Track & Field and Cross Country Announces Signing Class
2/24/2022 12:00:00 PM | Men's Cross Country, Women's Cross Country, Women's Track and Field, Men's Track and Field
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Purdue Fort Wayne cross country/track and field director Alex Carradine has announced 14 additions for the 2022-23 season. The signing class includes six throwers, the largest throwing class since 2012-2013, along with six cross country/long distance student-athletes and two sprints/jumps athletes.
Field Events
Francesca Carlo – Throws
Carlo is a Cleveland Heights, Ohio. native and competed at Notre Dame Cathedral Latin. Her personal record in the shot put is 11.02 meters and 31.06 meters in the discus. Carlo was also named the Most Improved Athlete her freshman season.
Alex Evans – Throws
Evans is an Indianapolis, Ind. native and went to Franklin Central High School. During his time at Franklin Central, Evans posted a personal record in the men's discus of 52.29 meters and 15.26 meters in the men's weight throw. He was also a state finalist in 2021 and a Marion County Freshman discus champion. In addition, Evans is a two-time basketball letterman.
Sami Farmer – Throws
Farmer comes to the Summit City from Selma, Ind. and from Monroe Central High School. Her personal record in the shot put is 11.83 meters and 29.82 meters in the discus. In addition, Farmer also played for the Monroe Central High School varsity basketball and volleyball teams.
Rosie Fiabema – Throws
Fiabema comes to Fort Wayne from Fishers, Ind. and competed at Hamilton Southeastern High School. Her personal record in the shot put is 12.43 meters and 36.75 meters in the discus. In 2021, Fiabema was a part of Hamilton Southeastern's county champion team, an IHSAA Sectional Champion, and an IHSAA Regional Runner Up.
McKayla Henry- Throws
Henry comes from Crown Point, Ind. and competed at Crown Point high school. Her personal record in the shot put is 11.60 meters and 35.73 meters in the discus. This past spring, Henry was named Crown Point track & field's Most Valuable Athlete, the Most Valuable Field Event Athlete, and earned a top 10 spot in her regional meet. In addition, Henry was a member of the varsity women's basketball team.
Ali Sparks – Throws
Sparks is a Fort Wayne native and competed at Carroll high school. Her personal best in the shot put is 11.66 meters and 34.36 meters in the discus. In addition to competing in track & field, Sparks was a member of the Carroll high school volleyball team.
"I'm very excited to have these six individuals join our throws program for next year," assistant coach Sean Magnuson said. "We have added five women for next year which will give us one of the largest women's throws groups in program history. Henry, Farmer, Carlo, Sparks and Fiabema will contribute to the group from day one. They each bring in something special where our depth over every throws event will be covered. Adding Evans to our men's program really bumps up the group. Evans is a top 10 returning discus thrower in the state and will be competing in the hammer throw this spring as well."
Track Events
Marin Hart – Jumps/Hurdles
Hart is a Warsaw, Ind. native from Warsaw Community High School. She competed in the high jump, and posted a personal record of 1.65 meters. She also posted personal records of 9.50 seconds in the 60-meter hurdles, 15.36 seconds in the 100-meter hurdles, and 48.64 seconds in the 300-meter hurdles. During the spring 2021 season, Hart was the regional and sectional high jump winner, as well as the sectional winner and regional runner up in the 100-meter hurdles. She was named to the 2021 All-Conference team in the high jump, 100-meter hurdles, and 300-meter hurdles.
Jacob Schatzle – Sprints/Jumps
Schatzle is a Brookeville, Ind. native and ran at Franklin County high school. During the 2022 indoor season, Schatzle posted personal records in the 60 meter dash (7.28 seconds), long jump (6.45 meters), and triple jump (11.83 meters). In the 2021 outdoor season, Schatzle ran a personal record in the 100-meter dash (11.12 seconds) and competed in the 4 by 100 meter relay.
Distance/XC
Lydia Carrell – Cross Country
Carrell is a distance runner from Fortville, Ind. and ran at Mt. Vernon high school. This past cross country season, Carrell posted a personal record of 20:02.4 in the 5K. During the 2021 outdoor track season, Carrell set personal records in the 800 meters (2:29.16), 1600 meters (5:32.61), and 3200 meters (12:33.53). She also competed in the 4 by 800 meter relay and distance medley relay.
Austin Hall – Cross Country
Hall comes from nearby Columbia City, Ind. and Columbia City High School. In the 2021 outdoor track season, Hall posted personal records of 4:29.74 in the mile and 9:38.46 in the two mile. Hall's personal record in the 5K is 15:40.0, which was set back in the fall 2021 cross country season.
Bella Hodges – Cross Country
Hodges is from Indianapolis and ran at Central Groves High School. This past fall, Hodges ran a personal record of 18:53.4 and finished in 11th in the IHSAA Semi-States meet on Oct. 23. Her brother, JT Hodges, is a member of the 'Dons cross country team.
Jack Mills – Cross Country
Mills is a distance runner from Columbia City, Ind. and ran at Columbia City High School. This past fall, Mills ran a personal record of 17:00.3 in the men's 5K. He is also the brother of current cross country student-athletes Nathan Mills and Nicholas Mills.
Seth Mills – Cross Country
Mills is a distance runner from Columbia City, Ind. and competed at Columbia City High School. During the fall 2021 cross country season, Mills' personal record in the 5K was 16:39.2. He also posted personal records in the 800 meter run (2:01.99) and 1600 meter run (4:35.85) during the 2021 outdoor track & field season. In addition, Mills is a relative to Nick, Nathan, and Jack Mills.
Riley Tate – Cross Country
Tate comes from Columbus, Ohio and ran at Worthington Kilbourne high school. She posted personal bests of 18:56 in the 5K, 11:23 in the 3200 meter run, and 5:15 in the 1600 meter run. She was the conference champion in the women's 3200 meter run and the women's 5K. Tate also earned two First Team All-Conference honors and was a 2021 First Team All-District cross country runner.
~Feel The Rumble~
Field Events
Francesca Carlo – Throws
Carlo is a Cleveland Heights, Ohio. native and competed at Notre Dame Cathedral Latin. Her personal record in the shot put is 11.02 meters and 31.06 meters in the discus. Carlo was also named the Most Improved Athlete her freshman season.
Alex Evans – Throws
Evans is an Indianapolis, Ind. native and went to Franklin Central High School. During his time at Franklin Central, Evans posted a personal record in the men's discus of 52.29 meters and 15.26 meters in the men's weight throw. He was also a state finalist in 2021 and a Marion County Freshman discus champion. In addition, Evans is a two-time basketball letterman.
Sami Farmer – Throws
Farmer comes to the Summit City from Selma, Ind. and from Monroe Central High School. Her personal record in the shot put is 11.83 meters and 29.82 meters in the discus. In addition, Farmer also played for the Monroe Central High School varsity basketball and volleyball teams.
Rosie Fiabema – Throws
Fiabema comes to Fort Wayne from Fishers, Ind. and competed at Hamilton Southeastern High School. Her personal record in the shot put is 12.43 meters and 36.75 meters in the discus. In 2021, Fiabema was a part of Hamilton Southeastern's county champion team, an IHSAA Sectional Champion, and an IHSAA Regional Runner Up.
McKayla Henry- Throws
Henry comes from Crown Point, Ind. and competed at Crown Point high school. Her personal record in the shot put is 11.60 meters and 35.73 meters in the discus. This past spring, Henry was named Crown Point track & field's Most Valuable Athlete, the Most Valuable Field Event Athlete, and earned a top 10 spot in her regional meet. In addition, Henry was a member of the varsity women's basketball team.
Ali Sparks – Throws
Sparks is a Fort Wayne native and competed at Carroll high school. Her personal best in the shot put is 11.66 meters and 34.36 meters in the discus. In addition to competing in track & field, Sparks was a member of the Carroll high school volleyball team.
"I'm very excited to have these six individuals join our throws program for next year," assistant coach Sean Magnuson said. "We have added five women for next year which will give us one of the largest women's throws groups in program history. Henry, Farmer, Carlo, Sparks and Fiabema will contribute to the group from day one. They each bring in something special where our depth over every throws event will be covered. Adding Evans to our men's program really bumps up the group. Evans is a top 10 returning discus thrower in the state and will be competing in the hammer throw this spring as well."
Track Events
Marin Hart – Jumps/Hurdles
Hart is a Warsaw, Ind. native from Warsaw Community High School. She competed in the high jump, and posted a personal record of 1.65 meters. She also posted personal records of 9.50 seconds in the 60-meter hurdles, 15.36 seconds in the 100-meter hurdles, and 48.64 seconds in the 300-meter hurdles. During the spring 2021 season, Hart was the regional and sectional high jump winner, as well as the sectional winner and regional runner up in the 100-meter hurdles. She was named to the 2021 All-Conference team in the high jump, 100-meter hurdles, and 300-meter hurdles.
Jacob Schatzle – Sprints/Jumps
Schatzle is a Brookeville, Ind. native and ran at Franklin County high school. During the 2022 indoor season, Schatzle posted personal records in the 60 meter dash (7.28 seconds), long jump (6.45 meters), and triple jump (11.83 meters). In the 2021 outdoor season, Schatzle ran a personal record in the 100-meter dash (11.12 seconds) and competed in the 4 by 100 meter relay.
Distance/XC
Lydia Carrell – Cross Country
Carrell is a distance runner from Fortville, Ind. and ran at Mt. Vernon high school. This past cross country season, Carrell posted a personal record of 20:02.4 in the 5K. During the 2021 outdoor track season, Carrell set personal records in the 800 meters (2:29.16), 1600 meters (5:32.61), and 3200 meters (12:33.53). She also competed in the 4 by 800 meter relay and distance medley relay.
Austin Hall – Cross Country
Hall comes from nearby Columbia City, Ind. and Columbia City High School. In the 2021 outdoor track season, Hall posted personal records of 4:29.74 in the mile and 9:38.46 in the two mile. Hall's personal record in the 5K is 15:40.0, which was set back in the fall 2021 cross country season.
Bella Hodges – Cross Country
Hodges is from Indianapolis and ran at Central Groves High School. This past fall, Hodges ran a personal record of 18:53.4 and finished in 11th in the IHSAA Semi-States meet on Oct. 23. Her brother, JT Hodges, is a member of the 'Dons cross country team.
Jack Mills – Cross Country
Mills is a distance runner from Columbia City, Ind. and ran at Columbia City High School. This past fall, Mills ran a personal record of 17:00.3 in the men's 5K. He is also the brother of current cross country student-athletes Nathan Mills and Nicholas Mills.
Seth Mills – Cross Country
Mills is a distance runner from Columbia City, Ind. and competed at Columbia City High School. During the fall 2021 cross country season, Mills' personal record in the 5K was 16:39.2. He also posted personal records in the 800 meter run (2:01.99) and 1600 meter run (4:35.85) during the 2021 outdoor track & field season. In addition, Mills is a relative to Nick, Nathan, and Jack Mills.
Riley Tate – Cross Country
Tate comes from Columbus, Ohio and ran at Worthington Kilbourne high school. She posted personal bests of 18:56 in the 5K, 11:23 in the 3200 meter run, and 5:15 in the 1600 meter run. She was the conference champion in the women's 3200 meter run and the women's 5K. Tate also earned two First Team All-Conference honors and was a 2021 First Team All-District cross country runner.
~Feel The Rumble~
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Cross Country
/ Men's Cross Country
/ Men's Cross Country
/ Men's Cross Country
/ Men's Cross Country
/ Men's Cross Country
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