Team, and Queer Student Alliance.
 
A transfer from California State University, Monterey Bay, Kseniya Nikanorov is a 2022 graduate of Castle View High School in Castle Rock, Colo. As a prep athlete, she finished ninth at the 2021 cross country regional meet and qualified as an individual to the state meet. Nikanorov attended California State University, Monterey Bay in 2022-23 where she recorded personal best times for the 1500 (5:07), 3200 meters (11:29), 3k (10:38), 5k (18:11) and the 6k (22:17). Nikanorov ran to a 66th place finish at the West Region Cross Country championships in 22:43.6. She wrapped up her freshman campaign with the Otters after placing 11th at the CCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, clocking a time of 18:29.73.
 
Dorcas Opoku makes her way to UCCS as a triple and long jumper from the town of Asamankese in the Eastern Region of South Ghana. A two-time local long jump champion and the current long jump national champion, Opoku will add her talents to the Mountain Lion's already strong stable of women's jumpers.
 
Dallis Robinson joins the Mountain Lions from Grandview High School in Aurora, Colo., where she had a strong four-year career as a high jumper for the Wolves track & field team. Robinson finished third overall in the high jump at the 2021 Colorado State Championships to help her team finish as the state runner-up before moving up to second place at the 2022 State Championships and earning a berth at the 2022 New Balance Outdoor Nationals. In the classroom, Robinson earned academic letters for the 2020-21 and 2021-22 school years, secured the Science Achievement award in 2019-20, and the Excellence in English award in 2020-21. She was also a member of the National Honors Society, Sisterhood club, and SOAR Student Panel.

Krissie Sanders makes her way to UCCS for the 2023-24 season from nearby Littleton, Colo., after graduating from ThunderRidge High School this spring. Sanders, who also attended Mountain Home High School and Mountain Home Idaho from 2019-2021, joins the Mountain Lion's with high school personal bests of 15.10s in the 100m hurdles, 44.76s in the 300m hurdles, and 36' in the triple jump. The 2021 league champion and state runner-up in each of the three aforementioned events, Sanders also competed on the Grizzlies 4x400m relay team where she clocked a personal best 400m split of 57.60s. An academic letterwinner in 2022, Sanders was also tabbed as the captain of the 2023 THS track & field team, the Student Council President in 2019, Student Council Vice President in 2020, and was a member of the National Honors Society.
 
From Monument, Colo., Olivia Sargent is a 2023 graduate of Palmer Ridge High School. A two-year varsity letterwinner for the Bears, Sargent won the Palmer Ridge Coach's Choice Award and was named to the All-Pikes Peak Conference 4A Second Team. A two-time academic all-state honorable mention student, she was on the 4x800m relay team that placed seventh at the state championships. In her senior track season this spring, she competed at the State Championships on the Sprint Medley Relay, 4x800m relay, and 4x400m relay.
 
A 2023 graduate from Hayden High School in Hayden, Ala., Lanette St. John is set to join the Mountain Lions as a multi athlete who currently holds the Wildcats' track & field school records in the 100m hurdles (16.78s), 300m hurdles (46.42s), 200m (27.64s), javelin throw (116' 9"), and 4x100m relay (51.72s). St. John helped her team secure a Blount County Girls Championship in 2021 and went on to earn the silver medal in the 300m hurdles at the State 5A Meet. During her junior season in 2022, she continued her success at the state level as she won the gold medal in the 300m hurdles and the bronze medal in the javelin throw at the State 5A Meet. A member of the Beta club and a recipient of the A/B Honor Roll award in every semester except for the fall of 2019, St. John finished her high school career by being awarded with the Hayden High School Citizenship Award, which is voted on by faculty for character and leadership.
 
Emilia Villela joins the women's squad as a sprinter from The Woodlands, Texas, after graduating from The Woodlands High School. As a four-year varsity member of the Highlander's track & field team, Villela clocked a personal best time of 25.82s in the 200m dash and was a Regional and Area qualifier, District finalist, and a Victor Lopez Invitational finalist. Outside of track & field, Villela was involved in the Student Council at The Woodlands High School as an officer as she assisted with special projects and philanthropy.
 
Addie Wilson comes to UCCS after finishing her career at Rockland High School in Rockland, Idaho, as a four-sport student-athlete in track & field, cross country, volleyball, and basketball. Wilson had a highly decorated individual career as a Bulldog as she was a two-time Basketball All-State honoree as a point guard, a one-time Volleyball All-State honoree as an outside hitter, a District Champion in Cross Country, and a State Champion in Track & Field. The Bulldogs also had a great deal of team success during Wilson's tenure at the school as the Cross Country team won the District Championship four times (2019-22), the Girl's Basketball team won a pair of District Championships (2021-22, 2022-23) and placed first at the State Championships in 2021-22, and the Girl's Volleyball team won the 2022 District Championship and earned back-to-back runner-up finishes at the State Championships in 2021 and 2022. Wilson was also excellent in the classroom, earning a 4.0 GPA and making it to the Honor Society for her junior and senior seasons while being a member of Business Professionals of America.
 
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