July 11, 2013
With the high school track seasons complete, VUCommodores.com takes a look at the campaigns for some of the student-athletes who will join the Vanderbilt cross country and track and field programs as freshmen this fall. Six of the incoming student-athletes won state championships to conclude their careers.
“It was great to see these young ladies finish off their high school career in such fine form,” said head cross country and track and field coach Steve Keith. “I know that they are all extremely excited about this next phase of their academic and athletic pursuits and we’re looking forward to their contributions as we continue to build our program.”
Reagan Anderson (Wilmington, Del.) will come to Nashville with top 16 national times in the mile and the 800 meters. Her top 1600 time ranks eighth nationally at 4:42.94c, while her 800 time is 16th at 2:08.58. She placed second in the mile at the Penn Relays and fourth at the Adidas Dream Mile.
Sarah Bell (Bloomington, Ill.) will come to Vanderbilt as a pole vaulter, with her indoor and outdoor marks both ranking among the best in the nation. Her top indoor clearance of 13′ 3″ ranked fourth in the nation, while her mark of 13′ 1″ during the outdoor season was 11th nationally. She capped her senior year by successfully defending her Illinois state pole vault title.
Carmen Carlos (Mobile, Ala.) will run cross country and distance track for the Commodores. She placed 12th at the Foot Locker Cross Country Nationals in 2012, while also earning Alabama Gatorade Cross Country Runner of the Year honors. Her track season was just as successful, as she won state championships in the 800 meters, mile and 3,200 meters, setting Alabama records in all three events. Her indoor mile time of 4:49.18 ranked 13th nationally, while her 3,200 meter time of 10:15.70 was 11th in the country.
Simone Charley (Birmingham, Ala.) will come to Vanderbilt as a two-sport athlete, as she will play soccer in the fall while competing in the triple jump in the spring. Charley won both the triple jump and long jump state titles in Alabama this year, with the triple jump marking her third-straight state championship. Her top mark of 42′ 3.5″ ranks third in the nation.
Courtney Clayton (Roscoe, Ill.), primarily a 400/800 runner, won her second straight Illinois 800 meter state title, breaking a 29-year old state record. Her record time of 2:07.05 ranks sixth nationally for the 2013 outdoor season.
Courtney Kriegshasuer (Southlake, Texas) will also run track and cross country. Like several of her classmates, Kriegshauser successful defended a state title, in the 1,600 meters, this spring. Her top 5K time of 17:08.4 ranks 12th nationally, while her best mile time of 4:49.25 ranks 14th in the country.
“Our recruiting classes are getting better and better, with this one being the best we’ve ever seen,” Keith said. “We are also adding three more talented newcomers in Sarah Goodale, Tierney Price and Katie Watts, who will bring great depth to our field events.”
The Commodores will kick off the 2013 cross country season at the Belmont Opener at Nashville’s Percy Warner Park on Friday, August 30. The annual Commodore Classic will also be held at Percy Warner Park on Saturday, September 14.
