Aug. 22, 2008

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Coming off a season in which the University of Maryland track and field team graduated 15 seniors, head coach Andrew Valmon announced Friday a recruiting class for 2009 that will replenish the rosters with a wealth of young talent.

The group of 12 women and nine men will join the Terrapins this fall when classes begin next month.

"This certainly could be one of the best classes that we've had," said Valmon, who this fall will start his sixth year as head coach of the Terrapins. "This class includes state champions and a Nike Outdoor Champion. We're excited to see how good they can get and the impact they will have as freshmen in the ACC."

The Nike champion Valmon is referring to Dwight Barbiasz of Milford, N.H., who won the high jump competition at the Nike Outdoor Nationals in Greensboro, N.C., last June. Barbiasz, the son of former Terrapin linebacker Chris Barbiasz (1979-80), cleared 7 feet, 1 inch to win that competition. He won the state high school championship and became the first New Hampshire boy ever to clear 7 feet in the high jump.

The list also includes middle-distance runner Ashley Cromartie of Roxbury, N.J. She ran an anchor leg on a first-place distance medley relay at the Penn Relays. Cromartie has gone 2:14 in the 800-meter run. Ashley Hendricks of Uniondale (N.Y.), HS comes to College Park with a personal-best of 19-9 in the women's long jump, while Mia Aghaji, a transfer from Liberty University, has gone 5-8 in the women's high jump and 40-11.75 in the triple jump.

For the men, Max Bruno of Indian Hills (N.J.) HS was a state champion and has a PR of 1:52.5 in the 800. Chris Parker of Mepham (N.Y.) HS has PRs of 13.8 in the 110 hurdles, 10.5 in the 100 meters and a 23-0 mark in the long jump.

Maryland's entire recruiting class follows:

WOMEN

Ashley Cromartie
Roxbury High School, N.J.
Primary Event Areas: 5k- 18:17, 1600m- 4:54, 800m- 2:14

Ashley Hendrix
Uniondale High School, N.Y.
Primary Event Areas: Hurdles- 14.22, LJ- 19'9"

Nicole Banker
East Meadow High School, N.Y.
Primary Event Areas: 400m- 57.4, 800m- 2:13

Jessie Echard
Robinson High School, Va.
Primary Event Areas: Shot- 37'5", Discus- 117'3", Hammer- 133'9", Wt- 14.28m

Tara Miluszewski
Hightstown High School, N.J.
Primary Event Areas: Shot- 36'0, Discus- 114'2", Javelin- 138'3"

Nicole Corey
Tappan Zee High School, N.Y.
Primary Event Areas: Pole Vault- 11'7"

D'Ambour Lewis
Campbell Hall High School, Calif.
Primary Event Areas: 400m- 56.0, 200m- 24.3, 100m- 11.7, LJ- 17'11"

Alexis Booker
Transfer - University of Florida / Friendly High School, Md.
Primary Event Areas: 100m- 11.74, 200m- 24.8, 300 hurdles- 46.4

Eryn Spangler
Dover High School, Pa.
Primary Event Areas: 400m- 56.5

Mia Aghaji
Transfer - Liberty Univ. / Matoaca High School, Va.
Primary Event Areas: High Jump- 5'8", Triple- 40'11.75", LJ- 18'8"

Molly Kempton
Monsignor Donovan High School, N.J.
Primary Event Areas: 5k- 18:15, 3200- 11:03

Melony McKay
Queens School, Jamaica // Essex Community College, N.J.
Primary Event Areas: 400m- 54.85, 200m- 24.51

MEN

Dwight Barbiasz
Milford High School, N.H.
Primary Event Areas: High Jump- 7'1", Long Jump- 21'2"

Chris Parker
Mepham High School, N.Y.
Primary Event Areas: 110m hurdles- 13.8, 200m- 22.0, 100m- 10.5, LJ- 23'0"

Zach Ray
Huntington High School, Md.
Primary Event Areas: 110m Hurdles- 14.24, 300m IH- 38.54, LJ- 22'7"

Jareen Stewart
Archbishop Molloy HS, N.Y.
Primary Event Areas: LJ- 22'10, 200m- 22.14, 100m- 10.84

Legonn Haskins
Frederick Douglass High School, Md.
Primary Event Areas: 110m hurdles- 13.9, 55m hurdles- 7.90

Max Bruno
Indian Hills High School, N.J.
Primary Event Areas: Mile- 4:27.30, 800m- 1:52.5

Sumanth Kuppalli
Perry Hall High School, Md.
Primary event Areas: Mile- 4:18, 800m- 1:56.4, 2 mile- 9:27.0

Chris Conway
Desert Vista High School, Ariz.
Primary Event Areas: 1600m- 4:23, 3200- 9:32

Ben Horner
Brunswick High School, Md.
Primary Event Areas: Shot- 52-4.50, Discus 176'