CHICAGO (June 27, 2018) – Loyola University Chicago head men's and women's track & field and cross country coach
Bob Thurnhoffer announced the addition of 15 student-athletes to the program's 2018-19 signing class on Wednesday morning. The newcomers join winter signees Nick Chudzik (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove North HS), Claire Hengesbaugh (Aurora, Ill./Rosary HS), Olivia Orr (Minneapolis, Minn./Washburn HS), Christos Papoulias (Nea Smyrni, Greece/High School of Nea Smyrni), Stephen Pipilas (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove South HS) and Chantz Visse (Solon, Ohio/Solon HS).
"We put a major emphasis on building up our women's program in all event areas, while getting a new crop of men's distance athletes and maintaining our depth in the men's jumps," Thurnhoffer commented. "Our vision of the program is to have an elite team of high academic achievers from across the globe. We feel that's what makes our program unique and it's what our identity is as a culture. To have recruits coming from every corner of the U.S. and from several countries across the world further solidifies that. This is a special group we have coming in this year and I can't wait to see where our program heads from here."
Oyinlola Akinlosotu – Federal Way, Wash./Federal Way HS/Washington State
All-Time Best Marks
Triple Jump – 40-11.75
Coach Thurnhoffer on Akinlosotu: "Oyinlola is transferring in from the Pac-12 where she was the second best freshmen in the conference in the triple jump. She missed making it to the NCAA West Regional by just a few centimeters, but is clearly primed to ascend into a top-level D1 triple jumper as soon as next year. I enjoyed getting to know her during the recruiting process and felt like we got along really well. I think having someone who's a little more experienced will help our two incoming freshmen as well. Oyinlola has some big goals in mind and I think she has the talent and mindset to achieve them."
Jordyn Blake – Christchurch, New Zealand/St. Margaret's College
All-Time Best Marks
100m – 12.40
400m –57.01
Assistant Coach Jon DeGrave on Blake: "Jordyn is coming off a breakout season in New Zealand where she showed tremendous improvement, which is particularly impressive since she missed significant time last year. This is a testament to her work ethic, dedication, and natural ability, which will serve her well as she continues to develop. Jordyn is also a very versatile sprinter and is ready to contribute at the MVC Championships in multiple sprints and relays during her first year with the team. Between her personality, talent, and drive, she really is the full package and I think she will have a very special career here at Loyola."
Anya Brett – East Lansing, Mich./East Lansing HS
All-Time Best Marks
1,600m – 5:20
3,200m –11:17
5k (XC)- 18:43
Assistant Coach Alan Peterson on Brett: "Anya was a late addition to this class, but we are more than excited to have her. She improved tremendously during her senior season and is looking to keep that momentum going into the start of her collegiate career."
Blake Buysse – Plymouth, Minn./Wayzata HS
All-Time Best Marks
1,600m – 4:28
3,200m – 9:25
Assistant Coach Mircea Bogdan on Buysse: "Blake is coming from Wayzata High School, one of the best high school programs in the country. He has achieved some great performances as a runner and his impact in cross country will show immediately. He has great distance skills and I can't wait to see him wearing the Loyola colors."
Ian Cummings – Indianapolis, Ind./North Central HS
All-Time Best Marks
Mile – 4:34
3,200m – 9:54
Coach Bogdan on Cummings: "Ian Cummings, one of two men's distance recruits from Indiana, is someone I can't wait to introduce to the steeplechase. I am very confident about him doing great things over the next four years."
Akhil Ghosh – Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove South HS
All-Time Best Marks
1,600m – 4:19
3,200m – 9:15
Coach Bogdan on Ghosh: "Akhil has tremendous skill in the distance events, and will be a factor in cross country. He leads a very talented group of incoming recruits from Illinois that also features his high school teammate Stephen Pipilas and their high school "rival", Nicholas Chudzik, who is coming from Downers Grove North High School. This trio is special and I look forward to working with them all. They all know each other very well and that is great. They will have lots of fun running together. I see all three of them becoming great 5k-10k runners."
Marygrace Golden – Batavia, Ill./Batavia HS
All-Time Best Marks
800m - 2:17
1,600m -5:13
3 Mile (XC)- 17:37
Coach Peterson on Golden: "Marygrace is a great addition to the program. Her combination of strength and speed will be key to help elevate her to another level. With her competitive nature, I definitely see her as one of the girls to come in and make an immediate impact in the fall."
Gaby Katz – Vienna, Va./Oakton HS
All-Time Best Marks
1,600m – 5:26
3,200m –11:37
5k (XC)- 19:15
Coach Peterson on Katz: "Gaby is one of those runners who really has a passion for the sport. She has improved every year and is not afraid to put in the work necessary to be successful. I have no doubt that Gaby will contribute to make our program better both on and off the track."
Nathan Kolbus – Indianapolis, Ind./Bishop Chatard HS
All-Time Best Marks
1,600m – 4:32
3,200m – 9:29
Coach Bogdan on Kolbus: "Loyola distance is in good hands with Nathan. He has all the ingredients to become a top steeplechaser. I can't wait to see what we can accomplish together."
Anneka Murrin – Yarmouth, Maine/Yarmouth HS
All-Time Best Marks
800m - 2:17
1,600m -5:12
5k (XC)- 18:28
Coach Peterson on Murrin: "Anneka has phenomenal range from the 800m and up. She has great athleticism, which will serve her well in the transition to collegiate training. I'm looking forward to seeing how she contributes in the fall."
Sarah Olojo – Chicago, Ill./Lane Tech HS
All-Time Best Marks
Triple Jump – 38-06.50
Long Jump – 17-06.00
Coach Thurnhoffer on Olojo: "Sarah's only been doing track since late in her sophomore year and quickly developed into one of the top jumpers in the state. She won the 2018 3A Illinois Prep Top Times meet in the triple jump and then finished fourth overall at the 2018 3A Illinois Outdoor State meet a few weeks back. She's a tremendous student and wants to achieve some great things in the sport. I knew within the first time of meeting her she was a perfect fit for our program. Our women's triple jump crew is really going to be special over the next few years."
Jana Rokitta – Wuppertal, Germany
All-Time Best Marks
Triple Jump – 39-06.50
Coach Thurnhoffer on Rokitta: "Jana is one of the top young triple jumpers in all of Germany. She picked up the event in 2016 so her training age is still very young. She finished fifth at last year's German U18 Championships and has improved her mark this season. Her potential is through the roof. Very early in the recruiting process I knew Jana was a perfect fit for our jumps crew and for our program as a whole. I can't wait to start working with her."
Kamryn Sharer – Avon, Ohio/Avon HS
All-Time Best Marks
Long Jump – 17-09.50
100m Hurdles –15.09
Coach DeGrave on Sharer: "Kam is a tremendous raw talent and will make a great addition to our growing hurdles and multi events group during her time at Loyola. She competed primarily in the hurdles and long jump in high school but has shown a strong desire to continue to learn and an ability to pick up new skills quickly, which is essential to success in the multis. She is also an outstanding student and overall person and I am very excited to work with her over the next four years and cannot wait to see what she is able to accomplish."
Dawson Spann – Aurora, Colo./Cherokee Trail HS
All-Time Best Marks
Long Jump – 23-02.00
Triple Jump – 44-04.00
Coach Thurnhoffer on Spann: "When I first started recruiting Dawson early last summer, I learned that he only started doing track late into his junior year. He did a few meets and got over 23', then during his senior year he ended up finishing a close second at the Colorado 5A State meet in the long jump. He's still very young in the sport and I think his potential is special. I really enjoyed getting to know him and his mom during the recruiting process. He clicked very well with the guys. The future is bright for this guy. We've had a lot of success in the men's long jump here at Loyola and Dawson will be the next guy up."
Ilhame Tamrouti – Kampen, Netherlands
All-Time Best Marks
Javelin – 151-05
Coach Thurnhoffer on Tamrouti: "Ilhame is a prodigious talent from the Netherlands. Her toss this year would have won the MVC title by nearly 10 feet. It also would've qualified her for the NCAA West Regional. She's a superb talent who will instantly come in and contend for conference titles and NCAA qualifications."
