Women's track signs 10 to LOI

I am not sure how many total scholarships they have.   The NCAA maximum for a team is 18 so these are obviously partial deals.  On the whole, these women are quite good.  I wouldn't say any are superstars (though a 2:15 in the 800 is pretty good)  but perhaps the coach has decided that it makes more sense to spread some money around and collect a lot of good athletes if she can't get a few great ones.  Actually, I think I like the idea of having enough athletes to try to improve our finish in the PL and New England meets.  Coach Alfonso (and Coach Kavanagh) have certainly had some athletes improve in recent years so we can hope this will pay off.  Congrats to all on being Crusaders. 


WORCESTER, Mass. – Holy Cross women’s track and field head coach Alfonso Egetta has announced that 10 student-athletes have signed National Letters of Intent to attend Holy Cross and compete as Crusaders. Emily Foley, Milly O’Brien, Paige Davis, Ashley Thomas, Gabby Harmon, Grace Hoelscher, Vanessa Attaya, Emily Koufos, Meah Austin and Eva McCool-Guglielmo will join the women’s track and field program in the fall of 2018.



EMILY FOLEY

Rochester, N.Y.

Avon High School

Middle-distance, steeplechase



A two-year member of the varsity track & field team under head coach Albert Dadario

Currently serving as team captain

Named to the All-Academic team in 2017

Set school record in 4x800m relay (9:360) and in 1600m (5:13.04)

Recorded personal-best times in 800m (2:25.17), 1600m (5:13.04), 2000 Steeplechase (7:40.14), 5000m (19:23.23)

Won state championship in 4x800m relay

Also member of the varsity swimming, field hockey, lacrosse and cross country teams

MILLY O’BRIEN

Sudbury, Mass.

Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School

Spints, Mid-distance



A four-year member of the varsity indoor and outdoor track & field team under head coach Sean Duncan

Currently serving as team captain

Team named state champions in 2015-16

Recorded personal-best times in 300m (42.03) and 4x400 (4:00.00) (indoor)

Named a DCL All Star in 2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17 and All American 2015-2016

Recorded personal best times in 200m (26.5) and 400m (59.7)

PAIGE DAVIS

Fairfield, Conn.

Fairfield Ludlowe High School

Mid-distance



A four-year member of the varsity indoor and outdoor track & field team under head coach Kelly Renna

Set school records in 4x800m relay (9:30) for the 2016 indoor season

Also set the school record in the 4x800m relay (9:21) for the 2016 outdoor season

Recorded personal-best times in the 400m (59.8), 800m (2:19), 1600m (5:15) and 3200m (11:30), which were all set in 2016

Also a one-year member of the varsity cross country team under head coach Christina Caron

Named to the First Team ALL-FCIAC

Member of the first cross country team in school history to qualify for state opens in 2017

Set a course record in the 4k (15:53)

Member of Science National Honor Society (2017), Math National Honor Society (2017), Spanish National Honor Society (2017) and National Honor Society (2017)

ASHLEY THOMAS

Dedham, Mass.

Ursuline Academy

Sprints, Jumps



A three-year member of the varsity indoor and outdoor track & field team under head coach David Swanson

Currently serving as team captain

Received the Most Valuable Player Award (2017) and the Excellence Award (2016)

Holds the school record in 55m dash and 4x50m relay

Recorded season-best times in the 55m (7.36) and the 300m (44.03)

Named the Catholic League champion in 100m, 200m and long jump (2017 outdoor)

Also a four-year member of the varsity soccer team under head coach John Forte and a two-year member of the varsity lacrosse team under head coach Marisol Henderson

Member of the National Honor Society and named to the UA academic honor roll (2017, 2016, 2015, 2014)

GABBY HARMON

Madison, Conn.

Daniel Hand High School

Sprints



A four-year member of the varsity indoor and outdoor track & field team under head coach Steve Swift

Named the Best in Track/MVP Award (2016) and the Coaches Award (2017)

Received the All-Southern-Connecticut-Conference honors in 2015, 2016 and 2017 and All-State First Team in 2015 and 2017

Set school records in the indoor 4x200 relay (2015), indoor SMR (2015) and indoor 4x400 (2017)

Recorded personal-best times in 200m (26.63), 300m (42.64), 400m (59.22)

Member of Feeding Connecticut (volunteer work at a food pantry) and Habitat for Humanity

GRACE HOELSCHER

Victoria, Minn.

Minnetonka High School

Mid-Distance



A five-year member of the varsity track & field team under head coach John Steffen

Named to the All-Conference team in 2015, 2016 and 2017

Led team to be named Conference Champions in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 and State Champions in 2014 and 2015

Recorded personal-best times in 800m (2:15), 1600m (5:10) and 3200m (11:15)

Finished first as state champions in 4x800m (2014-2015)

Qualified for the state meet four times

Also a five-year member of the varsity cross country team under head coach Jane Reimer-Morgan

Recorded personal-best times in the 4k (14:36) and 5k (19:12)

Also a three-year member of the varsity hockey team under head coach Eric Johnson

Currently serving as team captain

VANESSA ATTAYA

Billerica, Mass.

Billerica Memorial High School

Sprints, Throws



A four-year member of the indoor and outdoor track & field team under head coach Cullen Hagan

Served as captain junior and senior year

Named to the Lowell Sun All-Star Team in 2016 and 2017

Also a member of the varsity swim and soccer teams

Serves as class secretary, editor of the yearbook, president of National Honor Society and Spanish National Honor Society and is a member of Regional Student Council

EMILY KOUFOS

Watertown, Mass.

Watertown High School

Mid-Distance



A four-year member of the indoor and outdoor track & field team under head coach Kim Usseglio

Currently serving as team captain

Named Most Valuable Player and Middlesex League All-Star three years in a row (indoor)

Set school records in the indoor 1000m (sophomore year), 1 mile (junior year), 4x800m relay (sophomore year) and 4x400m relay (sophomore year)

Recorded personal-best times in the indoor 1mile (5:10) and 1000m (3:01)

Set school records in the outdoor 1 mile (sophomore and junior year), 4x800m relay (freshman year) and 4x400m relay (freshman year)

Recorded personal-best times in the outdoor 1 mile (5:10), 800m (2:20) and 400m (64.00)

Also a two-year member of the varsity cross country team under head coach Tom Wittenhagen

Member of the Pride Committee, Student Council, Raiders Against Drugs Society, Student Representative for Town Council Committee and National Honor Society Member

MEAH AUSTIN

Waterbury, Conn.

Holy Cross High School

Hurdles, Sprints, Throws



A four-year member of the varsity outdoor track & field team under head coaches Catherine Xeller and Jerry Ciarleglio

Currently serving as team captain

Received the Most Dedicated Performer Award (2016), Most Outstanding Performer Award (2017)

Named the Most Outstanding Female Hurdler (2017), All-City of Waterbury (2015, 2016, 2017) and All NVL (2016, 2017)

Set personal-best times/distances in 300m hurdles (48.73), 100m hurdles (15.4), high jump (4.8 ft.) and the discus (87.3 ft.)

Also a three-year member of the varsity volleyball team and four-year member of the varsity basketball team

Member of the National Honor Society and named to the All-Academic teams for volleyball, track and basketball

EVA MCCOOL-GUGLIELMO

Wakefield, R.I.

South Kingston High School

Sprints, Jumps, Hurdles



A four-year member of the track & field team under head coach Eric Anderson

Currently serving as team captain

Received All-State honors in 2016 and 2017

Set personal best times/distances in the 100m hurdles (15.0) and the triple jump (35.9 ft.)

Also a two-year member of the varsity volleyball team and a four-year member of the varsity gymnastics team