Temple University Athletics
Women’s Track/Cross Country Welcomes Seven Recruits for the 2015-16 Season During April Signing Period
5.6.15 | Women's Cross Country, Women's Track and Field
PHILADELPHIA – Seven recruits will join Temple's women's track and cross country team for the 2015-16 season. Three women will focus primarily on track events while four are going to be utilized for their middle distance or cross country skill set.
Bridgit Andersson (Philadelphia, Pa./Germantown Friends), Ashton Dunkley (Middletown, Del./Middletown), Maya Halprin-Adams (Cambridge, Mass./Cambridge Rindge & Latin), Crystal Jones (Stafford, Va./Colonial Forge), Katie Leisher (Manchester, Md./Manchester Valley), Aliya Sharp (Baltimore, Md./Millford Mill Academy) and Sylvia Wilson (Stockbridge, Ga./Woodland) will join two other freshmen from the early signing period and compete for the Owls next fall.
"Our signing class as a whole will allow us to be more competitive at the conference level and that is our goal as a coaching staff," said head coach Elvis Forde. "We need to continue to raise the bar for ourselves and the freshmen coming in are ready to do that."
"Any time that you bring in a big class of athletes, it's always exciting," said assistant coach James Snyder. "It's a great group with a lot of talent in a number of different areas. They are definitely going to help our program build and grow."
Andersson is a Philadelphia native who competes in both track and cross country at Germantown Friends School. In track, she was a state qualifier in the 800m run and has received All-State honors in both cross country and track in the Pennsylvania Independent Schools League.
"The expectation is that Bridgit will come in and add some depth and quality to our middle distance runners and cross country team," said Forde. "We're looking forward to her helping us in our middle distance races."
Dunkley is a multiple-time, All-State runner in cross country and track for Middletown High School. She placed first in the 1,500m run at the USATF Northeast Zone with a personal-best time of 5:01.09. Snyder believes she is one of the top distance runners in Delaware. She plans to major in anthropology at Temple.
"Ashton's physical tools are just tremendous and she will shine in the longer races for track and in cross country," said Forde. "Coach Snyder will be able to exploit her skill set in order for her to succeed at Temple. What is great about her is her desire and drive to be successful. Hopefully that hunger can translate quickly on the cross country course in the fall and then in the track season."
Halprin-Adams is a middle-distance runner with range from the 400m through the mile at Cambridge Rindge & Latin High School. She is a multiple-time All-State and All-New England Honoree on the track.
"Maya, along with Bridgit, will add depth to our middle distance group," said Snyder. "Both of these girls are going to come in and help us out immediately in those events."
"Maya is very talented and I can see her in many different events, which will make preparation for her a little different than her fellow classmates," said Forde. "She is going to be more track oriented and is another kid who has very high goals set for herself."
Jones is a Stafford, Va. native who competes in sprints, hurdles and jumps for Colonial Forge High School. In the 2014 outdoor season, Jones jumped a personal-best height in the high jump with a mark of 5'9 inches. Other personal bests for Jones include: 15.33 in the 100m hurdles, 17' in the long jump, and 36' for the triple jump. Jones plans to major in kinesiology or pre-health at Temple.
"Crystal is an all-purpose athlete and may lend herself well in the multi-events," said Forde. "We believe she is going to come here and score for us right away."
Leisher is a five-time individual Maryland State Champion in cross country and on the track for Manchester Valley High School. She was named the Baltimore Metro Area Runner of the Year during the indoor season after leading her team to a Maryland state title.
"Katie has experienced some success winning championships and I believe that will help her here next year in order to grow at a fast pace," said Forde. "She is the type of athlete that will fight for everything that she earns at Temple. She will be a part of a big group of young freshmen that will be exciting to watch."
Sharp competes in sprints for Millford Mill Academy in Baltimore, Md. and has a 200m personal-record time of 24.95 seconds. Forde believes she is one of the top long sprinters in the state of Maryland.
"I believe Aliya will have a lot of sprinting duties to do for us," said Forde. "She's a very impressive runner and I really believe she is going to come in and add some depth to our relay teams, which is one of the big positives we are going to get with her coming to Temple."
Wilson attends Woodland High School in Stockbridge, Ga. and competes in sprints and hurdles for the DeKalb County Express Track Club.
"I'm really looking forward to Sylvia coming here and I think she will be able to come right in and make an immediate impact in the hurdles and also with our group of sprinters," said Forde. "She is going to bring some really good skills to our team."
The coaching staff stressed the importance of these recruits being able to help out in the middle and long distance areas for Temple next year.
"The four on the distance side, along with our two from the early signing period, are going to give us a class of six freshman girls, which I think in the middle and long distance group is one of the largest we've ever brought in," said Snyder. "We're going to look to all of these girls to contribute right away which is one of the things that attracted them to Temple."
"The signees from this April period are really going to take our middle distance and cross country programs to the next level," said Forde. "They will be able to come to Temple and make some immediate impacts. We are very excited about that."
Bridgit Andersson (Philadelphia, Pa./Germantown Friends), Ashton Dunkley (Middletown, Del./Middletown), Maya Halprin-Adams (Cambridge, Mass./Cambridge Rindge & Latin), Crystal Jones (Stafford, Va./Colonial Forge), Katie Leisher (Manchester, Md./Manchester Valley), Aliya Sharp (Baltimore, Md./Millford Mill Academy) and Sylvia Wilson (Stockbridge, Ga./Woodland) will join two other freshmen from the early signing period and compete for the Owls next fall.
"Our signing class as a whole will allow us to be more competitive at the conference level and that is our goal as a coaching staff," said head coach Elvis Forde. "We need to continue to raise the bar for ourselves and the freshmen coming in are ready to do that."
"Any time that you bring in a big class of athletes, it's always exciting," said assistant coach James Snyder. "It's a great group with a lot of talent in a number of different areas. They are definitely going to help our program build and grow."
Andersson is a Philadelphia native who competes in both track and cross country at Germantown Friends School. In track, she was a state qualifier in the 800m run and has received All-State honors in both cross country and track in the Pennsylvania Independent Schools League.
"The expectation is that Bridgit will come in and add some depth and quality to our middle distance runners and cross country team," said Forde. "We're looking forward to her helping us in our middle distance races."
Dunkley is a multiple-time, All-State runner in cross country and track for Middletown High School. She placed first in the 1,500m run at the USATF Northeast Zone with a personal-best time of 5:01.09. Snyder believes she is one of the top distance runners in Delaware. She plans to major in anthropology at Temple.
"Ashton's physical tools are just tremendous and she will shine in the longer races for track and in cross country," said Forde. "Coach Snyder will be able to exploit her skill set in order for her to succeed at Temple. What is great about her is her desire and drive to be successful. Hopefully that hunger can translate quickly on the cross country course in the fall and then in the track season."
Halprin-Adams is a middle-distance runner with range from the 400m through the mile at Cambridge Rindge & Latin High School. She is a multiple-time All-State and All-New England Honoree on the track.
"Maya, along with Bridgit, will add depth to our middle distance group," said Snyder. "Both of these girls are going to come in and help us out immediately in those events."
"Maya is very talented and I can see her in many different events, which will make preparation for her a little different than her fellow classmates," said Forde. "She is going to be more track oriented and is another kid who has very high goals set for herself."
Jones is a Stafford, Va. native who competes in sprints, hurdles and jumps for Colonial Forge High School. In the 2014 outdoor season, Jones jumped a personal-best height in the high jump with a mark of 5'9 inches. Other personal bests for Jones include: 15.33 in the 100m hurdles, 17' in the long jump, and 36' for the triple jump. Jones plans to major in kinesiology or pre-health at Temple.
"Crystal is an all-purpose athlete and may lend herself well in the multi-events," said Forde. "We believe she is going to come here and score for us right away."
Leisher is a five-time individual Maryland State Champion in cross country and on the track for Manchester Valley High School. She was named the Baltimore Metro Area Runner of the Year during the indoor season after leading her team to a Maryland state title.
"Katie has experienced some success winning championships and I believe that will help her here next year in order to grow at a fast pace," said Forde. "She is the type of athlete that will fight for everything that she earns at Temple. She will be a part of a big group of young freshmen that will be exciting to watch."
Sharp competes in sprints for Millford Mill Academy in Baltimore, Md. and has a 200m personal-record time of 24.95 seconds. Forde believes she is one of the top long sprinters in the state of Maryland.
"I believe Aliya will have a lot of sprinting duties to do for us," said Forde. "She's a very impressive runner and I really believe she is going to come in and add some depth to our relay teams, which is one of the big positives we are going to get with her coming to Temple."
Wilson attends Woodland High School in Stockbridge, Ga. and competes in sprints and hurdles for the DeKalb County Express Track Club.
"I'm really looking forward to Sylvia coming here and I think she will be able to come right in and make an immediate impact in the hurdles and also with our group of sprinters," said Forde. "She is going to bring some really good skills to our team."
The coaching staff stressed the importance of these recruits being able to help out in the middle and long distance areas for Temple next year.
"The four on the distance side, along with our two from the early signing period, are going to give us a class of six freshman girls, which I think in the middle and long distance group is one of the largest we've ever brought in," said Snyder. "We're going to look to all of these girls to contribute right away which is one of the things that attracted them to Temple."
"The signees from this April period are really going to take our middle distance and cross country programs to the next level," said Forde. "They will be able to come to Temple and make some immediate impacts. We are very excited about that."
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