ITHACA, N.Y. -- Rich Bowman, the Alan B. '53 and Elizabeth Heekin Harris Head Coach of Women's Track and Field and Cross Country, is proud to announce an outstanding group of 19 newcomers who will join the Big Red women's program this fall.

The Cornell women, who have won Heps team titles in cross country and outdoor track for the past two years, will return a veteran team in 2013-14, but the class of 2017 will look to help immediately. Representing 12 different states, the group includes a host of state medalists, five state champions and three high school All-Americans. The Cornell women's track and cross country class of 2017 has the ability to contribute to the Big Red's legacy of success right away.

Caroline Adelson (Tulsa, Okla./Holland Hall HS/College of Arts and Sciences)
The Holland Hall school record-holder in the 800 and the mile in only her second year of competitive running, Adelson finished second at the OTCC Meet of Champions in the mile. She is an accomplished rider and earned three varsity letters in field hockey while at Holland Hall.

Kali Belonga (Eau Claire, Wis./Altoona HS/College of Agriculture and Life Sciences)
One of Wisconsin's best throwers, Belonga has posted marks of 43-2 1/2 in the shot and 134-4 in the discus as a junior, but did not compete as a senior due to an injury. She holds her school record in both the shot put and the discus and is a three-time letter winner in both track and field and volleyball.

Abbie Bideaux (Binghamton, N.Y./Binghamton HS/College of Agriculture and Life Sciences)
One of the finest distance runners in Binghamton school history with five school records, Bideaux was one of the very best in the entire Southern Tier as a senior and placed in the top 25 at the 2012 New York state Federation cross country championships. A seven-time state qualifier in cross country and track, Bideaux has personal bests of 10:22.91 for 3000 meters and 18:55 for 5K in cross country.

Gaynelle Boham (Cliffwood, N.J./Matawan HS/College of Agriculture and Life Sciences)
A talented triple jumper, Boham enters Cornell with a best of 38-10 ½, scoring at the All-Group meet in New Jersey. She is a past champion in both the Group 2 and state sectionals. Boham is also an excellent hurdler and long jumper and will contribute in several events for the Big Red.

Charlotte Bowie (Los Altos, Calif./Los Altos HS/College of Human Ecology)
With an 800 meter personal best of 2:15.53, Bowie is one of the top middle distance talents in Northern California.

Delphi Cleaveland (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Arlington HS/College of Arts and Sciences)
One of the most versatile runners in New York state and a many-time league and section champion, Cleaveland finished 13th at the New York Federation state cross country championships and on the track has run 4:35.11 for 1500 meters, 4:56.04 for the 1600, 10:11.24 for 3000 and 17:42.20 for 5K. She also anchored Arlington's sprint medley relay to an All-America finish at the high school national meet with a 2:16 800 split.

Ailis Clyne (Rockaway, N.J./Morris Hills HS/ College of Agriculture and Life Sciences)
One of New Jersey's top middle distance talents, Clyne has personal bests of 57 seconds in the 400, 2:14.61 for 800 meters and 5:08 in the 1600. The Morris Hills school record holder in the 800, 1000 and 4x800, Clyne is a county champion and a top finisher at New Jersey's Meet of Champions.

Lizzie Edokwe (Princeton, N.J./The Lawrenceville School/ College of Agriculture and Life Sciences)
A much heralded prep athlete, Edokwe enters Cornell with outstanding long jump marks. With a best of 18-3 ½, she captured several indoor and outdoor state titles in the NJISSA Championships, winning the long jump (both indoors and outdoors), 55 hurdles, 55 dash, 100 meters and 200 meters during her senior season.

Kristen Fawole (Columbia, Md./Long Reach HS/College of Engineering)
Among the top three horizontal jumpers in her state meet, Fawole has excellent skills.  She has a best of 37-4 ½ in the triple jump and 17-8 in the long jump and scored in her Maryland state championships during her sophomore, junior and senior years.

Maya Golliday (Roselle, Ill./Lake Park HS/College of Arts and Sciences)
A state scorer and among the top pole vaulters in Illinois, Golliday jumped 12-0 feet for a fourth-place finish in her recent championships and is a many times conference, district and sectional champion.

Kacie Hargett (Newport, Ore./Newport HS/College of  Agriculture and Life Sciences)
An all-around athlete, Hargett holds two of her school's individual records in the javelin (142-9) and the 300 hurdles, and has been a part of her school's 4x100 and 4x400 school record relay teams. She placed at the state meet in multiple events.

Adrian Jones (Bloomfield, Conn./Bloomfield HS/College of Agriculture and Life Sciences)
The state sprint champion from Connecticut, Jones won the class and state open meets this past year. At 12.03 for 100 meters and 24.72 for 200 meters, she should impact the Cornell team immediately. She was New England's runner-up in her events as a senior.

Kayleigh Lavender (Latham, N.Y./Shaker HS/School of Industrial and Labor Relations)
A top middle distance runner in New York's capitol region and a state finalist, Lavender has tremendous range, having run 57.8 for 800 meters, 1:37 for 600, 2:15.54 for 800, 3:04 for 1000 and 4:47.76 for the 1500. She is a three-time Suburban Council All Star and a school record-holder in five events.

Madeline Montague (Greenwich, N.Y./Greenwich HS/College of Agriculture and Life Sciences)
The 2012 New York class D state cross country champion, Montague is also one of the Empire State's finest distance runners in track, with several league and section championships on her resume. She enters Cornell with a 3K PR of 10:04.94 and is Greenwich's school record-holder for two miles.

Kathleen Naeher (Smithtown, N.Y./Kings Park HS/College of Human Ecology)
The captain of the cross country and track teams at Kings Park HS, Naeher is also a school record holder and twice qualified for the New York State meet. With personal bests of 2:59 in the 1000 and 4:45 in the 1500, Naeher was also one of the top cross country runners in New York state as a junior and senior.

Libby Nolan (Hershey, Pa./Hershey HS/College of Agriculture and Life Sciences)
One of her state's top 400 meter runners Nolan switched over to 800 meters late in her senior year. With a best of 57.34 at 400 meters she ran among the state's top efforts for 800 meters 2:12.53, breaking the Pennsylvania District 3 record. She finished her year with a scoring place at the state championships.

Emily Oetting (Carlsbad, Calif./Carlsbad HS/College of Agriculture and Life Sciences)
One of the top middle distance talents in California, Oetting is a terrific all-around athlete and was the CIF Female Scholar Athlete of the Year in the San Diego Section. A CIF state finalist and many time league and county champion, Oetting has a PR of 2:15.23 for 800 meters.

Taylor Spillane (Shelburne, Vt./Champlain Valley HS/College of Agriculture and Life Sciences)
One of the most accomplished endurance athletes to come out of New England in recent years, Taylor won the 2012 Vermont state cross country title and was the New England and Nike Northeast cross country runner-up in 2012. She competed at the Nike cross country nationals in 2010, 2011 and 2012, is a part of a state record 4x800 team and holds the Champlain Valley HS record at 3000 meters, with a PR of 10:15.72. She is also one of the top young skiers in the United States, having won state and Eastern Championships in the winter of 2013. 

Kyra Visnick (Newton, Mass./Newton South HS/College of Hotel Administration)
A talented athlete Visnick is among her state's top triple jumpers and has a best of 38-0 1/2. She has competed in other events for Newton South HS and will immediately help the Big Red in the horizontal jumps.