Spider Cross Country Announces 2010 Recruiting Class

The class is among the most-decorated in program history

L-R: Roxanne Henningson and Jillian Prentice during their senior year.

Feb. 8, 2010

UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND - The University of Richmond cross country team has announced the signing of five student-athletes, who have each signed a National Letter of Intent to attend the University and run for the Spiders next season. The class enters Richmond in 2010 as one of the program's most decorated in history.

The five incoming cross country runners are: Roxanne Henningson (Grenwich, N.Y./Greenwich HS), Brennan Long (Roanoke, Va./Roanoke Catholic HS), Ryan Lee (Claymont, Del./Archmere Academy), Alli Mannon (Lititz, Pa./Warwick HS) and Jill Prentice (Skillman, N.J./Montgomery, N.J.).

"I'm really excited about this group of athletes, said men's head coach Steve Taylor. "We expect they will immediately help our team to its goals, especially towards a team spot at the NCAA Cross Country Championships. We've been thrilled with the response of top athletes and their realization that we have everything here at Richmond that the elite student-athletes are looking for in a college experience."

"We are thrilled with this group of young women," said women's head coach Lori Taylor. "They are very talented and add depth to our program as the most decorated recruiting class of distance runners we've had join us. The potential is there for some great accomplishments especially with a look at our returning class. From the new stadium around our track & field facility to the local areas we have to train and the quality of the education offered here at Richmond, we are proving the nation's top prospects are finding what they are looking for in a college experience here at Richmond."

Ryan Lee comes to Richmond as one of the top prep runners in Delaware history. He is a 2009 Nike Cross National Championship qualifier, is the 2009 State Cross Country Champion and the Gatorade Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year for the state. Lee placed sixth at the Nike Southeast Regional Championships, making him the first ever Delaware runner to qualify for the national championship race. For more on Lee, click here: http://de.milesplit.us/athletes/341959/stats

"Ryan has been making a statement throughout this year," said Taylor. "During the outdoor season last spring he began to drop his times and as the fall cross country season started, he really began to excel and show how talented he is. As the first-ever individual male qualifier from Delaware to reach the Nike Cross Country Nationals, it shows how much he's improved. We felt the connection to Ryan when he visited this fall and believe he has the hard-nosed competitive mentality we look for in athlete."

Roxanne Henningson is a standout distance runner who qualified for the 2008 Nike Cross National Championships as an individual. She began the indoor track season in late December and recently (January 15, 2010) ran 10:01.76 for 3,000m at the Yale Invitational - a time that currently ranks No. 5 in the nation for that event. For more on Roxanne, click here: http://ny.milesplit.us/athletes/123697/stats

Brennan Long is a middle distance standout who was crowed 2009 Virginia State Independent School Champion in the 800m. She has a personal record of 2:17.13 at the 2009 Milestat Elite Invitational here in Richmond.

Alli Mannon is a distance standout that ran 10:53 for 3,200m at the PIAA State Championships last spring. For more on Alli, click here: http://pa.milesplit.us/athletes/99006/stats

Jill Prentice is also a distance ace, who placed fifth at the 2009 National High School Indoor Championships in the 5,000m (17:53). In the spring, she ran 10:42 for 3,200m at the 2009 New Jersey Meet of Champions and followed that with a ninth place finish in the 5,000m at the Nike Outdoor National Championships. For more on Jill, click here: http://nj.milesplit.us/athletes/102723/stats