As the National Letters of Intent (NLI) roll in, a running list of the newest members of the Hilltopper family will be available here!
JOHN ELAM | THROWER | SOPHOMORE | IDAHO STATE | CANYON COUNTRY, CALIF. | CANYON H.S.
Coach Chumbley's take: "We're looking forward to John joining us this coming January. He's a thrower from Idaho State that we're really excited to add because of his versatility."
ALLISON FERGUSON | POLE VAULTER | INCOMING FRESHMAN | VERSAILLES, KY. | WOODFORD COUNTY H.S.
Coach Chumbley's take: "Allison is one of the top returning vaulters in the state and will be a fantastic addition to our group of vaulters. I expect Allison to be able to compete for points right away in C-USA."
JOEL DITTOE | THROWER | SOPHOMORE | OHIO CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY | MILLERSPORT, OHIO | MILLERSPORT H.S.
Coach Chumbley's take: "Joel will come in for the spring and add immediate depth to our men's throwing squad. He has been developing well at OCU and I expect some good performances from him right away."
ZOE MANNING | DISTANCE | INCOMING FRESHMAN | BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA | ST. PETERS LUTHERAN COLLEGE
Coach LeCompte's take: "We're very excited about this commitment from Zoe Manning. She is one of the top distance runners in Australia and I am certain she is going to make an immediate impact on our team's performance and will quickly ascend to becoming one of the top runners in Conference USA."
LUCY RUTHERFORD | DISTANCE | INCOMING FRESHMAN | NASHVILLE, TENN. | DAVIDSON ACADEMY
Coach LeCompte's take: "Lucy has been a multi-endurance sport athlete in high school, also competing as a junior elite triathlete. I believe this gives her a big upside with potential to improve greatly while focusing on just running. Look for Lucy to make an immediate impact on our women's XC team performance."
KAISON BARTON | THROWER | INCOMING FRESHMAN | SEMMES, ALA. | MARY G MONTGOMERY H.S.
Coach Chumbley's take: "I am thrilled that Kaison has decided to continue his career on The Hill. He is one of the top throwers in the nation and it will be exciting to watch what he can do over the next four years."
CASEY BUCHANAN | DISTANCE | INCOMING FRESHMAN | ADELAIDE, SOUTH AUSTRALIA | WESTMINSTER H.S.
Coach LeCompte's take: "Casey is hands down one of the best middle-distance runners WKU has ever signed. He will have the potential to make a huge impact on the team not only on the conference level but National level as well. I believe Casey is an unpolished, raw athlete who races well, and with a better training environment will grow to an NCAA elite-level athlete very quickly."
CORA GALLOP | DISTANCE | SENIOR TRANSFER | NEVADA | OAKLAND, ORE. | OAKLAND H.S.
Coach LeCompte's take: "Cora's been a nationally ranked D1 runner before. She has had her share of setbacks but she felt her story wasn't over yet. Cora comes highly sought after, and is fully trusted in me to bring her back to the national level. I believe Cora's best times are ahead of her and will do my best to help her reach her goals."
AJ BRISBEN | DISTANCE | INCOMING FRESHMAN | FISHERS, IND. | HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN H.S.
Coach LeCompte's take: "We are excited to have AJ joining us next fall. He will add some much-needed depth to our men's distance squad, while also being a versatile track athlete who can run 800-5k. I see him making big strides within his first year on the team."
STEVEN SIMMONS | SPRINTS | JUCO TRANSFER | BUTLER COMMUNITY COLLEGE | PALATKA, FLA. | PALATKA H.S.
Coach Chumbley's take: "Steven is a fantastic JUCO sprinter with a lot of range. He will add speed to our short and long group and move right in as an important part of both relays."
JONATHAN ALLEN | SPRINTS | INCOMING FRESHMAN | RICHMOND, TEXAS | FORT BEND TRAVIS H.S.
Coach Chumbley's take: "Jonathan is a strong and versatile sprinter coming to us out of Texas. He is young and improving every year with a huge upside. His current times will have him on both relays and challenging at the C-USA Championships. He will be a big part of WKU for many years to come."
ANTHONY SWEET | DISTANCE | SOPHOMORE | KENT STATE | CLEVELAND, OHIO | BENEDICTINE H.S.
Coach LeCompte's take: "Anthony is coming to us from Kent State, where he decided to focus on only academics. He will be working very hard over the next few months to become a contributor to our growing men's distance group."
RORY O'CONNOR | DISTANCE | INCOMING FRESHMAN | MOUNT WASHINGTON, KY. | BULLITT EAST H.S.
Coach LeCompte's take: "Rory is a very unique signee, being as she hasn't run cross country since eighth grade and has yet to compete in track. A former soccer player, who surprisingly could potentially be one of the top freshman runners in the conference based on what I've seen so far. I've never coached someone with as little experience as Rory who also possesses as much potential, so she will certainly turn some heads this fall and during her time as a Hilltopper."
STEVEN VOTAW | DISTANCE | INCOMING FRESHMAN | LA GRANGE, KY. | OLDHAM COUNTY H.S.
Coach LeCompte's take: "Steven adds some much-needed depth to our men's squad, without the pressure of needing to be a scorer for us right away. I expect his freshman year to be a year of growth and maturity. He has the mindset to push through adversity and will be ready in the future when it's his turn to take our men's team to the next level."
