SPRINGFIELD – Missouri State cross country and track head coach
Jordan Fife announced today his newcomers for the upcoming 2023-24 seasons.
The signing class consists of 22 freshmen and five transfers for a total of 27 new athletes coming into the program prior to the start of the 2023 season. Seventeen newcomers hail from Missouri, while the other ten members of the class come to Springfield most recently from Oklahoma, Illinois, Arkansas, Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas and Texas.
"We're really excited about this incoming class. We invested a lot more in the recruiting process this cycle and it really paid off. There's a mix of newcomers who can make an immediate impact on our team and in our conference, as well as a group who we fully expect by year two or three to be major contributors," Fife said. "We feel like there's some momentum building on the recruiting trail, as evidenced by this incoming group and the amount of interest we have from the next group already. This class is just the start of it all."
The Bears cross country program has earned six Missouri Valley Conference championships in its history along with 52 all-conference runners and 12 NCAA all-region runners. Last season, the team was also named to the United States Track & Field and Cross-Country Association All-Academic Team for the eighth straight year.
Missouri State's Track and Field program has boasted four Olympic qualifiers and 78 NCAA Championship participants. The Bears have won nine MVC championships and 189 individual MVC champions. The Bears were also named to the USTFCCA All-Academic Team last year.
"We can't wait to get started and see this group connect with our returners!" Fife said.
The Bears open their season on Sept. 1 at the Missouri XC Opener in Columbia, Mo. The five-kilometer race will take place at Gans Creek Cross Country Course and is set to begin at 9:00 a.m.
#BearsUnite
Alyssa Ball
Sprints// Kansas City, MO// Park Hill High School
PR's: 100m – 12.40, 200m – 25.15
- 12th in the 100m at MSHSAA Class 5 State Championship and 14th in the 200m
Riley Bryan
XC/ Distance// Sedalia, MO// Smithton High School
PR's: 5K – 18:21, 3200m – 11:23
- 2021 and 2022 MO Class 2 Cross Country State Champion
Magdalena Burdova
Hurdles// Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic// Mid-America Nazarene
PR's: 1:00.88 – 400m H, 800m – 2:19.61
Ella Conklin
XC/ Mid – Distance// Kansas City, MO// Park Hill South High School
PR's: 800m – 2:22, 5K – 19:58
- 2023 MO State Qualifier in 4x800m, 2022 MO State Qualifier Cross Country
Ella Cronhardt
XC/ Mid-Distance// Lee's Summit, MO// Lee's Summit West High School
PR's: 800m: 2:17, Mile: 5:13, 5K XC – 19:25
- 2-time MO All-State in both Cross Country and Track & Field
Chloe Ezell
XC/Mid-Distance// Edmond, OK// Edmond Memorial High School
PR's: 800m – 2:11, 400m – 57.9
- 2023 OK State Runner-Up in 800m
Britta Foust
XC/Distance// Liberty, MO// Liberty Highschool
PR's: 3200m – 11:18, 1600m – 5:19, 5K – 19:06
- 2023 MO State Qualifier in 3200m, 2022 MO State Qualifier Cross Country
Tabitha Fox
XC/ Distance// Edmond, OK// Deer Creek High School
Pr's: 800m – 2:13, 1600m – 5:00, 3200m – 11:06, 5K XC – 17:48
- 2022 OK Class 6 State Runner-Up in Cross Country, 2023 OK State Runner-Up in 1600m, 3rd in 800m
Kambree Gibson
Jumps// Flippin, AR// Yellville – Summit High School
PR's: Triple Jump – 11.06m, Long Jump – 5.15m
- 2023 AR 2A State Champ in 100m, 200m, 100m hurdles, 300m hurdles, Runner – up in Long and Triple Jump
Maggie Haase
Jumps// Eads, CO// Eads High School
PR's: High Jump – 1.62m
- 2023 CO 1S State Runner – up in High Jump, 2022/2021 State Champ in High Jump
Neryah Hekl
Sprints// Lincoln, NE// Lincoln High School
PR's: 100m – 11.70, 200m – 25.57
- 3rd at NSAA Class A State Championship in the 100m
Brianna Howard
Sprints// St. Louis, MO// Normandy High School
PR's: 100m – 12.26, 200m – 25.75
- 2nd at MSHSAA Class 3 State Championship in the 100m
Kayleigh Jenkins
Sprints & High Jump// Blue Springs, MO// Blue Springs High School
PR's: 100m – 12.10, High Jump – 5'7"
- 3rd at MSHSAA Class 5 State Championship in the High Jump and 8th in the 100m
Mia McLain
XC/ Distance// Benton, IL// Benton Consolidated High School/ North Florida
PR's 5k XC - 17:56, 6k XC - 21:45, 1500m - 4:38, 3k SC - 10:52
Abby Meyer
XC/ Distance// Cottlesville, MO// Francis Howell High School
PR's 800m - 2:24, 1600m - 5:23
- 2023 MO State Qualifier in 4x800m
Kamdyn Moody
Multi Events// Justin, TX// Justin Northwest High School/ Oklahoma Baptist
PR's: Pentathlon – 3159 Heptathlon – 4415
- 3rd in the Heptathlon at Great American Conference
Madilyn Moore
XC/ Distance// Lake St. Louis, MO// Timberland High School/ Colorado – Colorado Springs
PR's: 5k XC - 19:34, 1600m, 5:21
Seleena Morris
Sprints// Jefferson City, MO// Jefferson City High School
PR's: 400m – 56.81
- 4th in the 400m at MSHSAA Class 4 State Championship
Emily Nuttall
XC/ Distance// Edwardsville, IL// Edwardsville High School
PR's: 3mi XC - 17:49, 1600m - 5:10, 800m - 2:19
- 2023 IL State Qualifier in 1600m, 2022 IL State Qualifier in Cross Country
Mirabella Redman
Sprints// Amity, MO// Maysville High School
PR's: 400H – 1:05, 300H – 45.22
- 2023 MSHSAA Class 2 State Champ in 300 Hurdles, Long Jump
Olivia Rogers
Sprints// Dearborn, MO// North Platte High School
PR's: 100m – 11.88, 200m – 24.54
- MSHSAA Class 2 State Champion in the 100m & 200m
Lena Singleton
XC/ Distance// Manchester, MO// Parkway South High School
PR's: 5k XC - 19:12, 3200m - 11:31, 1600m - 5:23
- 2023 MO State Qualifier in 3200m, 2022 MO State Qualifier Cross Country
Grace Spoonhour
XC/ Distance// St. Louis, MO// Charleston (IL) High School/ Heartland Community College
PR's: 5k - 18:48
Bessie Swoboda
Multi Events// Bentonville, AR// Bentonville West High School
PR's: Heptathlon – 3,879
- 2023 AR Indoor HS Championships 6th in 400m, Arkansas Decathlon & Heptathlon 10th in Hep
Caden Van Hauen
Jumps// Kansas City, MO// Liberty High School
PR's: Triple Jump – 10.64m
- 2023 MSHSAA Class 5 7th in Triple Jump
Anabella Verkler
Throws// Kansas City, MO// Lincoln College Prep High School
PR's: Javelin – 40.11m
- 2023 MSHSAA Class 4 State 6th in Javelin, MSHSAA Class 4 Sectionals Runner-Up
Linzy Williams
Jumps// O'Fallon, MO// Francis Howell High School
PR's: High Jump – 5'6"
- 2023 MSHSAA Class 5 State 4th in High Jump
