April 23, 2008
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Vanderbilt track and field head coach D’Andre Hill announced that Imani Ellis, Teegan Hill, Meagan Martin, and Josalyn White have signed National Letters of Intent to attend Vanderbilt and run track and field for the Commodores beginning in the fall of 2008.
“We’re really excited with the four young ladies that we have coming in this fall,” Hill said. “They are all quality athletes and quality young ladies that will come in and immediately make an impact on the group dynamics. We really feel good about this group and what they’re going to do for us.”
A native of Lawrenceville, Ga., Ellis is currently the top-ranked runner in the state in the 300-meter hurdles. Last year, she finished third in both the 100-meter hurdles and the 300-meter hurdles. Her school won the 2007 State Track and Field Championships and she was named MVP of her squad. In 2008, she serves as a team captain. She also excels off the track, as she was the first African-American to perform the part of Clara in the Nutcracker for the Atlanta Ballet in 150 years. Ellis was also a chosen soloist for the Georgia Thespian Conference for three-consecutive years.
“Imani is a state champion hurdler out of Georgia,” Hill said. “She will run the 100 and 400 hurdles for us. She will also spend some time with the relay teams.”
Hill hails from Lancaster, Texas. She is a two-time state champion and finished third at the regional meet in 2007. Hill has been a National Junior Olympic Qualifier four years in a row. She currently holds PRs of 24.71 in the 200-meters and 56.71 in the 400 meters. Hill is involved in many extracurricular activities including the National Honor Society, the band and she is a member of the Debate Team.
“Teegan is a great utility program for us,” Hill said. “She can pretty much run any event from a quarter mile and under.”
Martin is a state champion pole vaulter out of Lake Mary High School in Lake Mary, Fla. She won the 2007 Florida 4A state championship in pole vaulting, equaling her school record of 12 feet. She was also named Seminole County girls’ track athlete of the year by the Orlando Sentinel. Off the track, she is a four-time member of the U.S. National Team in rock climbing and has represented her country in numerous rock climbing events around the globe.
“Megan will be one of our impact freshmen,” pole vault coach Clark Humphreys said. “She recently jumped 12’3″ at a meet in Florida. We’re looking for big things out of her in her freshman year.”
White from Ossining, N.Y., is the 2008 Westchester County Champion in the 55 meters. She also is a Milesplit U.S. First Team Elite Runner in the 55 meters. White was a gold medalist in the 4×100 meter relay in the 2007 Summer Empire State Games. Off the track, she is a member of the National Honor Society and she has been named the Superintendents Student of Distinction.
“Josalyn will work with both relays and is an excellent short sprinter in both the 100 and 200 meters,” Hill added.
