TicketsCINCINNATI - The University of Cincinnati track & field and cross country program has signed six individuals to National Letters of Intent with all five set to join the Bearcats next fall to continue their academic and athletic careers. This year's signing class includes five women covering a wide range of events and one man in the throws.
The newest members of the program will including Kirsten Clay (Van Wert, Ohio/Van Wert HS) in the throws; Anaya Dees (Hilton, N.Y./Hilton HS) in the jumps and hurdles; Jodie Pierce (Fairborn, Ohio/Beavercreek HS) in cross country and distance track; Alicia Thorpe (Highland Springs, Va./Highland Springs HS) in the sprints; and Leonie Troeger (Berlin, Germany/Sportgymnasium Halle) in the javelin. The men's team will add Korbin Spencer (Springfield, Ohio/Northwestern HS) in the throws.
Combined, the Americans in the class have captured four state high school championships with Dees owning three (two in long jump and one in the 100m hurdles) and Clay adding a discus crown. Additionally, the group has recorded two Top 3 finishes and added a handful of podium (Top 8) finishes at their respective state competitions. On a national level, Troeger is a two-time German champion while Thorpe and Pierce have also fared well with Top 3 showings of their own in the AAU National Club Championships (first place) and New Balance Nationals (runner-up), respectively.
// MEET THE BEARCATS SIGNING CLASS
WOMEN
Kirsten ClayWelcome to the #Bearcats, Kirsten Clay!
— Cincinnati TF & XC (@GoBearcatsTFXC) November 13, 2019
📍 Van Wert, Ohio
🎽 Van Wert HS
🏃♀️ Throws
🔝 148-8 (DT), 40-5.00 (SP) pic.twitter.com/MH8iGlADgx
Throws • Van Wert, Ohio • Van Wert HS
Currently in her senior year at Van Wert High School... enters her final year ranked third in the state in the discus and eighth in the shot put... also ranks 19th nationally in the discus... captured the state discus title as a junior.
PRs • Discus: 145' 8" • Shot Put: 40' 5"
Anaya DeesWelcome to the #Bearcats, Anaya Dees!
— Cincinnati TF & XC (@GoBearcatsTFXC) November 18, 2019
📍 Hilton, N.Y.
🎽 Hilton HS
🏃♀️ Jumps
🔝 19' 9" (LJ), 39' 9" (TJ)#NSD19 pic.twitter.com/t7eS93nj3m
Jumps/Hurdles • Hilton, N.Y. • Hilton HS
Currently a senior at Hilton High School... enters her final prep season having already qualified to the New York state finals 10 times in her career... twice has captured the state long jump crown and added a state runner-up finish in the 100m hurdles as well... has qualified for the New Balance Outdoor Championships three times in her career.
PRs • Long Jump: 19' 9" • Triple Jump: 39' 9" • 100mH: 14.26
Jodie PierceWelcome to the #Bearcats, Jodie Pierce!
— Cincinnati TF & XC (@GoBearcatsTFXC) November 14, 2019
📍 Fairborn, Ohio
🎽 Beavercreek HS
🏃♀️ Distance / XC
🔝 2:10 (800), 10:44 (3200), 17:41 (XC)#NSD19 pic.twitter.com/1d2nxFV9uq
Distance/XC • Fairborn, Ohio • Beavercreek HS
Currently a senior at Beavercreek High School... qualified to the OHSAA State Cross Country Championships all four years she ran, helping her team capture back-to-back state championships in her junior and senior seasons (2018-19)... capped her senior season with a seventh-place finish at the state meet... on the track, competed in the New Balance Outdoor Championships in 2019 and helped her 4x800m relay team to a national runner-up finish and high school All-America honors... placed fifth outdoors in the 800m individually after taking fourth indoors last year... also was fifth indoors in the 3,2000m run at the state meet in 2019... helped her relay team to third-place at the outdoor state meet before their impressive run at New Balance.
PRs • 800m: 2:10 • 3,200m: 10:44 • XC: 17:41
Alicia ThorpeWelcome to the #Bearcats, Alicia Thorpe!
— Cincinnati TF & XC (@GoBearcatsTFXC) November 21, 2019
📍 Highland Springs, Va.
🎽 Highland Springs HS
🏃♀️ Sprints
🔝 54.95 (400), 24.17 (200), 11.91 (100)#NSD19 pic.twitter.com/O3NIDXWMys
Sprints • Highland Springs, Va. • Highland Springs HS
Currently at senior at Highland Springs High School... running in the sprinting events (100-200-400), she has qualified to the Virginia state meet nine times... a two-time state runner-up, she also has excelled on the national state by winning one AAU National Club Championship and taking second in another... also have qualified to the New Balance Outdoor Championships once.
PRs • 400m: 54.95 • 200m: 24.17 • 100m: 11.91
Leonie TroegerWelcome to the #Bearcats, Anaya Dees!
— Cincinnati TF & XC (@GoBearcatsTFXC) November 18, 2019
📍 Hilton, N.Y.
🎽 Hilton HS
🏃♀️ Jumps
🔝 19' 9" (LJ), 39' 9" (TJ)#NSD19 pic.twitter.com/t7eS93nj3m
Javelin • Berlin, Germany • Sportgymnasium Halle
Currently in her final year at Sportgymnasium Halle... is a two-time German champion in the javelin with both titles coming in the 2019 outdoor season as she won both the German U20 and German U23 Championships... earned a berth and competed in the 2019 European U20 Championships where she place sixth overall.
PRs • Javelin: 55.72m
MEN
Korbin SpencerWelcome to the #Bearcats, Korbin Spencer!
— Cincinnati TF & XC (@GoBearcatsTFXC) November 18, 2019
📍 Springfield, Ohio
🎽 Northwestern HS
🏃 Throws
🔝 176' 10" (DT), 54' 6" (SP)#NSD19 pic.twitter.com/YKPhgMVbGV
Throws • Springfield, Ohio • Northwestern HS
Currently a senior at Northwestern High School... enters his final season ranked second in the state and 35th nationally in the discus while also being ranked ninth in the state in the shot put... finished third in the state discus competition last year... is a three-sport standout as he also plays football and basketball for NHS.
PRs • Discus: 176' 10" • Shot Put: 54' 6"
// IN THE STARTING BLOCKS
The current members of the Bearcats rosters will unofficially open their 2020 indoor track & field season Friday as many of the team's members will compete against one another in the annual Red vs. Black intrasquad meet. The competition will take place inside the Armory Fieldhouse on campus and starts with the weight throw leading things off at 2:30 p.m.