Men’s Cross Country and Track Adds 14 Newcomers for 2012-13
 
PORTLAND, Ore. --- The Portland Pilots Men’s Cross Country and Track teams replenished their rosters on Tuesday, adding 14 additional incoming freshman, announced head coach Rob Conner.
 
"This is a tremendous group of athletes,” Conner noted. “Our recruiting coordinator Jesse Johnson did an incredible job. We think we have one of the best incoming cross country classes in the nation. The success we have had at University of Portland has always been because of the hard work of our developmental recruits.”
  Joining Sergio Gonzalez, Jacob Smith, Izaic Yorks and Danny Martinez as newcomers this year will be:
 
Alex Bowns, Seattle, Wash. (Ballard HS) – Bowns placed 15h at the 2011 Washington State 4A Cross Country Championships and posted personal records of 1:57 (800m), 4:17 (1600m), and 9:14 (3200m) during the spring season.

Alex Dillard, The Dalles, Ore. (The Dalles-Wahtohka/Dufur HS) – Dillard grabbed a second place finish in the Oregon State 5A Cross Country Championships for the 2011 season for The Dalles-Wahtohka before capturing the 1A State Championship title courtesy of an 8:43.19 personal record in the 3000m in the spring with Dufur HS.

Ben Forsee, Broomfield, Colo. (Broomfield HS) – Forsee followed up an 11th place finish at the Colorado State 4A Cross Country Championship with a second place finish in the 3200m and seventh place finish in the 1600m events at the 4A State Championships.

Griffin Hay, Fort Collins, Colo. (Fort Collins HS) – Hay captured the 5A State Championship title in the 3200m event in the spring after placing seventh at the Colorado State 5A Cross Country Championships in 2011.

Justin Rocereto, Beaverton, Ore. (Southridge HS) – One of only two Portland-area recruits, Rocereto clocked a time of 4:00.27 in the 1500m event at the Oregon 6A State Championships, finishing tenth on the strength of his season best.

Adam Waldum, Cedar Park, Texas (Vista Ridge HS) – Waldum earned a fourth place finish at the Texas State 4A Cross Country Championships to cap off an impressive 2011 senior season.

Gavin Flynn, Lincoln City, Ore. (Taft HS) – Flynn saved his best performance of the season for the 4A Oregon State Championships, placing second in the 400m with a time of 49.95.

Sean Johnston, Seattle, Wash. (O'Dea HS) – Recording a time of 1:54.03 in the 800m, Johnston finished 10th at the 3A Washington State Championships in the spring.

Nathan DeVaughn, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minneapolis SW) – One of two field event recruits in the class, DeVaughn came in 12th place at the 2A Minnesota State Championships for long jumpers.
 
“All Americans like Joe Driscoll, Todd Davis and Michael Kilburg all started here as developmental athletes,” Conner added. “It will be exciting to see the progress these men make over the next four or five years.”  

Distance runners Will Baker-Robinson (San Anselmo, Calif./Sir Francis Drake HS), Nick Borg (Gig Harbor, Wash./Peninsula HS), Andy Holstrom (Beaverton, Ore./Valley Catholic HS), and Nick Shindler (Port Angeles, Wash./Port Angeles HS) will also be joining the Pilots in the fall. Rounding out this year’s freshman class is Stuart Milner, a triple jumper from Mountlake Terrace High School in Mountlake Terrace, Wash.