CHICO – Oliver Hanf is excitable. And yes, that is an understatement. But the Chico State women’s head track & field coach could not overstate his excitement about the three athletes who have signed National Letters of Intent to compete for the Wildcats next year – hurdler Aimee Rodgers of Freedom High School in Oakley, thrower Brooke Shepard of Arroyo Grande High School, and high jumper Maddie Allen of San Luis Obispo High School.
“These three are the most accomplished high school recruits in their prospective events that I’ve brought on board in my 13 years of coaching here,” said Hanf. “In other words, I’ve never brought in a faster hurdler than Aimee, never had a shot putter/discus thrower who has thrown as far as Brooke while in high school, and Maddie has jumped as high as anyone I’ve ever signed out of high school.”
Rodgers was the Bay Valley Athletic League and North Coast Section champion in both the 100-meter hurdles and 300-meter hurdles this year as a prep senior. She went on to place 12th at the California State meet in the 100-meter hurdles. She crossed the line in 14.47, which would have been an NCAA Championship provisional qualifying time this year, as well as the fifth fastest clocking in Chico State history. She placed 20th in the state in the 300-meter hurdles.
Allen’s high school coach was Armand Boutté, widely regarded as the best decathlete in Chico State history, so it’s no surprise that Hanf is planning for her to compete in the heptathlon. She specialized in the high jump as a prep and cleared 5-feet-4 four to help the Tigers win their second straight CIF Southern Section Division III team title. Allen has also triple jumped, hurdled, thrown the shot put, and competing in the 4x400 relay.
Shepard was the CIF Southern Section Division II champion in the shot put and discus this year. Her personal-best efforts of 43-feet-8 in the shot (the fifth longest throw by a senior in California this year) and 139 feet in the discus (the sixth longest throw by a senior in California this year) would both rank within the top 10 all-time marks at Chico State. Hanf expects her to throw the hammer in college as well.
This trio brings the total number of accomplished freshman women joining the Chico State women’s track & field program for the 2009-10 season to six. Distance coach Gary Towne recently announced the signings of Olivia Guadiana, Sara Mikesell and Brittany Balcom and described the trio as one of his most talented recruiting classes ever.
The Wildcats finished 21st in the nation this year, giving Hanf’s squads eight consecutive seasons of top-27 finishes at the National Championships.
