Marshall University Athletics
Herd Cross Country Announces Upcoming Recruiting Class
7/2/2020 3:00:00 PM | Cross Country, Track and Field
Eight Athletes Join Squad
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Marshall cross country head coach Jeff Small announced Thursday the addition of eight athletes to the program for the 2020-21 recruiting class.
"We have some great talent coming in," assistant coach Caleb Bowen said. "Coach Small and I are really excited where the program is headed. Both in cross country in the fall and on the track side, we added some great depth and athletes who really impressed us.
We believe we could have one of the best cross country teams Marshall has ever had, especially the women's team. We're going to be very competitive and we're very excited."
The class includes one signee to be joining the men's cross country team, and seven women to run both cross country in the fall and compete in distance events in the winter and spring track season.
Two of the recruits join the Thundering Herd as transfers, including one post-graduate enrollee with one year of eligibility remaining.
Below is a list of the eight additions to the program:
Men's Cross Country (1)
Kent Bee – Ritchie Country High School, Harrisville, W.Va.
As a senior in 2019, he was First Team All-State in cross country and is a two-time state meet qualifier … is a two-time state track meet qualifier in the 800m, 1600m and 3200m, holds a 5K personal record of 16:38.06, a 3200m PR of 9:57.51, and 1600m best time of 4:35.84.
Women's Cross Country/Track and Field (7)
Chaysie Barnes – Frankfort High School, Frankfort, W.Va.
Barnes is a two-time qualifier for the WVSSAC State Cross Country Championships, recording a top 13th place finish in 2019 … is a two-time state meet qualifier in the outdoor 4x800m, and holds personal bests of 20:47.46 in the 5000m in cross country.
Haley Bolt – Piedmont College/Lambert High School, Suwanee, Ga.
Bolt joins the program as a post-graduate transfer from Piedmont College (Demorest, Ga.) and will study in the Marshall University Forensic Science Graduate Program … is the Piedmont College school-record holder in the 10,000m with a time of 42:49.08 … is a two-time All-USA South Runner 2018 and 2019 in Cross Country, and holds a 5000m personal record of 19:53.84.
Tori Dotson – Rockcastle County High School, Mount Vernon, Ky.
Dotson comes to Marshall as one of the most decorated women's distance recruits in school history … she comes to Marshall having won 13 State Championships across cross country and track and field, including the 2017 Kentucky HS State XC title … she won the state indoor 800m title all four years of her high school career and won the state indoor 1600m three times, her personal record of 2:12.70 in the 800m was set at the 2020 Marshall University High School Invitational, which also is the meet record, and was ranked 23rd in the nation … holds personal records of 18:53 in cross country and 5:16.13 in the mile.
Kyleigh Edwards – University of Wisconsin/Fairfield Christian Academy, Lancaster, Ohio
Edwards joins the program as a transfer from the University of Wisconsin, where in 2019 she had a best finish of 21st with a time of 18:19.48 at the Loyola Lakefront Invitational 5K ... competed as a freshman in 2017-18 at Hillsdale College, finishing 13th overall at the Greater Louisville Classic and placing fifth or better in each 3000m race she competed in … in high school was a standout at Fairfield Christian Academy, where she finished third overall at the OHSAA State XC Championships as a junior and earned a runner-up finish her senior year ... competed in the two-mile at the New Balance Nationals Indoor and Outdoor meets as a senior, finishing seventh and eighth, respectively … won the 3200m at the 2017 outdoor state meet.
Cari Hively – Herbert Hoover High School, Elkview, W.Va.
Barnes is a two-time qualifier for the WVSSAC State Cross Country Championships, is a two-time All-Region honoree in cross country, and is a three-time All-Cardinal Conference member in outdoor track … holds personal records of 6:03.70 in the 1600m, 12:41.11 in the 3200m, and 19:57.57 in cross country.
Kalei Jordan – Winfield High School, Winfield, W.Va.
Jordan has recorded four top-three finishes in the WVSSAC Outdoor State Track Championships in the 800m and 1600m … part of the 2018 4x400m State Championship teams … is also a two-time podium finisher at the WVSSAC State Championships in the long jump … holds top times of 2:21.68 in the 800m, 5:18.30 in the 1600m, and 19:59.50 in cross country.
Mackenzie Stanley – Fairmont Senior High School, Fairmont, W.Va.
Stanley is a four-time qualifier for the WVSSAC State Cross Country Championships, recording a top ninth place finish in 2019 … competed at the 2019 Footlocker Regional Championships … is a 3x state meet qualifier in the outdoor 800m and 1600m races, and holds personal bests of 2:27.98 in the 800m, 5:23.05 in the 1600m, and 20:25.65 in cross country.
#HerdFamily
For the latest information on Marshall University Cross Country, follow the team on Twitter and Instagram @HerdTFXC.
"We have some great talent coming in," assistant coach Caleb Bowen said. "Coach Small and I are really excited where the program is headed. Both in cross country in the fall and on the track side, we added some great depth and athletes who really impressed us.
We believe we could have one of the best cross country teams Marshall has ever had, especially the women's team. We're going to be very competitive and we're very excited."
The class includes one signee to be joining the men's cross country team, and seven women to run both cross country in the fall and compete in distance events in the winter and spring track season.
Two of the recruits join the Thundering Herd as transfers, including one post-graduate enrollee with one year of eligibility remaining.
Below is a list of the eight additions to the program:
Men's Cross Country (1)
Kent Bee – Ritchie Country High School, Harrisville, W.Va.
As a senior in 2019, he was First Team All-State in cross country and is a two-time state meet qualifier … is a two-time state track meet qualifier in the 800m, 1600m and 3200m, holds a 5K personal record of 16:38.06, a 3200m PR of 9:57.51, and 1600m best time of 4:35.84.
Women's Cross Country/Track and Field (7)
Chaysie Barnes – Frankfort High School, Frankfort, W.Va.
Barnes is a two-time qualifier for the WVSSAC State Cross Country Championships, recording a top 13th place finish in 2019 … is a two-time state meet qualifier in the outdoor 4x800m, and holds personal bests of 20:47.46 in the 5000m in cross country.
Haley Bolt – Piedmont College/Lambert High School, Suwanee, Ga.
Bolt joins the program as a post-graduate transfer from Piedmont College (Demorest, Ga.) and will study in the Marshall University Forensic Science Graduate Program … is the Piedmont College school-record holder in the 10,000m with a time of 42:49.08 … is a two-time All-USA South Runner 2018 and 2019 in Cross Country, and holds a 5000m personal record of 19:53.84.
Tori Dotson – Rockcastle County High School, Mount Vernon, Ky.
Dotson comes to Marshall as one of the most decorated women's distance recruits in school history … she comes to Marshall having won 13 State Championships across cross country and track and field, including the 2017 Kentucky HS State XC title … she won the state indoor 800m title all four years of her high school career and won the state indoor 1600m three times, her personal record of 2:12.70 in the 800m was set at the 2020 Marshall University High School Invitational, which also is the meet record, and was ranked 23rd in the nation … holds personal records of 18:53 in cross country and 5:16.13 in the mile.
Kyleigh Edwards – University of Wisconsin/Fairfield Christian Academy, Lancaster, Ohio
Edwards joins the program as a transfer from the University of Wisconsin, where in 2019 she had a best finish of 21st with a time of 18:19.48 at the Loyola Lakefront Invitational 5K ... competed as a freshman in 2017-18 at Hillsdale College, finishing 13th overall at the Greater Louisville Classic and placing fifth or better in each 3000m race she competed in … in high school was a standout at Fairfield Christian Academy, where she finished third overall at the OHSAA State XC Championships as a junior and earned a runner-up finish her senior year ... competed in the two-mile at the New Balance Nationals Indoor and Outdoor meets as a senior, finishing seventh and eighth, respectively … won the 3200m at the 2017 outdoor state meet.
Cari Hively – Herbert Hoover High School, Elkview, W.Va.
Barnes is a two-time qualifier for the WVSSAC State Cross Country Championships, is a two-time All-Region honoree in cross country, and is a three-time All-Cardinal Conference member in outdoor track … holds personal records of 6:03.70 in the 1600m, 12:41.11 in the 3200m, and 19:57.57 in cross country.
Kalei Jordan – Winfield High School, Winfield, W.Va.
Jordan has recorded four top-three finishes in the WVSSAC Outdoor State Track Championships in the 800m and 1600m … part of the 2018 4x400m State Championship teams … is also a two-time podium finisher at the WVSSAC State Championships in the long jump … holds top times of 2:21.68 in the 800m, 5:18.30 in the 1600m, and 19:59.50 in cross country.
Mackenzie Stanley – Fairmont Senior High School, Fairmont, W.Va.
Stanley is a four-time qualifier for the WVSSAC State Cross Country Championships, recording a top ninth place finish in 2019 … competed at the 2019 Footlocker Regional Championships … is a 3x state meet qualifier in the outdoor 800m and 1600m races, and holds personal bests of 2:27.98 in the 800m, 5:23.05 in the 1600m, and 20:25.65 in cross country.
#HerdFamily
For the latest information on Marshall University Cross Country, follow the team on Twitter and Instagram @HerdTFXC.
---HerdZone.com---
Ethan Bowens Inside The Herd
Thursday, October 30
Marshall Cross Country: Coach Caleb Bowen (Post-Thundering Herd Invitational)
Friday, August 29
Marshall T&F: Addison Painter/Lara Check (Pre-NCAA 1st Rd.)
Tuesday, May 27
Marshall T&F: Emma Henry, Gradian Graham, Azure Travis, Garrett Ferguson (Pre-Louisville)
Thursday, April 24