Grizzly track and field signs one, accepts transfer
6/16/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Indoor Track, Men's Track and Field, Women's Track and Field
University of Montana track and field coach Tom Raunig announced on Thursday that Abbey Effertz of Bismarck, N.D., has signed a National Letter of Intent to join the Grizzlies in 2005-06. Also joining Montana will be transfer Ryan Flaherty from the University of Oregon. Both have personal bests in their respective events that would have met this year's NCAA regional qualifying standards.
Effertz, who competed at Bismarck Century High School, has a personal best of 158-11 in the discus and 45-0.5 in the shot put. The 2005 NCAA Division I regional qualifying standard for the discus was 155-2. Effertz, who plans to major in business, helped lead BCHS to the 2005 North Dakota Class A state championship with a title in the shot put and a sixth-place finish in the discus.
UM's top performance in the discus in 2005 was 136-4 by Teddi Anderson. The top mark in the shot was 43-3.25, also by Anderson.
"We're excited to get such a high-level thrower," Raunig said Thursday. "Abbey's personal best of 158-11 in the discus would have qualified for regionals this year and is over five feet farther than our current school record of 153-3 (Sherryl Dodge, 1984)."
Flaherty, from Bend, Ore., will have two years of eligibility remaining after transferring from Oregon. A biology major, Flaherty has a personal best of 1:49.65 in the 800 meters. The 2005 NCAA Division I regional qualifying standard for the 800 meters was 1:50.40.
Montana's top performance in the 800 meters in 2005 was 1:54.17 by Jesse Loether.
"Ryan's personal best of 1:49.65 in the 800 meters would have been the second-best time in the Big Sky Conference this year and a regional qualifying time," Raunig said. "We're looking forward to him coming in and making an impact."
Montana's 2005 Track and Field Recruiting Class
Amber Aikins...Hurdles/jumps...Cut Bank, Mont.
MacKenzie Bloom...CC/distance...Stevensville, Mont.
Chelsea Burfeind...CC/distance...Kalispell, Mont.
Kellan Carter...High jump...Great Falls, Mont.
Abbey Effertz...Throws...Bismarck, N.D.
Ryan Flaherty...Middle distance...Bend, Ore. (Oregon)
Chris Hellekson...Throws...Billings, Mont.
Nate Inmon...Sprints...Missoula, Mont.
Jon Metropoulos...CC/distance...Helena, Mont.
Chris Mosbacher...Jumps/hurdles...Missoula, Mont. (Northwest Nazarene)
Matt Parker...CC/distance...Kalispell, Mont. (Minnesota)
Jessica Seydel...Javelin...Billings, Mont.
Sara Thon...CC/distance...Bellingham, Wash. (Western Washington)
Kim Tritz...CC/distance...Missoula, Mont.
Ashley Wamsley...Hurdles...Missoula, Mont.
Anya Wechsler...Pole vault...Sheridan, Wyom.
Brittany Williams...Throws...Chinook, Mont.
Shannon Woodman...CC/distance...Chatham, N.J.
Natalie Yarbrough...CC/distance...Apple Valley, Minn.
Effertz, who competed at Bismarck Century High School, has a personal best of 158-11 in the discus and 45-0.5 in the shot put. The 2005 NCAA Division I regional qualifying standard for the discus was 155-2. Effertz, who plans to major in business, helped lead BCHS to the 2005 North Dakota Class A state championship with a title in the shot put and a sixth-place finish in the discus.
UM's top performance in the discus in 2005 was 136-4 by Teddi Anderson. The top mark in the shot was 43-3.25, also by Anderson.
"We're excited to get such a high-level thrower," Raunig said Thursday. "Abbey's personal best of 158-11 in the discus would have qualified for regionals this year and is over five feet farther than our current school record of 153-3 (Sherryl Dodge, 1984)."
Flaherty, from Bend, Ore., will have two years of eligibility remaining after transferring from Oregon. A biology major, Flaherty has a personal best of 1:49.65 in the 800 meters. The 2005 NCAA Division I regional qualifying standard for the 800 meters was 1:50.40.
Montana's top performance in the 800 meters in 2005 was 1:54.17 by Jesse Loether.
"Ryan's personal best of 1:49.65 in the 800 meters would have been the second-best time in the Big Sky Conference this year and a regional qualifying time," Raunig said. "We're looking forward to him coming in and making an impact."
Montana's 2005 Track and Field Recruiting Class
Amber Aikins...Hurdles/jumps...Cut Bank, Mont.
MacKenzie Bloom...CC/distance...Stevensville, Mont.
Chelsea Burfeind...CC/distance...Kalispell, Mont.
Kellan Carter...High jump...Great Falls, Mont.
Abbey Effertz...Throws...Bismarck, N.D.
Ryan Flaherty...Middle distance...Bend, Ore. (Oregon)
Chris Hellekson...Throws...Billings, Mont.
Nate Inmon...Sprints...Missoula, Mont.
Jon Metropoulos...CC/distance...Helena, Mont.
Chris Mosbacher...Jumps/hurdles...Missoula, Mont. (Northwest Nazarene)
Matt Parker...CC/distance...Kalispell, Mont. (Minnesota)
Jessica Seydel...Javelin...Billings, Mont.
Sara Thon...CC/distance...Bellingham, Wash. (Western Washington)
Kim Tritz...CC/distance...Missoula, Mont.
Ashley Wamsley...Hurdles...Missoula, Mont.
Anya Wechsler...Pole vault...Sheridan, Wyom.
Brittany Williams...Throws...Chinook, Mont.
Shannon Woodman...CC/distance...Chatham, N.J.
Natalie Yarbrough...CC/distance...Apple Valley, Minn.
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