The University of Richmond cross country and track & field program is thrilled to welcome a large class of new student-athletes this fall. These recruits, hailing from eight different states, will help uphold the programs high standards of excellence at both conference and national levels.

"We're excited to bring in this talented group," said Lori Taylor, Director of Track & Field. "Their diverse skills across distance, middle distance, hurdles, and jump events highlight our commitment to excellence. These athletes are competitive and driven, ready to push our program forward."

Taylor continued, "Our program has earned NCAA All-Academic Team honors for 23 consecutive years, and we believe these recruits will continue that tradition. We're confident they'll embrace our values, strive for their best, and contribute to our team's proud legacy. We offer a supportive, competitive environment where they can reach their full potential and succeed on the national stage."

Steve Taylor, Head Men's Coach, added, "These athletes embody the qualities we value: commitment, passion, and excellence. Their achievements, both on and off the track, align with our vision. We're eager to see them take on new challenges and excel academically and athletically."

The Spiders look forward to these student-athletes making an immediate impact in cross country, indoor, and outdoor seasons.

INCOMING WOMEN 2024

Avery Beike (Glen Allen, VA * Glen Allen HS) Personal Bests: 1600m – 5:02.69, 3200m – 10:58.57

Set a 3200M personal best of 10:58.57 to win the 2024 VHSL Region 6A Indoor Championship…Placed 6th in the 3200m at the 2024 VHSL 6A Indoor Championships…At the 2024 Dogwood Track Classic she set her personal best in the 1600M placing 16th in 5:02.69…Won the Mile at the 2024 61st East Coast Invitational with a time of 5:09…Placed 18th at the 2023 VHSL 6A Cross Country Championships…Ran 18:11.00 to place 19that the 2023 MileStat.com XC Invitational held at Pole Green Park in Mechanicsville, VA.

Kayla Buback (Woburn, MA * Woburn HS) Personal Bests: 400m – 57.63, 600m – 1:35.26

Won the 2023 MIAA Division 2 Championship in the 600M running 1:36.06…The following weekend placed second in the MIAA Meet of Champions 600M (1:35.26)…2023 and 2024 Middlesex League Indoor 600M Champion…Won the 400M (57.63) in the 2023 MSTCA Northeast Invitational…Won the 2024 MIAA Division 2 600M Championship.

Addie Cohen (Wyomissing, PA * Wyomissing Area HS) Personal Bests: 1600m – 5:00.51, 3200m – 10:52.04

Showed dramatic improvement her junior year winning the 1600M and 3200M in 5 of 6 regular season races during the outdoor season…Placed second in the 1600M (5:00.51), 3rd in the 3200M (10:52.04) and 9th in the 800M (2:19.28) at the 2023 PIAA State Track & Field Championship…2023 PIAA District 3 Champion in the 800M, 1600M and 3200M races.

Kasey Cone (Charlotte, NC * Charlotte Country Day School) Personal Bests: 1600m: 4:57.47, 3200m: 10:45.59

Won the 1600M (4:57.47) at the 2023 Charlotte Summer Track Series…2024 NCISAA Division 1 Outdoor Track & Field State Champion in the 1600M (5:01.86), 4th in the 3200M (11:05.14) and 8th in the 800M (2:22.46)… 2023 NCISAA Division 1 Outdoor Track & Field State Champion in the 3200M (10:56.78)… Ran a personal best of 10:45.59 to place 11th in the 2024 Carolina Distance Festival…Placed 2nd in the 1600M (4:58.22) and 3200M (10:50.97) in the 2024 CISAA Conference Championships…Placed 2nd in the 3200M at the NC Runners Independent Schools Indoor Championship…Ran 18:01.38 in the 2021 Garmin Running Lane Cross Country Championships.

Molly Flanagan (Wilmington, DE * Padua Academy) Personal Bests: 400m – 55.66, 800m – 2:08.71

Holds the #2 Delaware All-Time 800M time (2:08.71) and is the #20 graduating senior in the U.S. high school 800M in 2024…2024 DIAA Outdoor Track & Field Champion in the 800M (2:08.71)…Went undefeated in the 400M as a senior and won the 2024 New Castle County Championships running 55.66…Ran 2:09.96 to place 5th in the Trials of Miles Invitational at Icahn Stadium…Placed 2nd in the DIAA Meet of Champions 800M (2:12.11)…Ran the 1600M once during her senior year to win the 2024 AI DuPont Track & Field Invitational (5:03.12)…Won the 2024 Bishop Loughlin Games 600M running 1:33.93…Placed 3rd in the 2024 Virginia Showcase meet in the 500M (1:14.14)…Split an official 54.22 in the 4X400M relay (3:47.85) at the 2024 Delaware Meet of Champions…A member of the 2024 New Balance Indoor Nationals 4X800M Championship team (8:53.46) and 2024 Milrose Games Champion team (8:48.86)… holds Delaware state Records in the 4x800m and 4x400m along with her teammates.

Melina Johnston (Robbinsville, NJ * Robbinsville HS) Personal Bests: 3200m – 10:50.43, 3k Steeple – 11:00.67, 5k – 17:48.91

Won the 3,000M Steeplechase with a time of 11:00.67 at the 2024 Woodberry Relays…Runner-up in the 3200M at the 2024 NJSIAA Group 2 State Championships…Placed 10th in the 3200M (10:58.84) at the 2024 NJSIAA Meet of Champions…Set a personal best of 10:50.42 for 3200M in the 2023 Holmdel Twilight Series…Placed 2nd in the 5,000M at 2023 Garden State Track & Field Showcase hosted by Garden State Track Club running 17:48.91…Placed 21st in the 2023 New Balance Outdoor Nationals in the 5,000M (17:50.43).

Natalie Koors (Reisterstown, MD * Maryvale Prep School) Personal Bests: 800m: 2:19.99, 1600m: 5:16.48

At the 2024 IAAM Outdoor Track & Field Championships placed 2nd in the 800M (2:19.99), 2nd in the 1600M (5:16.48) and 3rd in the 3200M (11:44.07) to complete the distance triple…Placed 4th in the 2023 IAAM Cross Country Championships.

Hallie Muniz (Potomac, MD * Winston Churchill HS) Personal Bests: 800m – 2:15.15, 1600m – 5:00.80, 3200m – 10:59.39

Ran the 800M in 2:15.15 at the 2023 MCPS Championship to place 2nd…At the 2023 New Balance Outdoor Nationals place 22nd in the 800M (2:15.64)…Won the 2023 Walter Johnson and Whitman at Churchill 1600M in 5:00.80…Placed 2nd in the 1600M and 3rd in the 800M at the 2024 MPSSAA 4A West Region…Ran 10:59.39 in the 3200M at the 2023 Gator Invitational to place 3rd.

Mia Paolino (Burnt Hills, NY * Burnt Hills – Ballston Lake HS) Personal Bests: 800m – 2:14.54, 1000m – 2:53.38, 1500m – 4:38.20, 2k Steeple – 6:51.82, 5,000m – 17:44.75

Placed 2nd in the 2024 MSTCA Northeast Invitational in the 1,000M running 2:53.38…Ran a personal best in the 800M (2:14.54) to place 2nd in the 2024 Columbia vs BH Invitational…Placed 3rd in the 2022 Girls Suburban Council Championships 1500M (4:38.20)…Placed 2nd in the 2023 NYSPHSAA Section 2 State Qualifier in the 2,000m Steeplechase running 6:51.82…Placed 11th in the 2023 New Balance Outdoor National Championships in the 2K Steeplechase (6:57.47)… Placed 2nd in the 2022 NYSPHSAA Section 2 State Qualifier in the 2,000m Steeplechase running 6:54.09…Placed 4th in the 2022 New Balance Outdoor National Championships in the 2K Steeplechase (7:00.95)…At the 2024 Nisky Elite 5,000M Track Meet placed 4thrunning 17:44.75.

Lucy Schlachtenhaufen (Lake Forest, IL * Lake Forest HS) Personal Bests: 1600m: 5:10.49, 3200m: 11:17.72

At the 2024 Distance Night at Palatine ran a personal best in the 1600M (5:10.49)…Placed 4th in the 1600M (5:11.82) in the 2024 IHSA Class 3 TRG Sectional Championships…Won the NCSC Conference Championships 1600M…Placed 3rd in the 3200M (11:17.72) in the 2024 Clash Indoor Invitational…Won the 2024 NSC Indoor Championship 3200M…Placed 22nd in the 2023 IHSA Cross Country State Championship.

Peyton Strauss (Brentwood, TN * Brentwood HS) Personal Bests: 800m – 2:16.88, One Mile – 5:04.75, 3200m – 11:06.23

Placed 3rd in the 2023 Great Eight Invitational 800M (2:16.88)…Finished 6th in the 2023 TSSAA Division 1 Track & Field Championships 800M (2:18.85)…Placed 3rd in the 2023 Music City Track Carnival Mile (5:04.75)…13th in the Mile (5:05.93) Nike Outdoor Nationals Emerging Elite Race…Placed 6th in the 2023 HOKA NTC 3200M (11:06.23).

Cameron Whidbee (Glen Allen, VA * Glen Allen HS) Personal Bests: 300m – 40.79, 400m – 57.63, Long Jump – 18'1

At the 2024 VHSL Class 6 Outdoor Track & Field Championships placed 6th in the Long Jump (18'01") and 8thin the 400M (57.92)…3rd place in the 2024 VHSL Region 6A Championships 400M (58.06)…In the 2024 VHSL Class 6 Indoor Track & Field Championships placed 10th in the 300m dash (40.79)…Placed 3rd in the 2023 Region 5C Outdoor Championships in the 400M (57.63)…At the 2023 VHSL Class 5 Outdoor Track & Field Championships placed 7th (57.96).

INCOMING MEN 2024

Brady Barber (Rumson, NJ * Christian Brothers Academy) Personal Bests: 1600m: 4:24.12, 3200m: 9:15.40

Placed 7th in the 2023 NPA Boys NJSIAA Group Championships helping CBA claim the team title…Placed 20th in the 2023 NJSIAA Meet of Champs (MOC) helping CBA claim the team title…Placed 34th at the 2023 Nike Cross Nationals Northeast Regional Championships with CBA claiming the team title and advancing to the national final in Oregon…Placed 107th at the 2023 Nike Cross National Championships helping CBA to a 7th place team finish…Placed 2nd in the 2 mile at the 2024 Eastern States Indoor Track & Field Championships running 9:30.67…Placed 3rd in the 2024 A-North Divisional Outdoor Track & Field Meet running 9:19.95 for 3200M…Ran his personal best of 9:15.40 for 3200M at the 2024 Holmdel Twilight Series - Night of 3200s.

Patrick Doherty (Midlothian, VA * Maggie Walker School) Personal Bests: 1600m: 4:35.78, 3200m: 9:49.70

Placed 8th in the 2023 Capital / Colonial District Cross Country Meet running 16:15.00 and helping the Maggie Walker HS team win the title…At the 2024 VHSL Region 3B XC Championships he placed 4th helping Maggie Walker claim the team title…Placed 18th in the 2024 VHSL 3A Cross Country Championships helping Maggie Walker claim the team title…At the 2023 USATF JO National Cross Country Championship in Louisville, Kentucky he placed 23rd overall to earn USATF All-America honors and help the Richmond Track Club win the 15-18 Boys team title…Placed 8th in the VHSL 3A 3200M during the outdoor season.

Taylor Healy (Durham, NC * Riverside HS / UNC Chapel Hill) Personal Bests: 1600m – 4:32.20, 3200m – 9:53.00, 8k - 25:41

While at Riverside High School in Durham, NC set his personal best in the 3200m (9:53.00) placing place 2ndin the 2020 RCV Meet and in the 1600m (4:32.20) to win the 2019 Durham County Outdoor Championships. While at UNC ran personal bests of 25:41 in the 8K at the 2023 VCU Health 8K and 15:53 for 5k in the 2023 NIRCA Outdoor Track & Field Championships held in Richmond, Virginia.

John Vogel (Williamsburg, VA * Christopher Newport University) Personal Bests: One Mile – 4:08.91, 3k Steeple – 9:14.63

Won the 2022 Virginia Grand Prix 3KSC running 9:14.63…Won the 2022 Dennis Craddock Coaches Classic 3KSC and returned to place 2nd in the Mile (4:08.91)…Runner-up in the 5,000M (14:45.57) and 1500M (3:55.17) at the 2022 Coast-To-Coast Athletic Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships…Placed 30thin the 2022 Spider Alumni Cross Country Open 6K (19:14.3)…Earned 15th place at the 2022 Coast-To-Coast Athletic Conference Cross Country Championships…Ran a personal best of 25:22.0 for 8K at the 2022 Lehigh Paul Short Run (College).