Three Sign NLIs to Join Cavaliers

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.-Virginia director of track and field/cross country Bryan Fetzer announced Tuesday (May 1) that Audrey Batzel, Jessica Caldwell and Peyton Chaney have all signed National Letters of Intent to join the Cavaliers in the fall.

“We’re really excited about Audrey, Peyton and Jessica joining our program,” Fetzer said. “These three great young women should be able to come in and make an immediate impact for us.”

Batzel, a native of Virginia Beach, Va., earned a 10th-place finish at the 2012 New Balance Indoor Nationals in the girls’ mile and was third in the 3,200 meters at the 2012 Virginia High School League AAA State Indoor Championships. She also was third in the 1,600 meters at the 2011 VHSL AAA state outdoor meet. Batzel set the second-fastest Virginia high school time in the mile and a PR (4:54.82) at the Penn Relays.

Caldwell, a native of Owings Mills, Md., recorded the top indoor triple jump mark (40′ 8″) in Maryland the last two years. She finished second in the triple jump at the 2011 New Balance Outdoor Nationals and third at the 2010 Nike Indoor Nationals. Caldwell will compete in the indoor pentathlon and outdoor heptathlon for the Cavaliers.

Chaney, a native of Belleville, Ill., won the 2011 Missouri outdoor state championship in the 200 meters at Nerinx Hall High School. She also finished second in the 100 meters. During the 2012 indoor season, she had the fastest 200m (24.71) time in the state of Missouri and a set a PR in the 100 meters (11.73w) at the Kansas Relays in April.