Photo by: Don Liebig/ASUCLA
Cross Country Announces Complete Incoming Freshman Class
July 14, 2020 | Cross Country
LOS ANGELES โ UCLA Director of Track & Field/Cross Country Avery Anderson announced today the complete incoming class of freshmen for the 2020 cross country season. This comes on the heels of last week's announcement of the six student-athletes who signed national letters of intent to compete for UCLA.
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"We are very excited about our incoming class," Anderson said. "Our cross country freshman class is certainly among the best in the country. The strength of this class will help to continue the ascension we've seen of our program over the past few years. We have a freshman group coming in that makes us a young team, however, they possess a talent level that makes us a strong team."
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The class consists of 10 student-athletes, nine of whom are from the Southern California area and competed at local prep schools. Incoming freshman Keaton Heisterman is the lone international student-athlete in the class, coming to UCLA via Nanaimo, British Columbia.
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"We are excited to welcome this group of new Bruins to the family," distance coach Devin Elizondo said. "They bring a wealth of national and international competitive expertise to Westwood. We are already proud of this class as they have weathered more than most incoming classesโฆand prove to help the program continue toward the top of the NCAA."
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UCLA's class boasts three women who notched top-5 finishes in their respective divisions at the 2019 CIF State Cross Country Championships, including Division I champion Carlie Dorostkar. Savannah Scriven was the Division II runner-up while Lavanya Pandey took fourth place in the Division IV race and helped Sage Creek HS to a team title. Incoming freshman Ashley Johnson has tallied victories in 16 track races and compiled 11 top-10 cross country performances across her prep career.
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The men's freshman squad includes Jake Parker (Torrance, Calif.) and Dylan Wilbur (Pasadena, Calif.), who competed against each other in the CIF State Meet 1600m final in 2019. Current UCLA redshirt freshman Peter Herold also ran in the final, as UCLA now has a quarter of the participants in that race on its distance roster.
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Dorostkar, Scriven, and Michael Mireles all competed at NXN Nike Cross Nationals in 2019. Dorostkar and Scriven finished sixth and 33rd, respectively, in the women's 5k while Mireles took 25th in the men's race.
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2020 Cross Country Incoming Class
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Freshman Men:
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Keaton Heisterman: Nanaimo, British Columbia โ Brentwood College
800m PR: 1:53.68 โฆ 1500m PR: 3:59.46 โฆ Mile PR: 4:23.51 โฆ Notched a lifetime-best performance in the 1500m at the 2019 UBC Open, going 3:59.36 while competing for Nanaimo Track & Field Club โฆ Took ninth place in the 800m at the 2019 Arcadia Invitational with a time of 1:55.54 โฆ Finished 12th overall at the 2018 BC High School Cross Country Championships after a runner-up showing in 2017 โฆ Took third place in the 800m (1:57.27) and 1500m (4:10.58) at the 2018 BC High School Track & Field Championships.
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Ronan McMahon-Staggs: Long Beach, Calif. โ Long Beach Polytechnic HS
800m PR: 2:05.64 โฆ 1600m PR: 4:18.35 โฆ 3200m PR: 9:18.90 โฆ Picked up three cross country victories his senior season, including a win at the Moore League Finals with a three-mile time of 15:00.0 โฆ Went on to finish 11th at the CIF State Meet with a 5k time of 15:13.7 โฆ Took second in the 1600m at the Moore League Finals in 2019, clocking a time of 4:19.79 โฆ Went on to qualify for the CIF-SS Division 1 Prelims in the 1600m โฆ Notched a PR in the 3200m at the Nike Redondo Invitational, going 9:18.90 for sixth place in the event โฆ Finished 14th overall in the 3200m at the Southern Section Prelims in 2018 with a time of 9:22.99.
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Michael Mireles: Thousand Oaks, Calif. ย โ Thousand Oaks HS
1600m PR: 4:20.26 โฆ 3200m PR: 9:07.77 โฆ Qualified for the 2019 NXN Nike Cross Nationals and finished 25th overall with a 5k time of 15:36.6 โฆ Took third place at the 2019 CIF Southern Section Cross Country Finals and fourth at the State Meet โฆ Finished second in his lone 1600m race of the 2020 season, crossing with a personal-best time of 4:20.26 at the Thousand Oaks Invite โฆ Finished fourth at the 2019 CIF-SS Division 2 Finals in the 3200m (9:22.50) โฆ Went on to finish eighth at the SS Masters Meet with a huge PR of 9:07.77.
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Jake Parker: Torrance, Calif. โ West Torrance HS
800m PR: 1:56.35 โฆ 1600m PR: 4:12.06 โฆ Mile PR: 4:18.57 โฆ 3200m PR: 9:10.27 โฆ Competed in six different events and notched three victories in shortened 2020 outdoor season โฆ Finished ninth in 1600m (4:14.78) at the CIF State Meet after a runner-up performance (4:12.06) at the CIF Southern Section Division 2 Finals โฆ Won a pair of 3200m races in 2019 ahead of a ninth-place finish in the event at the CIF-SS Division 2 Finals โฆ Notched three runner-up performances across the 2019 cross country season, including a second-place finish at the Pioneer League Finals on the 3M course โฆ Took 15th at the 2018 CIF State Cross Country Championships with a 5k time of 15:53.9.
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Anthony Stone: Pasadena, Calif. โ Loyola HS
800m PR: 1:58.12 โฆ 1500m PR: 4:05.89 โฆ 1600m PR: 4:14.17 โฆ 3200m PR: 9:30.34 โฆ Two-time Mission/Sunshine League Champion (2018-19) in cross country โฆ Notched three XC victories his senior season, including the CIF-SS Prelims โฆ Went on to finish fifth at the Southern Section Finals and ninth at the CIF State Meet โฆ Won both of his 1600m appearances in a shortened 2020 outdoor season โฆ Finished fifth (4:16.09) in the 1600m at the 2019 Southern Section Division 1 Finals and went on to take seventh (4:14.17) at the CIF-SS Masters Meet โฆ Picked up a pair of victories in the 3200m in 2019, winning at the Alemany, Loyola, Notre Dame Tri-Meet (9:41.02) and the California Relays (9:32.40).
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Dylan Wilbur: Pasadena, Calif. โ Crescenta Valley HS
800m PR: 1:54.73 โฆ 1500m PR: 4:02.19 โฆ 1600m PR: 4:12.31 โฆ 3200m PR: 9:16.75 โฆ Won four cross country meets as a senior at Crescenta Valley, including the Pacific League Finals, as he notched a three-mile PR of 14:26.7 โฆ Took seventh at the CIF-SS Division Finals and finished 23rd at the CIF State Meet in 2019 โฆ Took victories in the 800m (1:57.24) and 3200m (9:16.75) in his two meets in the shortened 2020 outdoor season โฆ Picked up four 800m victories and four 1600m victories in his senior track season โฆ Won the Pacific League Finals in the 800m (1:54.73) and 1600m (4:12.31) โฆ Competed in the 1600m at the CIF State Meet in 2019, finishing eighth overall with a time of 4:14.56.
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Freshman Women:
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Carlie Dorostkar: San Diego, Calif. โ Canyon Crest Academy
800m PR: 2:24.05 โฆ 1600m PR: 4:58.01 โฆ 3000m PR: 9:51.44 โฆ 3200m PR: 10:26.15 โฆ Won the 2019 CIF State title in cross country, clocking a personal-best 5k time of 16:45.4 for the victory โฆ Her state title was one of six XC victories she secured her senior season โฆ Qualified to compete at the 2019 NXN Nike Cross Nationals and finished sixth overall with a 5k time of 17:36.4 โฆ ย 2019 CIF State Meet qualifier in the 3200m, finishing sixth overall with a personal-best time of 10:26.15 โฆ Took the victory in the 3200m at the CIF-SDS Prelims (10:34.83) and went on to finish second in the Finals with a time of 10:34.83 โฆ Picked up five victories in the 1600m in 2019 โฆ Notched a personal-best time of 4:58.01 in a second-place performance at the Avocado West League Finals.
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Ashley Johnson: Mission Viejo, Calif. โ Mission Viejo HS
800m PR: 2:10.57 โฆ 1600m PR: 4:55.47 โฆ Took sixth place at the South Coast League Finals in cross country and went on to finish 31st at the CIF-SS Finals โฆ Finished fourth at the 2019 CIF Southern Section Finals in the 800m with a time of 2:14.59 โฆ Also helped the 4x400m relay squad to a fourth-place finish (3:56.12) at the Southern Section Finals, where she competed with current Bruin, Morgan Calcagnieโฆ Won seven 800m competitions in 2018 en route to a fifth-place finish in the event at the CIF State Finals, clocking a personal-best time of 2:10.57 โฆ Finished fourth in the 1600m at the Southern Section Division 2 Finals with a time of 5:01.99.
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Lavanya Pandey: San Diego, Calif. โ Sage Creek HS
800m PR: 2:28.34 โฆ 1600m PR: 5:18.19 โฆ 3200m PR โฆ 11:19.98 โฆ Picked up seven top-5 finishes in cross country her senior year at Sage Creek โฆ Finished third overall at the CIF San Diego Section Championships โฆ Went on to finish fourth at the 2019 State Meet, recording a personal-best 5k time of 18:00.6 โฆ Crossed in 15th place at the 2018 State Meet โฆ Secured five top-5 finishes in the 3200m during the 2019 track season, including a fifth-place finish at the CIF-SDS Prelims (11:33.06) โฆ Went on to finish 11th at the CIF San Diego Section Finals, clocking a time of 11:28.96.
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Savannah Scriven: Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif. โ Palos Verdes HS
800m PR: 2:24.37 โฆ 1600m PR: 5:04.12 โฆ 3200m PR: 11:19.43 โฆ Won her lone 800m (2:26.82) and DMR (13:12.55) competitions in shortened 2020 outdoor track season โฆ Recorded 10 top-6 finishes in her senior cross country season, including four victories โฆ Won the CIF Southern Section title with a 3M time of 17:28.50 โฆ Was the runner-up at the 2019 CIF State Meet with a time of 17:22.5 on the 5k course โฆ Went on to qualify for NXN Nike Cross Nationals and finished 33rd overall โฆ Finished sixth in the 1600m at the CIF-SS Division 3 Finals in 2019, crossing with a time of 5:07.27 โฆ Was fifth at the 2018 CIF State Cross Country Championships, crossing with a time of 18:31.6 on the 5k course.
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"We are very excited about our incoming class," Anderson said. "Our cross country freshman class is certainly among the best in the country. The strength of this class will help to continue the ascension we've seen of our program over the past few years. We have a freshman group coming in that makes us a young team, however, they possess a talent level that makes us a strong team."
ย
The class consists of 10 student-athletes, nine of whom are from the Southern California area and competed at local prep schools. Incoming freshman Keaton Heisterman is the lone international student-athlete in the class, coming to UCLA via Nanaimo, British Columbia.
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"We are excited to welcome this group of new Bruins to the family," distance coach Devin Elizondo said. "They bring a wealth of national and international competitive expertise to Westwood. We are already proud of this class as they have weathered more than most incoming classesโฆand prove to help the program continue toward the top of the NCAA."
ย
UCLA's class boasts three women who notched top-5 finishes in their respective divisions at the 2019 CIF State Cross Country Championships, including Division I champion Carlie Dorostkar. Savannah Scriven was the Division II runner-up while Lavanya Pandey took fourth place in the Division IV race and helped Sage Creek HS to a team title. Incoming freshman Ashley Johnson has tallied victories in 16 track races and compiled 11 top-10 cross country performances across her prep career.
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The men's freshman squad includes Jake Parker (Torrance, Calif.) and Dylan Wilbur (Pasadena, Calif.), who competed against each other in the CIF State Meet 1600m final in 2019. Current UCLA redshirt freshman Peter Herold also ran in the final, as UCLA now has a quarter of the participants in that race on its distance roster.
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Dorostkar, Scriven, and Michael Mireles all competed at NXN Nike Cross Nationals in 2019. Dorostkar and Scriven finished sixth and 33rd, respectively, in the women's 5k while Mireles took 25th in the men's race.
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2020 Cross Country Incoming Class
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Freshman Men:
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Keaton Heisterman: Nanaimo, British Columbia โ Brentwood College
800m PR: 1:53.68 โฆ 1500m PR: 3:59.46 โฆ Mile PR: 4:23.51 โฆ Notched a lifetime-best performance in the 1500m at the 2019 UBC Open, going 3:59.36 while competing for Nanaimo Track & Field Club โฆ Took ninth place in the 800m at the 2019 Arcadia Invitational with a time of 1:55.54 โฆ Finished 12th overall at the 2018 BC High School Cross Country Championships after a runner-up showing in 2017 โฆ Took third place in the 800m (1:57.27) and 1500m (4:10.58) at the 2018 BC High School Track & Field Championships.
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Ronan McMahon-Staggs: Long Beach, Calif. โ Long Beach Polytechnic HS
800m PR: 2:05.64 โฆ 1600m PR: 4:18.35 โฆ 3200m PR: 9:18.90 โฆ Picked up three cross country victories his senior season, including a win at the Moore League Finals with a three-mile time of 15:00.0 โฆ Went on to finish 11th at the CIF State Meet with a 5k time of 15:13.7 โฆ Took second in the 1600m at the Moore League Finals in 2019, clocking a time of 4:19.79 โฆ Went on to qualify for the CIF-SS Division 1 Prelims in the 1600m โฆ Notched a PR in the 3200m at the Nike Redondo Invitational, going 9:18.90 for sixth place in the event โฆ Finished 14th overall in the 3200m at the Southern Section Prelims in 2018 with a time of 9:22.99.
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Michael Mireles: Thousand Oaks, Calif. ย โ Thousand Oaks HS
1600m PR: 4:20.26 โฆ 3200m PR: 9:07.77 โฆ Qualified for the 2019 NXN Nike Cross Nationals and finished 25th overall with a 5k time of 15:36.6 โฆ Took third place at the 2019 CIF Southern Section Cross Country Finals and fourth at the State Meet โฆ Finished second in his lone 1600m race of the 2020 season, crossing with a personal-best time of 4:20.26 at the Thousand Oaks Invite โฆ Finished fourth at the 2019 CIF-SS Division 2 Finals in the 3200m (9:22.50) โฆ Went on to finish eighth at the SS Masters Meet with a huge PR of 9:07.77.
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Jake Parker: Torrance, Calif. โ West Torrance HS
800m PR: 1:56.35 โฆ 1600m PR: 4:12.06 โฆ Mile PR: 4:18.57 โฆ 3200m PR: 9:10.27 โฆ Competed in six different events and notched three victories in shortened 2020 outdoor season โฆ Finished ninth in 1600m (4:14.78) at the CIF State Meet after a runner-up performance (4:12.06) at the CIF Southern Section Division 2 Finals โฆ Won a pair of 3200m races in 2019 ahead of a ninth-place finish in the event at the CIF-SS Division 2 Finals โฆ Notched three runner-up performances across the 2019 cross country season, including a second-place finish at the Pioneer League Finals on the 3M course โฆ Took 15th at the 2018 CIF State Cross Country Championships with a 5k time of 15:53.9.
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Anthony Stone: Pasadena, Calif. โ Loyola HS
800m PR: 1:58.12 โฆ 1500m PR: 4:05.89 โฆ 1600m PR: 4:14.17 โฆ 3200m PR: 9:30.34 โฆ Two-time Mission/Sunshine League Champion (2018-19) in cross country โฆ Notched three XC victories his senior season, including the CIF-SS Prelims โฆ Went on to finish fifth at the Southern Section Finals and ninth at the CIF State Meet โฆ Won both of his 1600m appearances in a shortened 2020 outdoor season โฆ Finished fifth (4:16.09) in the 1600m at the 2019 Southern Section Division 1 Finals and went on to take seventh (4:14.17) at the CIF-SS Masters Meet โฆ Picked up a pair of victories in the 3200m in 2019, winning at the Alemany, Loyola, Notre Dame Tri-Meet (9:41.02) and the California Relays (9:32.40).
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Dylan Wilbur: Pasadena, Calif. โ Crescenta Valley HS
800m PR: 1:54.73 โฆ 1500m PR: 4:02.19 โฆ 1600m PR: 4:12.31 โฆ 3200m PR: 9:16.75 โฆ Won four cross country meets as a senior at Crescenta Valley, including the Pacific League Finals, as he notched a three-mile PR of 14:26.7 โฆ Took seventh at the CIF-SS Division Finals and finished 23rd at the CIF State Meet in 2019 โฆ Took victories in the 800m (1:57.24) and 3200m (9:16.75) in his two meets in the shortened 2020 outdoor season โฆ Picked up four 800m victories and four 1600m victories in his senior track season โฆ Won the Pacific League Finals in the 800m (1:54.73) and 1600m (4:12.31) โฆ Competed in the 1600m at the CIF State Meet in 2019, finishing eighth overall with a time of 4:14.56.
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Freshman Women:
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Carlie Dorostkar: San Diego, Calif. โ Canyon Crest Academy
800m PR: 2:24.05 โฆ 1600m PR: 4:58.01 โฆ 3000m PR: 9:51.44 โฆ 3200m PR: 10:26.15 โฆ Won the 2019 CIF State title in cross country, clocking a personal-best 5k time of 16:45.4 for the victory โฆ Her state title was one of six XC victories she secured her senior season โฆ Qualified to compete at the 2019 NXN Nike Cross Nationals and finished sixth overall with a 5k time of 17:36.4 โฆ ย 2019 CIF State Meet qualifier in the 3200m, finishing sixth overall with a personal-best time of 10:26.15 โฆ Took the victory in the 3200m at the CIF-SDS Prelims (10:34.83) and went on to finish second in the Finals with a time of 10:34.83 โฆ Picked up five victories in the 1600m in 2019 โฆ Notched a personal-best time of 4:58.01 in a second-place performance at the Avocado West League Finals.
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Ashley Johnson: Mission Viejo, Calif. โ Mission Viejo HS
800m PR: 2:10.57 โฆ 1600m PR: 4:55.47 โฆ Took sixth place at the South Coast League Finals in cross country and went on to finish 31st at the CIF-SS Finals โฆ Finished fourth at the 2019 CIF Southern Section Finals in the 800m with a time of 2:14.59 โฆ Also helped the 4x400m relay squad to a fourth-place finish (3:56.12) at the Southern Section Finals, where she competed with current Bruin, Morgan Calcagnieโฆ Won seven 800m competitions in 2018 en route to a fifth-place finish in the event at the CIF State Finals, clocking a personal-best time of 2:10.57 โฆ Finished fourth in the 1600m at the Southern Section Division 2 Finals with a time of 5:01.99.
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Lavanya Pandey: San Diego, Calif. โ Sage Creek HS
800m PR: 2:28.34 โฆ 1600m PR: 5:18.19 โฆ 3200m PR โฆ 11:19.98 โฆ Picked up seven top-5 finishes in cross country her senior year at Sage Creek โฆ Finished third overall at the CIF San Diego Section Championships โฆ Went on to finish fourth at the 2019 State Meet, recording a personal-best 5k time of 18:00.6 โฆ Crossed in 15th place at the 2018 State Meet โฆ Secured five top-5 finishes in the 3200m during the 2019 track season, including a fifth-place finish at the CIF-SDS Prelims (11:33.06) โฆ Went on to finish 11th at the CIF San Diego Section Finals, clocking a time of 11:28.96.
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Savannah Scriven: Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif. โ Palos Verdes HS
800m PR: 2:24.37 โฆ 1600m PR: 5:04.12 โฆ 3200m PR: 11:19.43 โฆ Won her lone 800m (2:26.82) and DMR (13:12.55) competitions in shortened 2020 outdoor track season โฆ Recorded 10 top-6 finishes in her senior cross country season, including four victories โฆ Won the CIF Southern Section title with a 3M time of 17:28.50 โฆ Was the runner-up at the 2019 CIF State Meet with a time of 17:22.5 on the 5k course โฆ Went on to qualify for NXN Nike Cross Nationals and finished 33rd overall โฆ Finished sixth in the 1600m at the CIF-SS Division 3 Finals in 2019, crossing with a time of 5:07.27 โฆ Was fifth at the 2018 CIF State Cross Country Championships, crossing with a time of 18:31.6 on the 5k course.
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