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The University of Utah Athletics
Kepler Signs Four More Student-Athletes
4/19/2006 12:00 AM | Track & Field
April 19, 2006
SALT LAKE CITY -- University of Utah track and field head coach Kyle Kepler has added four new student-athletes to the incoming freshman class for next fall.
Kepler signed Alyssa Abbot, Becky Mackelprang, Laryssa Simpson and Whitney Wellington to national letters-of-intent this week.
"We have signed four student-athletes who will be solid additions to our track and field program," said Kepler. "In addition to the two athletes we signed last fall, I feel that this incoming class will be able to step in and guide this program toward our goals of fielding a competitive squad at the regional and national levels."
Abbot is a distance/middle distance runner from Reno, Nev., Mackelprang is a distance runner from Spokane, Wash., Simpson is a pole vaulter from Phoenix, and Wellington is a sprinter from Surrey, British Columbia, Canada.
The four new recruits join Sarah Cardinal (Blackfoot, Idaho/Blackfoot HS) and Chelsey Kaplar (Highland, Utah/Lonepeak HS) who both signed back in November.
Below is a thumbnail sketch of the four latest athletes to join the Utes.
Alyssa Abbott
Hometown/High School: Reno, Nev./Galena HS
Intended Major: Exercise Science
Current HS GPA: 3.9
Finished second in the 800m, third in both the 1600m and 3200m at the 2005 state championships ... regional runner-up in the 800 and 1600m in 2005 ... also took third in the 3200m at the 2005 regional ... raced to a fourth-place finish in the 800m at the 2004 state meet.
Kepler on Abbott: Alyssa has continually performed at her best at the biggest meets in her high school career. She has very good foot speed and good range in the middle distance events. Her work ethic will allow her to continue to develop into an outstanding runner at the Division I level. She is a very charismatic person who will be a great addition to our team next fall. She will compete in both cross country and track.
Becky Mackelprang
Hometown/High School: Spokane, Wash./Ferris HS Intended Major: Neuroscience or Mathematics
Current HS GPA: 4.0
Father, mother, brother, and sister are all U of U alumni ... took fourth at the regional cross country championships ... finished 14th at the state cross country meet ... raced to a 50th-place finish at the Footlocker regional championship.
Kepler on Mackelprang: Becky is the complete package as far as being a student-athlete at the U of U. Her entire immediate family all attended the U of U. She carries a 4.0 GPA and ranks among the top of her high school class. She has been very active in her school and community in various service events. Becky has only been running since her sophomore year of high school so she has a ton of potential and room for growth in her running. She will run cross country and track.
Laryssa Simpson
Hometown/High School: Phoenix/Desert Vista HS
Intended Major: Marketing
Current HS GPA: 3.6
Finished 5th at Arizona 5A state meet as a junior, 10th as a sophomore in the pole vault ... team won state title sophomore year ... all-state performer in 2005 ... finished third at the USATF state championships ... National Honor Society and Student Council member ... three-time AIA Scholar Athlete Honor Roll designee 2003-05.
Kepler on Simpson: Laryssa is a very dedicated to the pole vault. She has improved every year since she started the event and we look for her to do the same here at the U of U. She is not afraid to set high goals and then do the necessary work to achieve them. Laryssa is also a very well rounded individual who will be a great student, athlete and teammate.
Whitney Wellington
Hometown/High School: Surrey, BC Canada/Fleetwood Park Secondary School
Intended Major: Journalism
Current HS GPA: 3.5
Provincial Champion in 400m at 2002 BC Summer Games ... four-time Provincial HS Champion in 400m (2003-04) and in 200m (2004-05) ... ran in 400m as a member of 2003 World Youth Canada Team... raced on 2005 World Youth Canada Team ... 2005 Provincial Juvenile 200m Champion ... won gold in the 4x100m relay and silver in the 4x400m relay at the 2005 Canada Summer Games, also racing in the 200m ... 2005 Juvenile National Champion in 4x100m and took bronze in the 200m.
Kepler on Wellington: Whitney is an outstanding sprinter with great range. She will be able to run anything from 60m-400m and run it very well. She has had great success running at the national and international levels of competition and that will serve her well in her adjustment to Division I track and field. Whitney has high expectations for herself and works very hard to achieve her goals. She will be a tremendous addition to our sprint corps next year.
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