Conrad High School track & field standout Loni PerkPerkins signs with Montana
5/1/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track and Field
Loni Perkins, a standout track and field athlete from Conrad, Mont., has signed a national letter of intent to attend The University of Montana and compete on the women's track and field team, UM head coach Tom Raunig announced today.
Perkins is one of the most decorated track and field athletes to come from a Montana high school. As a junior last spring, Perkins became the first female, and second athlete overall, to win seven gold medals at the state meet. She won individual gold medals in the 100 (12.47), 200 (25.40) and 400 (55.99) meters, as well as the high jump (5-4) and long jump (16-11.5). She also ran legs on the victorious 4X100 and 4X400 relay teams. Perkins' time of 55.99 in the 400-meter dash broke the all-class state record. In all, Perkins was responsible for 55 points in helping Conrad High School capture the 2002 Class B state championship.
With her seven medals at last spring's state meet, Perkins now has 16 overall state medals. She captured five medals as a freshman in 2000 and four more as a sophomore in 2001.
Currently, Perkins leads Class B in all five of her individual events, including a personal-best leap of 17-7 in the long jump. She set personal bests in the sprints last year, recording times of 12.13 in the 100, 25.01 in the 200 and 55.99 in the 400. As a sophomore in 2001 she set her personal best in the high jump with a mark of 5-6.
Perkins also excelled in volleyball and basketball at CHS. She was a three-year starter for the volleyball team, and earned first-team all-conference honors this season. A two-year letterwinner in basketball, Perkins started as a junior, but did not play her senior season due to injury.
"We are very excited to get such an outstanding student and athlete who can come in and have an immediate impact," Raunig said. "To have a person with that much potential is great. Normally a person doesn't have that diverse of skills. We feel very fortunate that she chose to come to Montana considering the number of other schools who were recruiting her."
Perkins, whose mother Janeil is a Missoula native, and whose father Rock is a UM graduate, chose Montana over several other schools, including Montana State, Idaho State, Idaho, Washington State, Arizona State, Nebraska and Iowa State.
Perkins is the second recruit to sign with the Grizzlies during the spring signing period, joining Hanna Ahlin of Karlholmsbruk, Sweden. Twelve athletes signed with UM during the fall signing period. Nine of the early signees are from Montana, including Saskia Boogman, Stephanie Radke, Jimmy Stanton and Matt Winter, all from Billings, Fritz Friesz of Polson, Halladay Quist of Kalispell, Stephanie Bortz of Thompson Falls, Matt Larson of Helena and Teddi Anderson of Wolf Point. Out-of-state signees include Phoebe Mauer of Spokane, Wash., Baily Cox of Wilbur, Wash., and Dominique Colberg of Palmer, Alaska.
Raunig said he hopes to sign approximately seven or eight additional recruits during the spring signing period.
Perkins is one of the most decorated track and field athletes to come from a Montana high school. As a junior last spring, Perkins became the first female, and second athlete overall, to win seven gold medals at the state meet. She won individual gold medals in the 100 (12.47), 200 (25.40) and 400 (55.99) meters, as well as the high jump (5-4) and long jump (16-11.5). She also ran legs on the victorious 4X100 and 4X400 relay teams. Perkins' time of 55.99 in the 400-meter dash broke the all-class state record. In all, Perkins was responsible for 55 points in helping Conrad High School capture the 2002 Class B state championship.
With her seven medals at last spring's state meet, Perkins now has 16 overall state medals. She captured five medals as a freshman in 2000 and four more as a sophomore in 2001.
Currently, Perkins leads Class B in all five of her individual events, including a personal-best leap of 17-7 in the long jump. She set personal bests in the sprints last year, recording times of 12.13 in the 100, 25.01 in the 200 and 55.99 in the 400. As a sophomore in 2001 she set her personal best in the high jump with a mark of 5-6.
Perkins also excelled in volleyball and basketball at CHS. She was a three-year starter for the volleyball team, and earned first-team all-conference honors this season. A two-year letterwinner in basketball, Perkins started as a junior, but did not play her senior season due to injury.
"We are very excited to get such an outstanding student and athlete who can come in and have an immediate impact," Raunig said. "To have a person with that much potential is great. Normally a person doesn't have that diverse of skills. We feel very fortunate that she chose to come to Montana considering the number of other schools who were recruiting her."
Perkins, whose mother Janeil is a Missoula native, and whose father Rock is a UM graduate, chose Montana over several other schools, including Montana State, Idaho State, Idaho, Washington State, Arizona State, Nebraska and Iowa State.
Perkins is the second recruit to sign with the Grizzlies during the spring signing period, joining Hanna Ahlin of Karlholmsbruk, Sweden. Twelve athletes signed with UM during the fall signing period. Nine of the early signees are from Montana, including Saskia Boogman, Stephanie Radke, Jimmy Stanton and Matt Winter, all from Billings, Fritz Friesz of Polson, Halladay Quist of Kalispell, Stephanie Bortz of Thompson Falls, Matt Larson of Helena and Teddi Anderson of Wolf Point. Out-of-state signees include Phoebe Mauer of Spokane, Wash., Baily Cox of Wilbur, Wash., and Dominique Colberg of Palmer, Alaska.
Raunig said he hopes to sign approximately seven or eight additional recruits during the spring signing period.
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