YSU track gets three area recruits

YOUNGSTOWN — The Youngstown State track and field program signed 13 freshmen to its class of 2010.

The class, which numbers eight women and five men, also includes three local athletes — Shanae’ Butler (Warren Harding), Samantha Hamilton (Jackson-Milton) and Nicole Pachol (Howland).

Butler is a three-time regional qualifier in the 100 meters and two-time qualifier in the 200. During her senior campaign, Butler placed second in the 200 and third in the 100 dash at the district meet.

She has a personal-best time of 12.52 seconds in the 100 and 25.94 in the 200.

Hamilton boasts two top-10 finishes in the state 3200 with a fifth-place finish last spring and a ninth in 2008. She has also been an All-Ohioan in cross country as she qualified for the state meet twice, including an 11th-place finish in 2008.

Pachol ranks fifth nationally in the 300 hurdles. As a senior, she qualified for the state meet in both hurdles, winning the 300 in 42.12 and finishing fifth in the 100.

Her best time in the 300 hurdles is 41.86; she also ranked in the top 10 in Ohio in the 100 hurdles, 200 and 400.

Other recruits are Katherine Digby of Vancouver, B.C. (distance events); Ben Goodnight of Garrettsville (throws); Bobby Grace of Middleburg Heights Midpark (throws); Symona Gregory of Bradley, Wis. (sprints); Tarelle Irwin of Monessen, Pa. (sprints); Caleb Schwan of Garrettsville Garfield (throws); Alexis Washington of Lorain Southview (sprints); and Viola Cheptoo, Nelly Yegon and Aron Korir, all of Kenya.

Since joining the Horizon League in 2001, the Penguins have won 17 conference titles, including the women’s outdoors the past two seasons.