Virginia Announces Women’s Recruiting Class
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Virginia track and field program announced its women’s recruiting class for the 2022-23 season on Wednesday (July 6). The class of 15 athletes includes eight distance runners, three sprinters, three throwers, and one pole vaulter.
“The UVA track and field staff has assembled an impressive group of first years and transfer student-athletes representing every event area in our sport,” said head coach Vin Lananna. “Our women graduated a wonderful group of sprinters, jumpers, and distance runners in 2021-22. Last year’s group of first-years made an impact at the national level. This year’s incoming class of first-years and transfers will continue to build upon the foundation from the last two years.”
Complete List of Virginia’s 2022-23 Recruiting Class:
Sarah Akpan (Sprints) – Houston, Texas – Houston Stratford High School
Sarah Akpan heads to Charlottesville as a well-rounded sprinter. Akpan holds a personal-best 100-meter time of 11.44 as well as a personal-best 200 time of 23.86 and a 400 time of 55.16.
Sophia Akpan (Sprints/Hurdles) – Houston, Texas – Houston Stratford High School
Sister of Sarah, Sophia Akpan, comes to Virginia as a 400-hurdler with a personal-best time of 1:01.88 in the event as well as a 200-meter time of 24.93, which she ran at the AAU Gulf District Qualifier.
Aryana Boostani (Sprints) – San Diego, Calif. – Cathedral Catholic High School
Aryana Boostani makes the trip across the country to join the sprints group at UVA. She brings a 200-meter time of 24.79 and a 100-meter best of 12.19.
Addison Cox (Distance) – Northwood, N.H. – New Hampshire
Addison Cox arrives in Charlottesville as a transfer from UNH. In her lone cross country season with the Wildcats, Cox placed 11th at the America East Conference Cross Country Championships.
Katie Dorsey (Distance) – Wilmington, Del. – Padua Academy
Katie Dorsey joins a strong group of UVA distance runners. She is the Delaware State Champion in both the 1,600 and 3,200 meters.
Linnaea Kavulich (Distance) – Scappoose, Ore. – Columbia
A transfer from Columbia University, Linnaea Kavulich brings a personal-best 5k time of 16:39.23 and a 3k time of 9:39.46 to Charlottesville to bolster the Cavaliers distance and cross country squads. Kavulich was named to the Academic All-Ivy Cross Country team in 2021.
Brooke Lumpkin (Throws) – Avon Lake, Ohio – Walsh
Brooke Lumpkin joins Martin Maric’s group of throwers in Charlottesville as a transfer from NCAA II Walsh. She holds a personal-best hammer throw mark of 146’1” and a weight throw mark of 47’9.25”.
Bree Lumpkin (Throws) – Avon Lake, Ohio – Walsh
Twin sister of Brooke, Bree Lumpkin, also makes the transition from Walsh to Virginia. She holds a personal-best hammer throw mark of 160’4” and a weight throw mark of 45’10.5”.
Amelia Maughan (Distance) – Chapel Hill, N.C. – Chapel Hill High School
Amelia Maughan claimed the 1600-meter title at the North Carolina State Championships. She will be a valuable member of the UVA cross country team.
Abigail Meckes (Javelin) – Leighton, Pa. – Leighton Area High School
Abigail Meckes joins a long line of great javelin throwers to train under throws coach Martin Maric. Meckes placed second at the PIAA District XI AAA Championship in the javelin.
Camryn Menninger (Distance) – Winchester, Mass. – NYU
Camryn Menninger joins the Hoos as a transfer after one season at NYU. The cross country runner was named the UAA Athlete of the Week in 2021.
Samantha Romano (Pole Vault) – Glen Allen, Va. – Glen Allen High School
Samantha Romano set a personal best in the pole vault when she won the event with a mark of 13’3″ at the Region 5C Championship her senior season. She also placed second at the VHSL Class 5 State Championships.
Esther Seeland (Middle Distance) – State College, Pa. – Messiah
Esther Seeland joins the Cavaliers as a transfer after three dominant years at NCAA III Messiah College. At Messiah, Seeland won five NCAA Division III Championships between the indoor and outdoor seasons. She brings a personal-best 800 time of 2:02.52 and a 1500 time of 4:18.28. Seeland also competed at the World Championship Trials in the 800 in Eugene, Ore. earlier this summer.
Rebecca Story (Distance) – Knoxville, Tenn. – Stanford
Stanford transfer, Rebecca Story further bolsters a talented group of distance runners for the Cavaliers. The cross country specialist brings a personal-best 5k time of 16:32.83 to Charlottesville and a 6k time of 20:52.9. Story helped the Cardinal to a PAC-12 team cross country championship in the 2020-21 season.
Irene Williams (Distance) – Alexandria, Va. – Thomas Jefferson S&T
Irene Williams arrives as a distance runner for the Cavaliers after placing first in both the 1,600 and 3,200 at the National District Outdoor Track & Field Championships. She also placed first at the Occoquan Region Championships in the 3,200 in 2022.