June 29, 2007
OXFORD, Ohio - Adding four student-athletes for the 2007-08 season, the Miami University men's track and field team and 14th-year head coach Warren Mandrell announced the signing four Ohio prep athletes to National Letters of Intent. The signing of Heath Gibson (West Chester, Ohio/Lakota West), Dan Hull (Warren, Ohio/John F. Kennedy), Josh Rees (Marysville, Ohio/Marysville) and Matt Rudin (Middleburg Heights, Ohio/Midpark) brings the number of Miami track and field signees to 11.
"We're pretty excited about our signing class," Mandrell said. "All 11 of our signees were on the podium as a scorer at their state meets, and these four athletes in particular have a chance to make an impact as freshman. Gibson and Hull are both versatile sprinters who also can contribute in the relay events, and Rees and Rudin both hit marks at their state meets that would have scored at the MAC Championships."
The first of Miami's two sprint signees is Gibson, a long sprinter from Lakota West High School who excelled in the 800 meters. Placing fifth in the 800 meters at the 2007 Division I Ohio State Championships, Gibson turned in a personal-best time of 1:54.46. Gibson also was a district champion and regional runner-up as a senior and ran a leg on Lakota West's 4x800 meter relay team, which placed sixth at the state meet.
"Gibson really improved from his junior to his senior season, and he gives us good depth in the long sprints," said Mandrell. "He's also a great student who has been an outstanding performer in the classroom."
As the second sprinter inked by Mandrell, Hull is a 400-meter runner from John F. Kennedy High School. A top-three state finisher, Hull placed third in the 400 meters at the 2007 Division III Ohio State Championships and ran a personal-best time of 49.05 in the preliminaries. Hull also ran legs on the state champion 4x200 meter relay team and fourth-place 4x400 meter relay team.
"Hull has the opportunity to be a utility long sprinter for us," Mandrell said. "He can contribute on the 4x400 relay and potentially the 4x100 meter relay with his good leg speed. He's another guy who also is a great athlete and student."
A horizontal jumper from Marysville High School, Rees finished fourth in the long jump at the 2007 Division I Ohio State Championships. Rees sailed to a personal-best distance of 22-7 at the state meet and was the Central Region Champion in the long jump. Also a talented sprinter, Rees was a regional qualifier in the 200 meters.
"Rees is an explosive athlete whose long jump at the state meet would have scored at the MAC Championships," Mandrell said. "He also has the potential to be a short relay guy with his sprint experience."
The final field signee announced by Mandrell is Rudin, a pole vaulter who won a district championship with a district-record and personal-best clearance of 15-1 1/4. A two-time state qualifier, the Midpark High School standout, placed sixth at the Division I Ohio State Championships as a junior and senior. Rudin cleared 14-8 at the state meet as a senior and also vaulted 14-6 as a junior.
"Rudin, along with Rees, is an athlete with the potential to be a MAC scorer as a freshman," said Mandrell. "His pole vault at the state meet would have scored at the MAC Championships, and his signing gives us another quality pole vaulter."
Miami's four signees join the seven additional student-athletes that Mandrell inked to NLI's and announced on June 11. The RedHawks' incoming freshman class includes seven athletes from Ohio, two from Illinois, and one each from Indiana and Michigan. Included in Miami's signing class is Michael Perry (Cincinnati, Ohio/Winton Woods), an incoming freshman who placed fifth at the Nike Outdoor Nationals in the 2,000-meter steeplechase. The finish helped him earn high school All-America honors.
MIAMI SIGNEES QUICK FACTS
Heath Gibson: Long sprinter ... Ohio prep athlete from Lakota West High School ... as a senior, finished fifth in the 800 meters at the Ohio Division I state meet ... won district title and finished as district runner-up as a senior ... enters Miami with a personal-best 800-meter time of 1:54.46.
Dan Hull: Sprinter ... Ohio prep athlete from John F. Kennedy High School ... placed third in the 400 meters at 2007 Division III state meet ... helped 4x200 relay team to state title as a senior ... ran leg on fourth-place 4x400 meter relay team at 2007 state meet ... owns personal-best 400-meter time of 49.05.
Josh Rees: Horizontal jumper and sprinter ... Ohio prep athlete from Marysville High School ... placed fourth in the long jump at the 2007 Division I Ohio state meet ... was the Central Region long jump champion ... owns a personal-best distance of 22-7 in the long jump ... regional qualifier in the 200 meters.
Matt Rudin: Pole vaulter ... Ohio prep athlete from Midpark High School ... won district championship as a senior and set new district record with a clearance of 15-1 1/4 ... placed sixth in the pole vault at both the 2006 and 2007 Ohio Division I state meet ... cleared 14-8 at the state meet as a senior ... cleared 14-6 at the state meet as a junior.
MIAMI REDHAWKS
2007-08 TRACK AND FIELD SIGNING CLASS (11 Athletes Total)
Jayson Coniglio (Rockford, Ill./Boylan) - Sprints
Justin Eddie (Cleveland, Ohio/Villa Angela-St. Joseph) - Sprints/Jumps
Robbie Fisher (Grosse Pointe, Mich./Grosse Pointe North) - Cross Country/Distance
Heath Gibson (West Chester, Ohio/Lakota West) - Long Sprints
Nick Helmuth (Indianapolis, Ind./Pike) - Cross Country/Distance
Dan Hull (Warren, Ohio/John F. Kennedy) - Sprints
Michael Perry (Cincinnati, Ohio/Winton Woods) - Cross Country/Distance
Josh Rees (Marysville, Ohio/Marysville) - Horizontal Jumps/Sprints
Matt Rudin (Middleburg Heights, Ohio/Midpark - Pole Vault
Adam Ruiz (Mascoutah, Ill./Mascoutah) - Throws
David Serrano (Pickerington, Ohio/Central) - Vertical Jumps
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