An individual national champion to join the fold for the Ravens women's program

Brooke Simmons took part in almost every event during her high school career and will add tremendous depth to several different areas of the program.

RINDGE, N.H. (July 26, 2013) – The Franklin Pierce University women’s track & field/cross country program boasted several impressive accomplishments during its inaugural season in 2012-13, and on Friday the program’s preparations for the 2013-14 season began with the announcement of an incoming recruiting class of 65 new student-athletes.

“We are very excited about this year’s recruiting class and eagerly look forward to these deserving student-athletes joining our ever-growing track & field family,” said head coach Zach Emerson. “The immediate success of our men's & women's programs was something that no first-year program in recent memory had been able to accomplish. Our women’s program took on several of the top teams in the region last year, and proved they were more than capable of competing against the best. The future prospects of those student-athletes, along with this year’s incoming class, only strengthens the optimism of what this program can accomplish.”

The core of the women’s recruiting class will feature an injection of raw speed in the sprint, jump, and hurdle events. Samantha Toscano (Northwood, N.H.) is a student-athlete who is accustomed to being a key contributor on a championship track & field program, as she was a member of countless winning teams at Coe-Brown Academy. An all-state performer in multiple events and relays, Toscano competed at the New England championships in the long jump and relays this past June. Jayne Boylan (Nashua, N.H.) is also a speed-based athlete whose talents in the horizontal jumps brought her all-state honors and sent her to the New England championships as well. Melanie Hill (Danbury, Conn.) brings tremendous speed to the shorter distances, as Emerson expects her to excel in every event at the conference level from the 60 meters to the 200 meters, while also shouldering a heavier load in the 4x100 and 4x400 relays.

Nicole Galewski (Whitman, Mass.) was one of the top-ranked long jumpers in the state of Massachusetts, with a personal best leap of 17'4". Briegh Souliere (Cumberland, R.I.) was a multi-time New England championship qualifier in both indoors and out, with bests of 8.6 in the indoor 55 high hurdles, and a stellar 14.7 in the outdoor 100 HH. Rachel Boyers (North Bandford, Conn.), Kendal-Anne Armstrong (Harwood, Vt.), Carley Shugart (Middleton, R.I.), Mallorie Marchand (Lowell, Mass.), and Kristine Haywood (Fitchburg, Mass.) are also expected to compete in the speed, jump, and hurdle events for the Ravens after competing at a high level for their respective high schools.

"We have the goal for this women's team to leapfrog over many rivals in the conference standings,” Emerson said. “Our team is still extremely young, but that's why it is so important to surround ourselves with such great kids, and we feel very blessed for the incredible kids that have placed their faith in Franklin Pierce University. We are proud of each and every athlete for the hard work they demonstrate both on the track and in the community."

Brooke Simmons (Goffstown, N.H.) had an impressive all-around high school career by competing in any event that was asked of her. With multiple appearances at the New England championships in the high jump event, Brooke displayed that she has the tools and the desire to immediately be successful in the multi-events at the collegiate level.

"With Brooke, we feel that she has the mental toughness, body make-up and passion to try and be the type of freshman athlete for the women's team, that Vinny Biunno was for the men’s team last season,” said Emerson of Brooke, while referencing Biunno, who won the Northeast-10 Conference outdoor championship in the decathlon during the spring season.

Franklin Pierce will also receive a jolt from two of the best New England athletes in the throwing events, including Miranda Gagnon (Somersworth, N.H.), who won the New Hampshire Meet of Champions in the javelin. She also had a season best toss of 129', which was one of the farthest throws by any athlete in New England during the spring season. Kendra Plant (Warwick, R.I.) is set to bring a wealth of experience to Rindge in the heavy throws, as well as winning multiple state championship titles and All-New England selections in the shot put. Plant carries a personal best nearing that magical 40' mark in the shot put. Samantha Brun (Dighton, Mass.) and Patience Tukson (Ellington, Conn.) are also expected to excel in the throwing events for the women's team.

A high school national champion in an endurance event is making her way to Rindge to help solidify the women's cross country, middle and long distance squads. Holly Lindoe (Sachem East, N.Y.) was a multiple time All-American and won the indoor national championship in the mile race walk, which is an endurance event not traditionally contested at the collegiate level.

"Holly is a very exciting runner for us to have the chance to coach over the next for years," said Emerson. "She has competed at such a rare elite level in the race walk, which proves that she is an aerobic standout with a pain tolerance that is through the roof for endurance-based racing. She was a very good runner in high school while mainly focusing on the walks. However, we will work with her to transition her skills to the events that she will be mainly competing in at the college level, while also keeping her at her elite level in the walks. We don't think it will take Holly much time to find similar success in the running events, as she had experienced this year in the walk events. She is an incredibly talented endurance athlete."

Emerson also mentioned that mid-distance ace Kayla Phiips (New Windsor, N.Y.), as well as runners Kara Brazel (Glastonbury, Conn.), Tala Wilson (Oxford, N.Y.), Miranda Tremblay (Pittsfield, Mass.), and Kayla Cunningham (Skillman, N.J.) will add depth to the cross country team in the fall, and to the distance events on the harder circuits come track season.

For more information on Franklin Pierce women’s track & field/cross country, please visit the team’s respective pages at http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu(.) To follow the programs even further, please visit Franklin Pierce Athletics on YouTube (www.youtube.com/FranklinPierceSports), Twitter (www.twitter.com/FPUathletics), and Facebook (www.facebook.com/FranklinPierceRavens). Fans wishing to purchase Franklin Pierce track & field and cross country apparel can do so on the athletic department’s online store at http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store(.).