Women’s Track Welcomes 15 Newcomers for 2023-24 Season

Western Carolina track & field head coach Jesse Norman today announced the addition of 15 student-athletes to the women’s roster for the 2023-24 school year. The newcomers consist of 15 freshmen and will compete in sprints, jumps, multis, pole vault, and throws.

“This group of fifteen student-athletes is a culmination of trying to build a Southern Conference team capable of making a run towards team titles,” said Norman. “The coaching staff aimed at bringing a well-rounded recruiting class that would add quality and depth into the program. We’ve brought in state champions, along with national-level student-athletes, into the program which will help us on our march back towards the top of the Southern Conference.”

WCU will announce the indoor and outdoor track & field schedule later in the fall.

Sprint/Hurdle Group

Kendal Hudson (Mooresville HS – Mooresville, N.C.) PR’s: 100m hurdles – 15.26, 300m hurdles – 48.37

Coach Notes: “Kendal is a solid hurdler who we feel will be able to take some big steps forward with her development when we add her into our current stable of women hurdlers.”

Kyndal Saunders (Corinth Holders HS – Clayton, N.C.) PR’s: 100m – 12.58, 200m – 25.42, 400m – 56.72

Coach Notes: “Kyndal is a high-level sprinter whom we targeted early in the recruiting process. She was a teammate of current Catamount Sadler Miller. Kyndall will be someone looked at to continue our growth in the long sprints within the Southern Conference in the coming years.”

Amilliana “Millie” Simmons (Baldwin HS – Milledgeville, Ga.) PR’s: 200m – 25.44, 400m – 57.29

Coach Notes: “Millie is another high-level long sprinter with high energy that we are excited about adding to the program. Teaming her up with Kyndal and our current long sprints group will give us a great stable of long sprinters to continue building the program around in the future.”

Cymoria Thomas (Gray Collegiate – Elgin, S.C.) PR’s: 100m – 12.24, 200m – 25.33

Coach Notes: “Cymoria is a solid developing short sprinter who is very passionate about Catamount track & field. As she continues her development, we feel that she will become a solid Southern Conference performer in the short sprints group as we rebuild our sprints group in the coming years.”

Jumps Group

Isabella “Bella” Hilleary (Harrison HS – Acworth, Ga.) PR’s: Pole Vault – 10-9.00

Coach Notes: “Bella is a solid developing pole vaulter whom we feel, when combined with our current pole vault group, will be able to flourish in the coming years.”

Heidi Hudson (Sumrall HS – Hattiesburg, Miss.) PR’s: High Jump – 6-0.00, Long Jump – 20-0.25, 200m – 25.84, Heptathlon – 2,819 pts, Pentathlon – 3,362 pts

Coach Notes: “One of, if not the best, recruit we’ve gotten out of the high school ranks, Heidi is someone the staff is incredibly excited about joining the program this next year. Originally recruited as a jumper, she has turned herself into a national-level pentathlon/heptathlon athlete. Currently, she ranks 2nd and 26th in the nation in both the high jump & long jump. We feel that she has national-level talent for the multi-events at the NCAA level in the future. Heidi was also the Girls Track & Field Gatorade Player of the Year in the state of Mississippi.”

Throws Group

Haille Jackson-Morgan (Mountain View HS – Dacula, Ga.) PR’s: Shot Put – 34-0.00, Discus – 116-7.00

Coach Notes: “Haille is a high-energy individual who will add some much-needed depth to our women’s throws group. Combining her with the rest of the women throwers and current Catamount Toria Roundtree will give us some much-needed points and depth in the throwing events within the conference.”

Landrey Pike (Habersham Central HS – Cornelia, Ga.) PR’s: Shot Put – 38-3.00, Discus – 118-2.00

Coach Notes: “An early commit for the Catamount throws program, we are very excited about adding Landrey to our growing stable of women throwers. She is someone who bought into the vision of what we want our throws program to become and will become an anchor of that area in the coming years.”

Merkenzee Wells (Enloe HS – Raleigh, N.C.) PR’s: Shot Put – 31-10, Discus – 106-5

Coach Notes: “A late add to the throws group, Merkenzee is a developing thrower who when combined with our current group should see her flourish and become a solid point scorer within the Southern Conference in the coming years.”

Distance Group

Chloe Davis (Ben Lippen School – Columbia, S.C.) PR’s: 1600m – 5:33.73, 3200m – 11:55.32, 5k xc – 20:01.64

Coach Notes: “Chloe is the younger sister of current Catamount John Davis. She is a grinder that likes the training routine. We feel that with her work ethic and future development, she could be a surprise development in the future.”

Amaya Hicks (Swain County HS – Cherokee, N.C.) PR’s: 800m – 2:23.67, 1k – 3:10.84, 1600m – 5:35.68, 5k xc – 19:20.34

Coach Notes: “Amaya was an early target for this distance class. She is someone who we believe will experience some great growth within our program in the coming years and will be counted on to develop into a solid Southern Conference performer in the future. She brings team championship experience as her high school won numerous team state championships during her career.”

Katherine Hopkins (Lincolnton HS – Lincolnton, N.C.) PR’s: 800m – 2:25.50, 1k – 3:10.91, 1600m – 5:07.63, 3200m – 11:17.40, 5k xc – 18:29.20

Coach Notes: “Katherine is a great pickup for our distance program, and she continues having a Hopkins in the program as both her parents are WCU grads. She comes to WCU as one of the top distance runners in the state, having won numerous state titles during her high school career.”

Summerlynn Kingston (River Ridge HS – Spring Hill, Fla.) PR’s: 1600m – 5:09.62, 3200m – 10:59.28, 5k xc – 19:00.75

Coach Notes: “Summerlynn comes to WCU from the Sunshine State. She made some massive progressions this outdoor season and should be ready to contribute right away to the distance program. Combined with Katherine and Grace, this gives us a great group of three heavy hitters to keep developing the distance program.”

Grace Lane (Central Academy of Technology – Waxhaw, N.C.) PR’s: 800m – 2:19.77, 1600m – 5:09.05, 3200m – 11:44.93, 5k xc – 20:04.90

Coach Notes: “Grace is another high-level North Carolina recruit we were able to get to join the program. Like Summerlynn, she was able to experience some massive progressions this spring and has put herself in a position where we will count on her early in her career.”

Peyton Skoglund (Creekside HS – St. Johns, Fla.) PR’s: 800m – 2:26.08, 1600m – 5:28.21, 3200m – 11:47.69, 5k xc – 20:14.90

Coach Notes: “Peyton, who also hails from the Sunshine State, is someone that we are excited to see her development curve here at WCU. She had some injury issues during the fall but got healthy this past spring. Under our future guidance, we feel that she will be a solid contributor to the distance program in the years ahead.”