Cross Country and Track & Field Sign Four
2/24/2014 9:37:00 AM | Track & Field/XC
Two new Eagles hail from Georgia, one each from Indiana and North Carolina
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STATESBORO, Ga. – Head Cross Country and Track & Field Coach Marlo Mincey announced the signings of four student-athletes to enroll at Georgia Southern and compete for the Eagles. Abby Booth, Karli Koning, Rebecca Parker and Bailey Willett have signed National Letters of Intent to join the program and compete in both Cross Country and Track & Field.
"Abby is one of our state's top distance runners," said Eagle Head Cross Country and Track & Field Coach Marlo Mincey. "She has range from the mile to the 5K and we're happy she became an Eagle."
Koning, from Westfield, Ind., was a three-time qualifier for the IHSAA State Cross Country Championships. A member of Team Indiana at the 27th MidEast Cross Country Championships last fall, Koning and her teammates defeated the teams representing Illinois, Michigan and Ohio.
"Karli comes from a highly competitive State for distance running," Mincey said. "To be a three-time state qualifier says a lot about her work ethic and talent level. She will be a standout on the course and in the classroom here at Georgia Southern."
The Rowan County Cross Country Champion for 2013, Parker qualified for the NCHSAA State Cross Country Championships as a sophomore and senior. Last spring, the native of Mount Ulla, N.C., won the South Piedmont Conference titles in the 1600m and 3200m races for West Rowan High School.
"Rebecca is a soccer player turned runner and in her second year in the sport she had a solid cross country career in a tough distance state," Mincey said. "She is going to fill a few holes on the track for us in the steeple and other events."
Willett was a member of the 2013 Georgia State Cross Country champion Blessed Trinity High School program and placed fifth individually in the Class 3A championship. A two-time All-State honoree, Willett also ran middle distances for the Titans, winning the title in the 400m race at the 2012 Georgia Track & Field State Championships. In back-to-back years in 2012 and 2013, she claimed second in the 800m competition at the state meet.
"I've followed Bailey's running career for several years and she's arguably the toughest middle distance runner in the state," Mincey said. "I've seen her race everything from 100m to the 5K in cross country and not too many top 5 cross country finishers can do that. She is going to continue to excel as a person and a runner at Georgia Southern."
Georgia Southern Athletics provides up-to-date information on all its sports through its official website, GSEagles.com, through social media channels facebook.com/GSAthletics, twitter.com/GSAthletics, iOS app Georgia Southern Eagles and Android app Eagles GATA. Fans can follow the Eagle Cross Country and Track & Field programs on twitter @GSAthletics_TF.
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