Wetmore Adds 15 To 2008-09 Roster

BOULDER - University of Colorado Head Cross Country and Track & Field Coach Mark Wetmore has announced the signing of 15 prep student-athletes for the 2008-09 season.

“This is a very big men’s class and a relatively small women’s class,” Wetmore said. “We’re excited about both sides though. On the men’s side there are some unheralded people that we think will develop into excellent collegiate runners. And on the women’s side we think there are people that will step in and have an impact for us immediately.”

The men’s team will have 11 newcomers; while the women’s team has four. All 15 recruits will be members of the cross country and either distance or middle distance runners for the track program.

Matthew Biegner is a local athlete from Broomfield, Colo. At Broomfield High School he was a four-time all-state performer in track and field. Biegner lists his personal records as 22.1 seconds in the 200-meter dash, 49.6 (400m) and 1:55.9 at elevation in the 800.

Mission Viejo, Calif., native Scott Blair was all-state in cross country as a sophomore and junior. His team won the 2006 state cross country title. Blair owns six Trabuco Hills High School records on the track. His pr’s are 1:56 (800m), 4:14.5 (1,600m) and 9:06.1 (3,200m).

Joe Bosshard grew up in La Crosse, Wis., but finished his high school career in Crested Butte, Colo. While in Wisconsin, he finished fourth at the 2006 Wisconsin Division III Cross Country Championship. In 2007, Bosshard placed 27^th at the FootLocker Midwest Cross Country Championships. This past spring, he competed at the prestigious Mt. Sac Relays and placed second in the 3,200-meter run in the Invitational section. Bosshard’s pr’s are 4:22 (1,600m) and 9:11 (3,200m).

Courtney Clark, a native of Olivenhain, Calif., took fourth place at the 2007 San Diego Section (SDS) of the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) finals in the 3,200-meter run. She was a two-time member of the CIF Cross Country First Team while running at La Costa Canyon High School. Clark’s pr’s are 5:17 (1,600m) and 11:15 (3,200m).

Emma Coburn hails from Crested Butte, Colo. She placed fourth in the 2006 and 2007 Colorado State 3A Cross Country Championships. Coburn was 29^th at the 2007 FootLocker Midwest Championship. On the track, she was an eight-time 2A state champion. Coburn ran the 2,000-meter steeplechase at Nike Outdoor Nationals, placing fourth in 2007 and second in 2008. Coburn’s pr’s are 2:16 (800m), 6:44 (2,000-meter steeplechase) and 5:11 (1,600m) at elevation.

Katie Cumming, Hudson, Wis., was the 2007 and 2008 Division I State 3,200-meter champion. She was a member of the Hudson High School team that won the 2007 state track and field meet. Cumming was also the Big Rivers Conference MVP in 2007 and 2008. Her pr’s are 2:16 (800m), 4:58 (1,600m) and 10:53 (3,200m).

Grant Duffy hails from Lincoln, Neb. He was a seven-time letterwinner at Lincoln East High School in cross country and track & field. His pr’s include 49.4 (400m), 1:56.30 (800m) and 4:27 (1,600m).

Grand Junction, Colo., native Stephen Kasica was the 2007 Colorado State 5A 800-meter champion. The Fruita Monument High School standout took second in the 800 in 2008. Kasica placed sixth in the 800 at the 2008 Simplot Games. His pr at elevation is 1:54.26.

Jordan Kyle comes to CU via transfer from Indiana University and will be a junior in the fall. Kyle was an All-American at the 2006 NCAA Cross Country Championship, finishing 33^rd overall in 31:39.3 (behind former Buffs Brent Vaughn, Stephen Pifer and Eric Heinonen). He was fifth at the 2007 Great Lakes Regional meet and earned a 15^th place finish at the Big 10 meet the same year. His pr’s are 8:14 (3k), 14:03 (5k) and 29:14 (10k).

Martin Medina (Grand Junction, Colo.) will join his older brother, Richard, on the CU squad in the fall. Medina went to Grand Junction High School and placed third at the 2008 Colorado 5A State Cross Country Meet. His pr’s at elevation are 4:26 (1,600m) and 9:30 (3,200m).

Patrick Nilan is a seven-time California All-League selection in cross country and track and field. The Sacramento, Calif., native earned four of the honors on the cross country course. Nilan attended Rio Americano High School. His pr’s are 1:56.80 (800m) and 4:25.55 (1,600m).

Kaylen Slack hails from Colorado Springs, Colo. She was a four-year state qualifier in cross country and track at Liberty High School. Slack took seventh at the 2008 4A state championship in the 1,600. Her pr’s are at elevation are 2:23 (800m) and 5:17 (1,600m).

Jonathan Stevens, a Vail, Colo., earned all-state cross country honors in 2005 (ninth), 2006 (sixth) and 2007 (fourth). He helped Battle Mountain High School win the 4A state cross country championship in 2006 and 2007. Stevens took third place in the 2007 State 4A 3,200m and was the runner-up in 2008. He was a two-time all-state hockey player and was named the 2008 Denver Post High School Player of the Year. His track pr’s are 1:55.8 (800m), 4:26 (1,600m) and 9:31 (3,200m), all at elevation. His sea-level pr in the 3,200 is 9:18.

Aric Van Halen, Los Angeles, led Oakwood High School to its first-ever state cross country meet appearance in 2005. He was the 2007 Division V State Cross Country Champion. Van Halen’s pr’s are 4:22 (1,600m), 9:19 (3,200m) and 15:22 (5k).

Brett Walters, Victorville, Calif., took third place at the 2007 Division I State Cross Country Championship. The Sultana High School harrier raced to a first place finish at the 2007 Division I Stanford Cross Country Invitational. He was also a 2007 FootLocker finalist. Walter’s pr’s are 4:22 (1,600m) and 9:07 (3,200m)