Photo by: Don Paul
Women’s Cross Country Announces Eight Newcomers in Class of 2021
8/4/2017 3:00:00 PM | Women's Cross Country
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – With the start of the 2017 cross country season exactly four weeks away, women's head cross country coach Debbie Utesch has announced eight freshman as part of the team's incoming class of 2021.
The class consists of four athletes from New Jersey, and one each from Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut and New Hampshire.
Elyse Barkstrom – Pittsford, N.Y./Pittsford Mendon
Elyse Barkstrom is a six-time New York state qualifier and six-time New York Section V champion in the 600m, 800m, 1000m and 1500m. The Pittsford Mendon High graduate was named the 2016 Section V Class B Track MVP and was a 2016 First Team All-Greater Rochester selection.
Utesch on Barkstrom: "Elyse is a relative newcomer to XC having only completed one full XC season as a senior. She is currently more comfortable in the middle distance events from 600m-1500m so you may see her impact on the track first. Elyse can use her leg speed to her advantage as she chases down opponents on some of the faster championship courses this fall."
Susie Poore – Windham, N.H./Windham
Susie Poore capped her career at Windham High School with an all-state selection in cross country and earned All-New England honors as a senior in 2016. A two-time New Hampshire Cross Country DII All-Star, she was named the 2016 Girls' Cross Country MVP by the Eagle Tribune in 2016. She placed fourth overall at the 2016 New Hampshire DII Cross Country Championships and finished fifth overall at the 2016 Cross Country Meet of Champions.
Utesch on Poore: "Susie is coming off a breakout senior XC season. The Windham, N.H. native finished 5th in the New Hampshire Meet of Champs covering the 5K in 17:54. She also finished in the top 20 at the New England Championships. She was hampered by some injuries during her track & field season but hopefully can return to form this fall with the LUXC team."
Giavanna Tabbachino – Emerson, N.J./Immaculate Heart Academy
Giavanna Tabbachino earned First and Second Team All-Bergen County, and First and Second Team All-North Jersey honors in cross country during her career at Immaculate Heart Academy. She was also named Immaculate Heart's Athlete of the Year as senior. She was selected to the Ridgewood News All-Suburban Cross Country Team and was previously named a First Team All-State Freshman in cross country. On the track, she earned First Team all-league honors in both the indoor and outdoor 3200m and was Second Team All-Bergen in the indoor 1000m.
Utesch on Tabbachino: "Giavanna is one of three Bergen County, N.J. freshmen in this year's class. She is looking to be a 5K-10K specialist in the Lehigh program. What she lacks in stature, she makes up for in toughness and consistency. She is an even paced runner who should embrace the longer 6000m collegiate cross country distance."
Kara Bonner – Medford, N.J./Shawnee
At Shawnee High School, Kara Bonner was a member of the state champion 4x800 relay team on the track team and a three-time All-South Jersey selection. A two-time Burlington County Runner of the Year and a First Team All-Group Four selection, Bonner was a member of the school record setting distance medley, sprint medley, 4x400, and indoor and outdoor 4x800 relay teams. She earned 12 varsity letters and was a six-time captain between cross country, indoor and outdoor track.
Utesch on Bonner: "Kara comes from a strong XC/Track and field program in Shawnee, N.J. She has good range racing in events from the 4x800 through the 3200m. She was a former Lehigh track & field camp attendee and her outgoing personality caught the attention of the LU staff immediately. Kara has the ability to work with some of the upperclassmen and make an immediate impact on the XC team this fall."
Erin Tressler – Sandy Hook, Conn./Newtown
A captain of the cross country, indoor and outdoor track teams, Erin Tressler was named all-state in cross country by the Connecticut High School Coaches' Association. A Hearst Connecticut Media Girls Cross Country All-Star, Tressler was named all-conference and academic all-conference for cross country plus indoor and outdoor track. She graduated as the Newtown High School record holder in the 1000m, 5000m, 4x800 indoor and 4x800 outdoor.
Utesch on Tressler: "Erin comes from a very team oriented high school program and should fit right into the team chemistry with the Lehigh women. Brown and White runs through her veins as her mom is a Lehigh alum. Erin focused on the middle distance events in high school but may be looking to increase her range at the college level."
Lexi Harris – Wyckoff, N.J./Ramapo
Lexi Harris was named First Team All-Bergen County, First Team All-Big North Freedom League, First Team All-North Jersey, and Second Team All-Group 2 for cross country while at Ramapo High. She won a cross country state sectional championship (North I Group 2) as a senior in 2016, and also was a SMOC qualifier in both cross country and indoor track.
Utesch on Harris: "Lexi had a strong senior XC campaign where she consistently dropped time on the northern NJ courses. She capped a strong senior campaign by qualifying for the N.J. Meet of Champs at Holmdel Park. Injuries during her senior track & field campaign ended her spring season. She will most likely take a conservative approach with her XC return to training and get ready for the indoor track & field season at LU."
Ginger Pojednic – Oradell, N.J./River Dell Regional
Ginger Pojednic won a total of 12 varsity letters while at River Dell High School. She earned a First Team All-Big North Patriot selection and was a SMOC qualifier in outdoor track in 2016 and 2017. She was named Third Team All-County for cross country and indoor track in 2016 and placed second in 2015 State Sectional Cross Country meet. She graduated as River Dell's outdoor 4x800m record holder and was a 2017 state sectional champion in the 1600m.
Utesch on Pojednic: "After a battle with mono over the winter, Ginger returned this spring to win the N.J. Sectional North I - Group 2 1600 in the spring. Ginger probably has a big upside with some untapped potential. It will be interesting to see how she can work into the lineup this fall."
Hannah Knudsen – Ambler, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham
Hannah Knudsen was a cross country state qualifier in 2016. She also earned Second Team All-Suburban One League-American Conference honors and was also a Second Team All-Intelligencer pick in 2016. She previously earned Third Team All-Suburban One League-Continental Conference honors and was Honorable Mention All-Intelligencer, both in 2015.
Utesch on Knudsen: "Competing in the tough PA District 1 region, Hannah showed consistent improvement all year resulting in a state qualifying berth in XC and a school record in the 3200m. This tall, lanky runner plans to be a distance specialist at Lehigh and is familiar with the Lehigh XC course from her high school racing. This course familiarity should help as she vies for a varsity spot this fall."
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The class consists of four athletes from New Jersey, and one each from Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut and New Hampshire.
Elyse Barkstrom – Pittsford, N.Y./Pittsford Mendon
Elyse Barkstrom is a six-time New York state qualifier and six-time New York Section V champion in the 600m, 800m, 1000m and 1500m. The Pittsford Mendon High graduate was named the 2016 Section V Class B Track MVP and was a 2016 First Team All-Greater Rochester selection.
Utesch on Barkstrom: "Elyse is a relative newcomer to XC having only completed one full XC season as a senior. She is currently more comfortable in the middle distance events from 600m-1500m so you may see her impact on the track first. Elyse can use her leg speed to her advantage as she chases down opponents on some of the faster championship courses this fall."
Susie Poore – Windham, N.H./Windham
Susie Poore capped her career at Windham High School with an all-state selection in cross country and earned All-New England honors as a senior in 2016. A two-time New Hampshire Cross Country DII All-Star, she was named the 2016 Girls' Cross Country MVP by the Eagle Tribune in 2016. She placed fourth overall at the 2016 New Hampshire DII Cross Country Championships and finished fifth overall at the 2016 Cross Country Meet of Champions.
Utesch on Poore: "Susie is coming off a breakout senior XC season. The Windham, N.H. native finished 5th in the New Hampshire Meet of Champs covering the 5K in 17:54. She also finished in the top 20 at the New England Championships. She was hampered by some injuries during her track & field season but hopefully can return to form this fall with the LUXC team."
Giavanna Tabbachino – Emerson, N.J./Immaculate Heart Academy
Giavanna Tabbachino earned First and Second Team All-Bergen County, and First and Second Team All-North Jersey honors in cross country during her career at Immaculate Heart Academy. She was also named Immaculate Heart's Athlete of the Year as senior. She was selected to the Ridgewood News All-Suburban Cross Country Team and was previously named a First Team All-State Freshman in cross country. On the track, she earned First Team all-league honors in both the indoor and outdoor 3200m and was Second Team All-Bergen in the indoor 1000m.
Utesch on Tabbachino: "Giavanna is one of three Bergen County, N.J. freshmen in this year's class. She is looking to be a 5K-10K specialist in the Lehigh program. What she lacks in stature, she makes up for in toughness and consistency. She is an even paced runner who should embrace the longer 6000m collegiate cross country distance."
Kara Bonner – Medford, N.J./Shawnee
At Shawnee High School, Kara Bonner was a member of the state champion 4x800 relay team on the track team and a three-time All-South Jersey selection. A two-time Burlington County Runner of the Year and a First Team All-Group Four selection, Bonner was a member of the school record setting distance medley, sprint medley, 4x400, and indoor and outdoor 4x800 relay teams. She earned 12 varsity letters and was a six-time captain between cross country, indoor and outdoor track.
Utesch on Bonner: "Kara comes from a strong XC/Track and field program in Shawnee, N.J. She has good range racing in events from the 4x800 through the 3200m. She was a former Lehigh track & field camp attendee and her outgoing personality caught the attention of the LU staff immediately. Kara has the ability to work with some of the upperclassmen and make an immediate impact on the XC team this fall."
Erin Tressler – Sandy Hook, Conn./Newtown
A captain of the cross country, indoor and outdoor track teams, Erin Tressler was named all-state in cross country by the Connecticut High School Coaches' Association. A Hearst Connecticut Media Girls Cross Country All-Star, Tressler was named all-conference and academic all-conference for cross country plus indoor and outdoor track. She graduated as the Newtown High School record holder in the 1000m, 5000m, 4x800 indoor and 4x800 outdoor.
Utesch on Tressler: "Erin comes from a very team oriented high school program and should fit right into the team chemistry with the Lehigh women. Brown and White runs through her veins as her mom is a Lehigh alum. Erin focused on the middle distance events in high school but may be looking to increase her range at the college level."
Lexi Harris – Wyckoff, N.J./Ramapo
Lexi Harris was named First Team All-Bergen County, First Team All-Big North Freedom League, First Team All-North Jersey, and Second Team All-Group 2 for cross country while at Ramapo High. She won a cross country state sectional championship (North I Group 2) as a senior in 2016, and also was a SMOC qualifier in both cross country and indoor track.
Utesch on Harris: "Lexi had a strong senior XC campaign where she consistently dropped time on the northern NJ courses. She capped a strong senior campaign by qualifying for the N.J. Meet of Champs at Holmdel Park. Injuries during her senior track & field campaign ended her spring season. She will most likely take a conservative approach with her XC return to training and get ready for the indoor track & field season at LU."
Ginger Pojednic – Oradell, N.J./River Dell Regional
Ginger Pojednic won a total of 12 varsity letters while at River Dell High School. She earned a First Team All-Big North Patriot selection and was a SMOC qualifier in outdoor track in 2016 and 2017. She was named Third Team All-County for cross country and indoor track in 2016 and placed second in 2015 State Sectional Cross Country meet. She graduated as River Dell's outdoor 4x800m record holder and was a 2017 state sectional champion in the 1600m.
Utesch on Pojednic: "After a battle with mono over the winter, Ginger returned this spring to win the N.J. Sectional North I - Group 2 1600 in the spring. Ginger probably has a big upside with some untapped potential. It will be interesting to see how she can work into the lineup this fall."
Hannah Knudsen – Ambler, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham
Hannah Knudsen was a cross country state qualifier in 2016. She also earned Second Team All-Suburban One League-American Conference honors and was also a Second Team All-Intelligencer pick in 2016. She previously earned Third Team All-Suburban One League-Continental Conference honors and was Honorable Mention All-Intelligencer, both in 2015.
Utesch on Knudsen: "Competing in the tough PA District 1 region, Hannah showed consistent improvement all year resulting in a state qualifying berth in XC and a school record in the 3200m. This tall, lanky runner plans to be a distance specialist at Lehigh and is familiar with the Lehigh XC course from her high school racing. This course familiarity should help as she vies for a varsity spot this fall."
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Players Mentioned
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