Cavaliers Welcome Class of 2023
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Interim track and field and cross country head coach Jason Dunn announced the addition of seven incoming student-athletes on Friday (Aug. 16), as the programs welcomed Natalie Bardach (Vienna, Va.) and Maya Maloney (Boise, Idaho) to the women’s team and Bryson Crites (Trabuco Canyon, Calif.), Jacob Hunter (Leesburg, Va.), Kyle Mosteller (Amherst County, Va.), Claudio Romero (Santiago, Chile) and Derek Pekar (Ventura, Calif.) to the men’s roster.
The incoming athletes join Ariel Arbiv (Atlanta, Ga.), Riley Larsen (Point Pleasant, N.J.), Jacob Lemmon (Sanibel, Fla.), Justin Diehl (Saint Leonard, Md.), Emma Myer (Branchville, N.J.), Elby Omohundro (Midlothian, Va.), Alahna Sabbakhan (Washington D.C.) and Jada Seaman (Pikesville, Md.), who signed in the winter of 2018.
“We are thrilled to welcome our signees as members of the University of Virginia class of 2023,” Dunn said. “Key additions were made on both the men’s and women’s side to further strengthen our teams and position us to contend for the ACC and NCAA Championships. As always, one of the key areas of focus for our program is cross country and in the distance events. Accordingly, we were able to add some very talented depth to our men’s and women’s distance squads.”
After graduating three-time All-American honoree Bridget Guy (Greensburg, Pa.) and two-time All-American honoree Kelly McKee, the women’s program will look to replace the depth in its field events.
“Coach Mario Wilson did a great job of bringing in a very strong group of pole vaulters to significantly reload and enhance that event area,” Dunn said. “The women’s class overall is highlighted by Jada Seaman, who will not only provide an immediate impact in the field where she won a national title in the long jump, but also on the track with her versatile sprint capabilities. Alahna Sabbakhan, also a versatile athlete, seems poised to contribute immediately in relays as well as in the middle-distance events.”
The men’s team graduated three All-American honorees in three-time All-American distance runner Brent Demarest (Charleston, S.C.), three-time All-American and four-time ACC champion in the hammer Hilmar Jonsson (Reyjavik, Iceland) and five-time shot put All-American Oghenakpobo Efekoro (Brooklyn, N.Y.).
“On the men’s side, Claudio Romero should make an immediate impact for us in the discus as one of the top junior aged throwers in the world,” said Dunn. “Along with fellow discus specialist Jacob Lemmon, we have added two elite recruits to a throws group that has continually thrived under Coach Martin Maric’s guidance.
“An area of focus for our program going forward will be the multi-events and we have made significant strides to this end with the addition of Elby Omohundro from nearby Richmond and Derek Pekar, one of the top decathletes in California high school history.”
The Cavaliers will open the 2019-20 season with a combined 15 incoming student-athletes, who will look to build upon last year’s success. Virginia recorded 13 All-America honors during the year and an individual national title from Jordan Scott (Portmore, Jamaica) in the men’s indoor triple jump. The men’s team captured its fourth top-20 finish in five years at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, while the women’s program recorded its best NCAA finish at the outdoor meet since 2011.
The Cavaliers will open the 2019-20 campaign at the Liberty Challenge in Lynchburg, Va., on August 30.
2019-20 Virginia Track and Field and Cross Country Recruiting Class
Ariel Arbiv |Atlanta, Ga | The Weber School
Pole Vault
• Finished third at the National Junior Olympics in 2017, after winning the Regional Junior Olympics and placing second at the State Junior Olympics earlier in the season
• Finished first at both the indoor and outdoor New Balance Nationals, setting an emerging elite meet record
• Two-time runner-up at Georgia high school state meet as both a freshman and sophomore
• Personal Best: Pole Vault – 3.91m (12’10.25″)
“Ariel is an outstanding student-athlete from Atlanta,” Wilson said. “I got to meet her a couple years ago during her older sister’s official visit to UVA and knew that she would be making her own mark someday. I’m glad that she will be in Cavalier colors as she continues her vaulting career. Ariel is very skilled and has a great understanding of the event. She has huge goals for the upcoming year and I look forward to working with her in the future.”
Natalie Bardach | Vienna, Va. | George C. Marshall High School
Distance
• Captured a third-place finish at the VHSL Cross Country State Championships, and was the top runner at the 5A District Cross Country Championships and the regional championships during the 2018 season
• Finished second at the VHSL Indoor 6A State Championships and conference championships in the 1600m run, in addition to winning the 1000m at the conference championships
• Named the 2019 Best Outdoor Female Athlete of the Meet and earned all-conference honors for winning the 4×800, 800m run and 1600m run at the conference championships
• Personal Bests: 1000m – 3:01.78; 1600m – 5:02.05; 3200m – 11:01.75
“We are very excited to welcome Natalie to our program,” head women’s cross country coach and assistant track coach Megan LaVoie said. “She has made significant improvements during her senior year and I am looking forward to working with her.”
Bryson Crites | Trabuco Canyon, Calif. | Tesoro High School
Distance
• Set the school record in cross country in the 3-mile and on the track in the 3200m
• Three-time New Balance National qualifier
• Named the Tesoro High School Athlete of the Year
• Qualified for both the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) finals in cross country and CIF prelims in track and field from 2016-19
• Personal Bests: 1600m – 4:18.14; 3200m – 9:13.38
“Bryson is a very talented distance runner out of Southern California who will be a great addition to our team,” said Dunn. “I see him developing into an outstanding collegiate distance runner during his time in Charlottesville.”
Justin Diehl | Saint Leonard, Md. | Calvert High School
Distance
• Was the Southern Maryland Athletic Conference (SMAC) champion in the indoor 3200m and the outdoor 1600m and 3200m in his junior and senior year
• Was the Maryland State Champion in the 3200m as a senior
• Finished in the top three at the Maryland 2A State Championships, placing third in both the indoor and outdoor 1600m and second in the 3200m
• Placed second in 2017 and third in 2018 at the Maryland State Cross Country Championships
• Personal Bests: 1600m – 4:20.95; 3000m – 8:32.84
“We are very excited to welcome Justin to our program,” Dunn said. “He’s a very talented distance runner and it was clear throughout the recruiting process that he was just a great fit for UVA.”
Jacob Hunter | Leesburg, Va. | Loudoun Valley High School
Distance
• Holds the indoor high school national record in the 4xmile and distance medley relay
• Captured the 2017 and 2018 Nike Cross Country National Championship team titles, recording the lowest point totals by a team both seasons and setting a record for the largest margin of victory in 2017
• Three-time Virginia state champion, winning the outdoor 3200m and both the indoor 1600m and 3200m
• Personal Bests: 800m – 1:55.14; 1600m – 4:13.75; 3200m – 9:07.24
“The first thing that comes to mind when I think of Jacob is that he is an outstanding team guy,” Dunn said. “He has certainly had some very good individual accolades, but he has really shined when it came to running great legs on relays or helping his team to back-to-back NXN National team championships. We are thrilled to have Jacob bring his passion for competition to our team at Virginia.”
Riley Larsen |Point Pleasant, N.J. | Point Pleasant Boro High School
Pole Vault
• Won the Pole Vault at the 2019 New Jersey Meet of Champions
• Won the pole vault at the outdoor 2018 NJSIAA Sectionals and placed second in the indoor competition
• Set the Point Pleasant Boro school record in the indoor and outdoor pole vault
• Finished in the top ten at both the 2017 and 2018 NJSIAA Meet of Champions
• Personal Best: Pole Vault – 3.81m (12’6″)
“Riley is relatively new to the pole vault but has, in that time, achieved so much,” said Wilson. “She wrapped up her gymnastics career this fall and will, for the first time, be devoting all of her athleticism to the pole vault. Riley is tall, fast and athletic, which is an amazing set of skills to possess. She is also an amazing student who will achieve great things academically here at UVA. I can’t wait to have Riley here to see her take her talents to the next level.”
Jacob Lemmon | Sanibel, Fla. | Woodgrove High School
Discus/Hammer
• Second-ranked discus thrower in the class of 2019
• Named a New Balance Outdoor All-American in 2018 and 2019
• Won the Lee County Athletic Conference, district championships, regional championships and the 3A Florida High School Athletic Association State Championships in the discus, in addition to finishing the regular high school season undefeated in the event
• Personal Bests: Discus – 63.85m (209′ 6″); Hammer Throw – 61.41m (201′ 6″); Shot Put – 17.86m (58′ 7.25″)
“Even though he has been throwing discus for only a couple of years, Jacob has already shown a great potential in becoming one of the best NCAA discus throwers,” Maric said. “We are very happy to welcome Jacob to our program.”
Maya Maloney |Boise, Idaho | Boise High School
Pole Vault
• Won the 2019 5A District 3 Championships in the pole vault with a jump of 12-feet, 9-inches
• Captured a second-place finish at the 2019 IHSAA 4A/5A Championships in the pole vault, clearing 12-feet, 6-inches
• Recorded a 13th-place finish at the 2019 New Balance Indoor National Championships
• Personal Best: Pole Vault – 3.88m (12’9″)
“Maya is an outstanding talent who has chosen UVA over other amazing universities,” Wilson said. “She has accomplished so much in such a short amount of time and has tremendous potential. She is joining a very talented group in the pole vault.”
Kyle Mosteller | Amherst County, Va. | Amherst County High School
Pole Vault
• Is the four-time Virginia State champion in the pole vault
• Was a three-time qualifier for the New Balance Nationals
• Captured the regional championship title six times in the pole vault
• Personal Best: Pole Vault – 4.74m (15’7″)
“Kyle is the best pole vaulter out of Virginia and is a huge pick up for us,” said Wilson. “He is a model of consistency especially at the critical meets throughout high school. He will make an immediate impact on the team.”
Emma Myer |Branchville, N.J. | Pope John XXIII Regional High School
Distance
• Three-time New Jersey Catholic Track Conference champion, winning the 1000m twice and the 1600m once
• Won the state title with the 4x800m relay and is a three-time 4x800m relay sectional champion
• Qualified for the New Balance Nationals seven times and finished in the top ten with her relay team on three occasions
• Eight-time first-team New Jersey Athletic Conference honoree
• Personal Bests: 800 – 2:13.02; 1000m – 3:02.28; 1600m – 4:58.98
“Emma is an extremely motivated athlete that will be a great addition to our team,” LaVoie said. “Her progression has been great over the years and I think she will develop well for us.”
Elby Omohundro | Midlothian, Va. | Saint Christopher’s School
Multis
• Finished 3rd in the Decathlon at the Arcadia Invitational
• Earned All-America honors in the Pentathlon at the New Balance Indoor Nationals
• Four-time MVP at the Virginia Pre League Championship meet and a three-time Field Event MVP at the VISAA State Championship meet
• Personal Bests: Decathlon- 6,763 points; Pentathlon- 3,643 points; Triple Jump- 14.38m (47’2.25″)
“Elby is an outstanding talent who will become an excellent decathlete for us very soon,” said Wilson. “He has a great motor which is perfect for his collegiate specialty and he possesses a great set of individual skills. Elby grew up a Wahoo as both his parents attended UVA, so he will be hitting the ground running when he arrives on Grounds.”
Derek Pekar | Ventura, Calif. | Ventura High School
Multis
• Ranks second all-time in California history in the decathlon with a score of 7,021
• Holds the county and school record in the decathlon
• Is a 2018 All-American as well as an eight-time All-CIF and four-time All-County honoree
• Personal Best: Decathlon – 7,021 points
“Derek is an absolute stud from California,” Wilson said. “He was the most versatile athlete in a very talent rich state qualifying for the championship in multiple events. His achievement of scoring over 7,000 points in the decathlon as a high schooler is very rare and we are glad that he chose UVA.”
Claudio Romero | Santiago, Chile |Santa Maria De Santiago
Throws
• Was a 2019 Pan American U20 Champion in the discus
• Captured a bronze medal at the 2018 World Junior Championships
• Was the 2017 World Youth Champion
• Personal Bests: Discus – 58.92m (193’4″) (2kg)
“Throughout his high school career, Claudio has shown great commitment and diligence both in his athletics and academics, which are values that we greatly appreciate here at UVA,” Maric said. “With hard work and some luck, Claudio has potential to surpass the UVA record in discus, which speaks volumes knowing that the current mark ranks in the top 10 all-time in NCAA Championships performances in the men’s discus.”
Alahna Sabbakhan |Washington D.C. | St. John’s College High School
Distance
• Six-time USATF All-American Junior Olympics honoree and 2015 AAU All-American Junior Olympics honoree
• Three-time national champion after capturing wins at the 2015 indoor USATF championships in the 400m and 4x400m relay, and 2016 outdoor USATF championships with the 4x800m relay, in addition to being a two-time USATF regional champion in the 400m dash
• 2019 Indoor New Balance Emerging Elite Champion in the 800 meter
• Named the 2018 and 2019 WCAC Championships Female Athlete MVP
• Personal Bests: 400m – 55.49; 800m – 2:08.47
“Alahna has accomplished great things thus far in high school,” LaVoie said. “She has moved her focus to the 800 and has developed well so far in the event. She has a great attitude that will help take her to a very high level in collegiate running.”
Jada Seaman | Pikesville, Md. | McDonogh School
Sprints/Jumps
• Won the Long Jump at the 2019 New Balance Outdoor Championships and also earned All-America honors in the 100m
• Named a 2018 All-American in the long jump at the indoor New Balance Nationals and a 2018 All-American in the 200m dash at the outdoor New Balance Nationals
• Holds McDonogh school record in the 100m, 200m and long jump
• Named the Baltimore Sun All-Metro Girls Outdoor Track and Field Performer of the Year
• Personal Bests: 60m -7.47; 100m – 11.68; 200m – 23.82; 300m -40.14; 400m -55.69; Long Jump – 6.47m (21’2.75″)
“Jada is the most dynamic student-athlete from the state of Maryland,” Wilson said. “When an alum gave me the heads up about her talents a year ago, I felt that she could make a huge impact on our team. Jada was so much fun during the recruiting process. Getting to know her and her family made the past few months so special. I’m so excited that she has chosen to be a part of this team and university community.”