FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – Northern Arizona University's track and field teams received five National Letters of Intent over the past week from top athletes looking to contribute in the 2012-13 seasons. The Lumberjacks will add two Arizona all-state athletes, a highly-ranked Australian distance runner, Canada's top high school short sprinter, and a 2011 All-American heptathlete into the mix for next year.
"With track and field in high school, the National Signing Day comes before an athlete's senior season, so it's a little bit different in terms of recruiting and early signing," said Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Eric Heins. "That being said, we are very fortunate to get these five signed and committed this early for next year."
The list of new Lumberjacks is full of athletes who should be able to contribute early and often next year. NAU women's cross country will benefit from the additions of distance runners Melanie Townsend of Melbourne, Australia and Emma Schraner of Cottonwood, Ariz. Canada's Isatu Fofanah will bolster an already-strong women's short sprints crew, and Idaho standout Jade Childs will be a strong presence in the hurdles and multi events. Finally, Travis Colby of Chandler, Ariz. can be a dynamic presence in almost every throwing event.
Isatu Fofanah – Sprints – Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Personal Bests: 7.51 (60m), 11.71 (100m), 24.38 (200m)
Fofanah will enter NAU as arguably the most talented and decorated athlete coming out of high school. Her 60-meter and 200-meter dash bests would both rank second overall in the Big Sky Conference if she were already competing collegiately.
So far in 2012, Fofanah has placed first in every race in which she has competed, including meet titles in the 60-meter and 200-meter dashes at the Golden Bear Open, and the 60-meter dash crown at the U of A vs. U of C Dual meet.
In the 2011 Western Canada Summer Games, Fofanah won gold individually in the 100-meter dash and was part of the gold medal-winning 4x100-meter relay team. She placed third overall at the 2011 Canadian Junior Championships in the 100-meter dash, and also competed in the 200-meters. Out of nine track meets in which Fofanah competed in 2011, she won titles in the 60-meter dash three times, the 100-meter dash five times, and the 200-meter dash twice.
Emma Schraner – Distance – Cornville, Ariz. (Mingus Union HS)
Personal Bests: 11:16.94 (2-Mile)
Schraner will be the third athlete to compete for the Lumberjacks out of Mingus Union High School (Tim Freriks, Sarah Raber), and will be a great addition to NAU's women's distance crew in 2013.
In her junior season, Schraner won the mile and 2-mile races at the Yavapai County Track and Field Championships. In closing out the season, she competed at the 2011 AIA Division 3 State Championships, placing seventh in the mile and eighth in the 2-mile.
Melanie Townsend – Distance – Melbourne, Australia
Personal Bests: 4:39.01(1,500m), 10:01.13 (3,000m)
Townsend will be the third foreign runner on the women's distance crew when she arrives in 2013, and should be a great addition to a team that has consistently improved over the past two years.
Townsend has competed in many meets on the national stage in her native Australia and elsewhere, including the 2010 ISF World School Cross Country Championships in Slovakia, where she placed sixth.
She took fifth in the Zatopek Classic's Under-20 Women's 3K race in 2010, and was the gold medalist in the U18 1,500-meter run at the 2010 All-Victoria Schools Championships in Australia.
Jade Childs – Hurdles, Multis – Boise, Idaho (Capital HS)
Personal Bests: 14.93 (100mH), 48.55 (300mH), 17-11.5 (LJ), 4,243 (Heptathlon)
Childs comes to the Lumberjacks after a successful high school career at Capital High School, where she has earned numerous accolades for her efforts on the track. Her older sister, Jenne, also competes for NAU.
As a sophomore, Childs won the 100-meter hurdles title and placed 10th in the 300-meter hurdles at the 2010 District 3 Championships. She placed fourth in the long jump at the Idaho 5A State Championships that year as well. In 2011, she won the New Balance West meet in the 60-meter hurdles, and earned All-American status the same year for the heptathlon.
Childs also recently competed as an unattached athlete in the pentathlon at the 2012 Mountain T's Invitational.
Travis Colby – Throws – Chandler, Ariz. (Chandler HS)
Personal Bests: 184-9.75 (Javelin), 55-2 (Shot Put), 166-8 (Discus)
Travis Colby comes to NAU after a decorated career competing for Chandler High in the javelin, discus, and shot put. Primarily a javelin and discus thrower, Colby will add valuable depth to the Lumberjacks' outdoor throwing events in 2013.
In 2009, Colby competed in the USATF State Championships, where he took fourth in the shot put, third in the discus, and second in the javelin. He also competed in the USATF Arizona Junior Olympics that same season, winning the shot put and again placing second in the javelin.
In 2010, Colby returned to the USATF State Championships to finish first in both the shot put and javelin, while placing third in the discus.
Colby's junior season highlights include titles in the shot put and discus at both the 2011 Chandler City Meet and the 2011 Aztec Last Chance meet. He also won the high school division at the 2011 Willie Williams Classic, and placed fourth and fifth at the Division I State Championships in the discus and shot put, respectively.
