Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Price-Smith and staff announces women's 2006-07 class
07/21/2006 | 12:00:00 | Track and Field
July 21, 2006
By Shalae Schulte
www.siusalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. - Southern Illinois track and field head coach Connie Price-Smith and her staff announce the 2006-07 women's recruiting class that includes several southern Illinois area athletes.
"I look forward to working with the incoming class. We have a good mix in each event," Price-Smith said. "This is the largest recruiting class from the area since I've been here."
The freshman distance class that will also run cross country this fall includes Nefeteri Williams, A'Seret Dokubo, Toni Whitfield, Amy Phegley and Brianna Mueller. Mikeya Nicholson, Judeka Adams and Katie Fogelsong will compete in the jumps and multi events, while Jenny Mae Bingman and Kendra Deck will join the Saluki sprinters.
Williams, a Bellwood, Ill. native, was a two-time all-state performer in cross country at Proviso West High School. At the 2005 Illinois State Track and Field Championships, she placed fourth in the 100-meter hurdles and sixth in the 300 hurdles. In 2006, she placed third in the 300 hurdles and sixth in the 100 hurdles. She was also the 2005 Junior Olympic 2k steeplechase national champion.
"Nef will make an immediate impact in a variety of ways for our program," Saluki head cross country coach Matt Sparks said. "We expect her to excell in cross country as well as in the middle distance events, steeplechase and relays. The list of events she could run appears endless."
Dokubo comes to SIU from Schaumburg, Ill., where she was a two-time state qualifier in cross country track competing in the 800, 4x400 and 4x800 relays.
"A'Seret will give our cross country program needed depth," Sparks said. "She can also excel at any of the distance events on the track. She has good leg speed and can run longer distances well."
Whitfield, a four-sport athlete at nearby Johnston City, will also contribute for both the cross country and track teams. A two-time state qualifier in track, she placed seventh in the 400 in 2005 in Class A. Whitfield was also the valedictorian of her senior class, studying engineering at SIU.
"Toni will be able to devote all of her attention to track for the first time, as she focused on softball in the spring during high school," Sparks said. "Look for Toni to join the middle distance group and train alongside NCAA qualifier Ty Davis. She has a tremendous amount of talent that has yet to be explored."
The Saluki distance group also adds Amy Phegley from Mt. Carmel High School and Brianna Mueller from Harvard High School.
SIU adds Mikeya Nicholson in the jumps. Nicholson was the 2006 state champion in the triple jump for Belleville East High School out of Belleville, Ill.
Judeka Adams, the second athlete to join the Salukis from Proviso West High School will compete in the jumps. In 2005, she finished seventh at state in the triple jump. Kate Fogelsong from Rushville High School will also compete in the pole vault.
"Mikeya will make an immediate impact at the conference championships," head jumps coach Andre Scott said. "She'll not only contribute in the jumps, but also in the sprints and relays. Judeka will add depth and have the potential to score points at the conference meet as well."
Jenny Mae Bingman and Kendra Deck will join coach Alan Turner's sprint group. Both athletes qualified for state in the 300 hurldes, Bingman, from Carmi-White High School and Deck from Urbana High School.
Both Saluki cross country teams will open the season Sept. 1 at the SIU Early Bird, while track and field will open the indoor season Dec. 8 at the SIU Fast Start.
