Crist Adds 11 Runners for Men, Five for Women

WILMORE, Ky. – Asbury men’s and women’s cross country coach Randy Crist has announced the signing of 11 men and five women for the 2012 season.  The women finished second last year in the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and the men placed fifth.

The men have only four returning runners from last year, a team that was devastated by injuries throughout the season.  To combat that Crist has added 11 new members to the team and is expected to have 16 on the roster.  Of the 11 new student-athletes seven are freshman and four are transfers. 

Four of the signees come from inside the state of Kentucky as Brennan Kizziar (Ashland, Ky. / Ashland Paul Blazer High School) joins Seth Hayes (Louisville, Ky. / duPont Manual High School), Todd Yoder (Wilmore, Ky. / West Jessamine High School) and David Smith (Wilmore, Ky. / West Jessamine High School).

Eli Gruver (Pittsfield, Pa. / Youngsville High School) joins his sister Devon on the team along with fellow Keystone staters Joshua Forringer (Jeannette, Pa. / Penn-Trafford High School) and Matthew Ippolito (Lewisburg, Pa. / Lewisburg Area High School).  Caleb Mootispaw (Greenfield, Ohio / Edward Lee McClain High School), Isaac Harrison (Hong Kong / International Christian School), Miller Jarrell (Weatherford, Texas / Weatherford High School) and Brandon Halcomb (Berea College) also join the squad.

On the women’s side four of the five come from Kentucky as Ashtin Flener (Owensbor, Ky. / Apollo High School), Cassey Fischer (Campbellsburg, Ky. / Henry County High School), Madison Gaither (Lexington, Ky. / Tates Creek High School) and Kim Miller (Harlan, Ky. / Harlan County High School) join Julia Chin (Nanuet, New York / Clarkston High School South) on the team.

The Eagles will host their first meet of the season, the Chick-fil-A Invitational on Thursday August 30at 4:30 pm.