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Cross Country
vs Beehive Invitational
Photo by: Steve C. Wilson
Utah Track and Cross Country Signs Five to National Letters of Intent
1/4/2018 11:13 AM | Cross Country, Track & Field
SALT LAKE CITY – The University of Utah track and field team signed five student-athletes to National Letters of Intent during the early signing period. Scarlet Dale (Lancashire, United Kingdom), Sara Leonard (Anaheim Hills, Calif.), Brooke Manson (Sammamish, Wash.), Grace McLaughlin (Rockford, Ill.) and Sophie Ryan (Manlius, New York) will join the Utes for the 2018-19 season.
Continue below to read about each student-athlete.
Lancashire, United Kingdom
Distance
Kepler on Dale: Scarlet is a terrific cross country athlete as shown by her mountain running performances. We believe she will also be able to translate that to the track in due time. We are excited to add such a versatile athlete to our program. We believe she can be a key contributor to our national level cross country program immediately.
Placed seventh at the 2017 World Mountain Running Championship … sixth at the 2017 European Mountain Running Championships and fifth in 2016 … third at the British Athletics Mountain Running Championships … 17th at the 2017 ECCA English National Cross Country Championships after finishing 12th in 2016 ... ninth at the 2017 Cross Country English Schools Championship … won the 2017 British and Irish Junior Mountain Running Championships after finishing second in 2016 … second at the 2017 Cross Internacional de Venta de Baños …won the 2017 Northern Schools Inter County Cross Country Championships … fifth at the 2016 International Mountain Running Youth Cup … seventh in the 3,000 at the 2016 ESAA English Schools Championship and third at the 2016 School Games … third at the 2015 British Mountain Running Championships … personal-best 3,000 time of 9:53.39.
Distance
Anaheim Hills, Calif.
Canyon HS
Kepler on Leonard: Sara has seen a great deal of success in both track and cross country in California, which is one of the most competitive distance running states in the country. She is also an excellent student, making her an excellent fit for our program. We believe she will continue to develop into an outstanding student-athlete in cross country and the longer events on the track here at Utah.
Finished third two straight seasons at the CIF State Cross Country Championships (2016-17) … competed twice at NIKE Cross Nationals (2016-17) … third in the CIF Southern Section in 2017 … won two Crestview League cross country titles (2016-17) and a Century Conference cross country title (2016) … finished in the top three twice in cross country at the Orange County Championships (2016-17) … three-time first-team all-Orange County in cross country (2015-17) … two-time cross country OC Register Athlete of the Week (Oct. 27, 2016; Sept. 11, 2017) … placed ninth in the 3,200 at the 2017 CIF State Track Championships and was third in the CIF Southern Section … won Crestview League titles in the 3,200 (2015, 2017) and 1,600 (2015-17) … second in the 1,600 at the 2017 Orange County Championships … 2017 all-county in the 3,200 … fourth in the 3,200 at the 2017 Azusa Meet of Champions … personal best times of 10:25.64 in the 3,200 and 5:00.08 in the 1,600.
Mid-Distance
Sammamish, Wash.
Eastlake HS
Kepler on Manson: Brooke had a terrific junior season where she consistently improved and performed well against some great competition. We will be looking at her to bolster our outstanding young middle distance group. Brooke's parents were both student-athletes at Washington State in the former Pac-10. Her father (Tim) was a Pac -10 champion at 800 meters while her mother (Blythe) was an outstanding tennis player. Beyond her natural ability, she is a great competitor and brings strong mental skills with her to the next level.
Finished second in Washington state in the 800 in 2017 at Eastlake HS … finished 10th in the 800 at the USATF Junior National Outdoor Track and Field Championships … won the 800 at the 2017 NIKE Eason Invitational and finished sixth at the 2017 Brooks PR Invitational … won both district and league championships in the 800 in 2017 … finished sixth in the state in the 800 in 2016 while placing second in the district and league … fourth in the state in the 800 in 2015, placing second in the district and third in the league … best state cross country finish is 20th in 2017 and 2015 … placed 36th at the 2017 NIKE Cross Nationals Northwest Regional … finished third in the 600 at the 2017 UW Indoor Preview and seventh in the 400 at the 2017 UW High School Invitational … personal-best 800 time of 2:09.06.
Distance
Rockford, Ill.
Boylan HS
Kepler on McLaughlin: Grace won two state titles on the track in Illinois where the competition is some of the best in the country at the high school level. She was injured this past cross country season, but we believe she will be a huge contributor once healthy again. Grace is another outstanding student who we know has room to improve at the longer distances.
Won 2017 Illinois State Championships in both the 3,200 and 1,600 … holds two sectional and conference titles in the 3,200 (2016-17) and a sectional title in the 1,600 (2017) … finished third at the 2016 Illinois Cross Country Championship … did not compete in cross country in 2017 due to injury … fourth in the 5,000 and sixth in the two-mile at the 2017 New Balance Outdoor Nationals … holds two indoor conference titles in the 3,200 (2016-17) … finished 12th at the cross country 2016 Foot Locker Midwest Regional … personal bests of 10:31.58 (outdoor) and 10:42.18 (indoor) in the 3,200 and 5:00.69 in the 1,600.
Distance
Manlius, New York
Fayetteville-Manlius HS
Kepler on Ryan: Sophie is about as tough as they come after doing what she did at NXN nationals this fall. A very team-oriented person, she is very versatile on the track and her cross country pedigree is second to none being part of four national championship high school teams. She is another student-athlete with great genetics as all of her siblings have been collegiate student athletes (track, cross country, and swimming). Her father (Tim) was a collegiate swimmer as well.
Finished in the top seven three times at the New York state cross country championships with a best finish of third in 2014 … competed four years at NIKE Cross Nationals with a best finish of 29th in 2016, helping lead Manlius HS to four-straight team titles (including competing in 2017 despite suffering from food poisioning) … best finish at the Nike Cross New York Regional was fourth in 2017 … finished in the top three the section in cross country three times … won a league cross country title in 2016 … finished 14th in the state in the 3,000 in 2017 in outdoor and was on the state champion 4x800 relay team … placed fourth in the 1,500 in indoor at the 2017 state championships and was sixth in the 600 in 2016 … won 2017 Section III titles in the 1,500 and 3,000 in outdoor and the 600 and 1,000 in indoor … also won a 2016 section title in the 600 …. won state qualifier meets in the 3,000 (2017, 2015), 1,500 (2015) and 600 (2016) … won several league titles in her career including in indoor in the 600 and 1,000 and outdoor in the 1,500 and 3,000 … personal best times include 10:05.25 in outdoor and 9:48.91 in indoor in the 3,000, 4:35.28 in outdoor and 4:29.10 in indoor in the 1,500, 2:50.90 in the indoor 1,000 and 1:35.97 in the indoor 600.
Continue below to read about each student-athlete.
Scarlet Dale
Lancashire, United Kingdom
Distance
Kepler on Dale: Scarlet is a terrific cross country athlete as shown by her mountain running performances. We believe she will also be able to translate that to the track in due time. We are excited to add such a versatile athlete to our program. We believe she can be a key contributor to our national level cross country program immediately.
Placed seventh at the 2017 World Mountain Running Championship … sixth at the 2017 European Mountain Running Championships and fifth in 2016 … third at the British Athletics Mountain Running Championships … 17th at the 2017 ECCA English National Cross Country Championships after finishing 12th in 2016 ... ninth at the 2017 Cross Country English Schools Championship … won the 2017 British and Irish Junior Mountain Running Championships after finishing second in 2016 … second at the 2017 Cross Internacional de Venta de Baños …won the 2017 Northern Schools Inter County Cross Country Championships … fifth at the 2016 International Mountain Running Youth Cup … seventh in the 3,000 at the 2016 ESAA English Schools Championship and third at the 2016 School Games … third at the 2015 British Mountain Running Championships … personal-best 3,000 time of 9:53.39.
Sara Leonard
Distance
Anaheim Hills, Calif.
Canyon HS
Kepler on Leonard: Sara has seen a great deal of success in both track and cross country in California, which is one of the most competitive distance running states in the country. She is also an excellent student, making her an excellent fit for our program. We believe she will continue to develop into an outstanding student-athlete in cross country and the longer events on the track here at Utah.
Finished third two straight seasons at the CIF State Cross Country Championships (2016-17) … competed twice at NIKE Cross Nationals (2016-17) … third in the CIF Southern Section in 2017 … won two Crestview League cross country titles (2016-17) and a Century Conference cross country title (2016) … finished in the top three twice in cross country at the Orange County Championships (2016-17) … three-time first-team all-Orange County in cross country (2015-17) … two-time cross country OC Register Athlete of the Week (Oct. 27, 2016; Sept. 11, 2017) … placed ninth in the 3,200 at the 2017 CIF State Track Championships and was third in the CIF Southern Section … won Crestview League titles in the 3,200 (2015, 2017) and 1,600 (2015-17) … second in the 1,600 at the 2017 Orange County Championships … 2017 all-county in the 3,200 … fourth in the 3,200 at the 2017 Azusa Meet of Champions … personal best times of 10:25.64 in the 3,200 and 5:00.08 in the 1,600.
Brooke Manson
Mid-Distance
Sammamish, Wash.
Eastlake HS
Kepler on Manson: Brooke had a terrific junior season where she consistently improved and performed well against some great competition. We will be looking at her to bolster our outstanding young middle distance group. Brooke's parents were both student-athletes at Washington State in the former Pac-10. Her father (Tim) was a Pac -10 champion at 800 meters while her mother (Blythe) was an outstanding tennis player. Beyond her natural ability, she is a great competitor and brings strong mental skills with her to the next level.
Finished second in Washington state in the 800 in 2017 at Eastlake HS … finished 10th in the 800 at the USATF Junior National Outdoor Track and Field Championships … won the 800 at the 2017 NIKE Eason Invitational and finished sixth at the 2017 Brooks PR Invitational … won both district and league championships in the 800 in 2017 … finished sixth in the state in the 800 in 2016 while placing second in the district and league … fourth in the state in the 800 in 2015, placing second in the district and third in the league … best state cross country finish is 20th in 2017 and 2015 … placed 36th at the 2017 NIKE Cross Nationals Northwest Regional … finished third in the 600 at the 2017 UW Indoor Preview and seventh in the 400 at the 2017 UW High School Invitational … personal-best 800 time of 2:09.06.
Grace McLaughlin
Distance
Rockford, Ill.
Boylan HS
Kepler on McLaughlin: Grace won two state titles on the track in Illinois where the competition is some of the best in the country at the high school level. She was injured this past cross country season, but we believe she will be a huge contributor once healthy again. Grace is another outstanding student who we know has room to improve at the longer distances.
Won 2017 Illinois State Championships in both the 3,200 and 1,600 … holds two sectional and conference titles in the 3,200 (2016-17) and a sectional title in the 1,600 (2017) … finished third at the 2016 Illinois Cross Country Championship … did not compete in cross country in 2017 due to injury … fourth in the 5,000 and sixth in the two-mile at the 2017 New Balance Outdoor Nationals … holds two indoor conference titles in the 3,200 (2016-17) … finished 12th at the cross country 2016 Foot Locker Midwest Regional … personal bests of 10:31.58 (outdoor) and 10:42.18 (indoor) in the 3,200 and 5:00.69 in the 1,600.
Sophie Ryan
Distance
Manlius, New York
Fayetteville-Manlius HS
Kepler on Ryan: Sophie is about as tough as they come after doing what she did at NXN nationals this fall. A very team-oriented person, she is very versatile on the track and her cross country pedigree is second to none being part of four national championship high school teams. She is another student-athlete with great genetics as all of her siblings have been collegiate student athletes (track, cross country, and swimming). Her father (Tim) was a collegiate swimmer as well.
Finished in the top seven three times at the New York state cross country championships with a best finish of third in 2014 … competed four years at NIKE Cross Nationals with a best finish of 29th in 2016, helping lead Manlius HS to four-straight team titles (including competing in 2017 despite suffering from food poisioning) … best finish at the Nike Cross New York Regional was fourth in 2017 … finished in the top three the section in cross country three times … won a league cross country title in 2016 … finished 14th in the state in the 3,000 in 2017 in outdoor and was on the state champion 4x800 relay team … placed fourth in the 1,500 in indoor at the 2017 state championships and was sixth in the 600 in 2016 … won 2017 Section III titles in the 1,500 and 3,000 in outdoor and the 600 and 1,000 in indoor … also won a 2016 section title in the 600 …. won state qualifier meets in the 3,000 (2017, 2015), 1,500 (2015) and 600 (2016) … won several league titles in her career including in indoor in the 600 and 1,000 and outdoor in the 1,500 and 3,000 … personal best times include 10:05.25 in outdoor and 9:48.91 in indoor in the 3,000, 4:35.28 in outdoor and 4:29.10 in indoor in the 1,500, 2:50.90 in the indoor 1,000 and 1:35.97 in the indoor 600.
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