Stacy Van Ekeren out of Harrisburg High School in Harrisburg, SD will jump for the Black Hills State Yellow Jackets during the 2007 season. Stacy, the daughter of Joel and Rona Van Ekeren is a five-year letter winner in track and field. Her junior year she finished 6th place at the state track meet and currently holds the school record for Harrisburg in the long jump. In addition to her track and field accomplishments, Stacy was a four-year letter winner in basketball and volleyball. She was 3rd team all-conference her sophomore year, 2nd team all-conference her junior year, and all-conference honorable mention as well as academic all state her senior year. In volleyball, Stacy was all-conference honorable mention her sophomore and junior years, first team all-conference her senior year and selected for the Class A all state 2nd team.
Amanda Armstrong, a student athlete at Hot Springs County High School in Thermopolis, Wyoming will be attending Black Hills State University in the Fall of 2006 and compete as a Yellow Jacket. While competing for Thermopolis, Amanda was selected as the most outstanding female athlete from 2002 through 2005. She holds the school records in the 100-meter hurdles and the 300-meter hurdles. At the Meet of Champions in 2005, Amanda placed 4th in the 300-meter hurdles. She is the daughter of Barry and Melissa Armstrong.
Hallie Schmaltz of Scottsbluff, Nebraska has chosen to attend Black Hills State University her freshman year. Hallie, who competes for Gering High School will add more depth to the new members in the jumps and sprints areas. While competing for Gering, Hallie has qualified for state for years in a row in the jumping and sprinting events. Hallie is the daughter of Kelly and Toni Schmaltz.
Sarah Skinner out of Sturgis Brown High School in Sturgis, SD will compete for the Lady Yellow Jackets in the Fall and Spring of 2006-2007. Sarah, daughter of Kerry and Shaun Skinner, has competed for the varsity track team since eighth grade. She has placed five years in a row at the State Track meet while setting and resetting the school record in the pole vault her eighth grade, sophomore and senior year with marks of 10’6, 10’9, and 11’. Sarah was also the lead off member of the 4x100 meter relay that holds the school record.
Cameo Holbrook will be attending Black Hills State University in the fall of 2006 and compete as a Yellow Jacket for the women’s track and field squad. Cameo is currently competing for Cody High School in Cody, Wyoming. While attending Cody, Cameo earned a third place finish in 2004 in the high jump at the state indoor meet as well as running a leg on the indoor state champion team in the mile relay. In 2005, Cameo was runner-up in the high jump at the state indoor meet and again runner-up in 2006. Cameo will look to add strength in the field events with to the women’s side that were DAC Conference champs this past indoor season.
Kayla Ferguson will travel from Eaton, Colorado in the fall of 2006 to join the running Yellow Jackets of Black Hills State University. Kayla, a senior at Eaton High School will look to bring more depth on the women’s side in cross-country and in the distance events during the track season. While attending Eaton High School, Kayla has been a four-time letter winner in cross-country and will enter her senior season of track as a three-time letter winner. She was All-Weld honorable mention in cross-country as well as All-Conference in track. Kayla was also voted most improved on her Eaton track team. She is the daughter of Edward and Jolene Ferguson.
Kayla Martin of Laurel, MT has decided to attend Black Hills State University in the fall of 2006. Kayla is currently a student at Laurel High School. Some of her accomplishments thus far include a 2nd place finish in the pole vault at the Class A State meet, as well as All-Conference in track and field in 2004 and All-State in 2005. She also received the Laurel High School best jumper award for her team for the 2005 season. Kayla will bring more strength to the field events side of the Yellow Jacket women’s track team who had a strong showing this 2006 indoor season. She is the daughter of Jay and Paula Martin.
Janelle Stickler, a student athlete at Huron High School in Huron, SD will compete as a Yellow Jacket for Black Hills State University her freshman year. Janelle, the daughter of Todd and Julie Stickler, will begin her collegiate career with some great high school accomplishments under her. As a sophomore she place 5th in the pole vault at the state meet and returned her junior year to place 3rd. She was named 8th on the South Dakota High School Girls top ten Track and Field Honor Roll. Janelle as lettered in track five years in a row as well as earning six letters for her success in gymnastics. She was honored as an Outstanding Female Athlete at Huron High School and looks forward to a successful senior season.
Meaghan McCluskey, a senior at Gig Harbor High School in Gig Harbor, Washington has signed with Black Hills State University. She will be joining the cross country and track squads in the fall of 2006. Meaghan has been a four-year letter winner in cross-country and track as well as the captain of her cross-country teams the past three years. The team finished runner-up at the 2004 State cross country meet and returned as state champions in 2005. The Gig Harbor High School cross-country squad was also second-team All-League and placed 7th at Nike Team Nationals in 2005. Meaghan’s competitive nature and team leadership has earned her the Most Motivational Award in cross-country the past three years. Meaghan is the daughter of Michael McCluskey and Patricia Ley.
Nicki Shinkle, daughter of Randy and Suzie Shinkle, will join the Yellow Jackets of Black Hills State as a member of the track and field team in the fall of 2006. Nicki is currently a student at Rawlins High School in Rawlins, Wyoming. She is a multi sport athlete earning All-Conference honors four years and three All-State honors in swimming. She is a three-year letter winner in basketball and has lettered four times in track. Nicki broke the high school’s 300-meter hurdle record her junior year as well as being selected for the outstanding athlete award in track and field. She is a three time state qualifier and has also placed in the 100-meter hurdles, 300-meter hurdles, and the 1600-meter relay at the state meet.
Katie Cook, a member of the Cheyenne Central cross-country and track teams will represent the green and gold uniform in the fall of 2006 when she joins the running Yellow Jackets. Katie, who has placed in the top twenty finishers at the state cross-country meet in Wyoming since her sophomore year, will look to strengthen an already strong group of distance runners who finished runner-up last fall at the NAIA National Cross Country meet. While competing at Cheyenne, Katie has earned All-Conference honors in cross-country as well as All-State honors in cross-country and track and field. Katie is the daughter of Doug and Barb Cook and is leaning toward pursuing a degree in Business.
Rici Domenici, daughter of Dominic and Shellie, will be attending Black Hills State in the fall of 2006. Rici is currently a senior at Natrona County High School in Casper, Wyoming. She was the selected captain of her track and field team in 2005 as well as Most Motivational Athlete. Rici is a three-year letter winner and competes in the High Jump with a personal record of 5’0, which placed her 9th at the 2005 Wyoming State Track and Field Meet. She has made the honor roll every quarter of her high school career and plans to pursue a degree in Physical Education and Athletic Coaching at Black Hills State.
Marne Gorder of Estelline, SD has chosen to attend Black Hills State University in the fall of 2006. She has qualified for the state meet five times through her junior year for Estelline High School as well as being a state place winner and a school record holder. She will enter her senior track season with personal best marks of 27.5 in the 200-meter dash and 1:01 in the 400-meter dash. Marne is currently undecided in her major. She is the daughter of Mike and Ann Gorder.
Jennifer Maynard of Sturgis Brown High School out of Sturgis, SD has signed with Black Hills State University for the 2006-2007 track and field seasons. Jennifer, daughter of Richard and Marianela, was voted Most Improved in 2004 and selected as the 2005 MVP. She was also a Regional qualifier and the District Champion in the 300-meter hurdles in 2005, which she currently holds the school record. Jennifer was the high point scorer for her team last year and was a recipient of the Scholar Award. This past fall Jennifer qualified for the state cross-country meet in Rapid City. Her personnel best marks on the track are 45.66 in the 300-meter hurdles and relay splits of 1:00.01 and 12.5 in the mile relay and the 400-meter relay. Jennifer plans to study biology at Black Hills State this upcoming fall.
Savanah-Marie Joy Sweet, a member of the cross country and track and field team at Triton High School in Kasson, MN, will join the running Yellow Jackets this fall. The Triton High School cross country record holder is the daughter of Curt and Kathi Sweet. Savanah-Marie is also a five-time letter winner in track and field and a three-time letter winner in cross country. She has been selected captain of her teams for the past two years and holds personnel best marks of 16:56 on the cross course and 5:56 in the mile and 2:32 in the 800 on the track. Savanah-Marie plans to pursue a major in the areas of Business Management or Physical Therapy this fall at Black Hills State.
, a team member of the 2005 State A Cross Country Championship team from Chamberlain High School, has signed with the Black Hills State Yellow Jackets. Kristen was also a member of the Chamberlain Cubs team that was runner-up in 2004 and state champions in 2003. Throughout her high school running career, Kristen was selected as Most Dedicated in Track and MVP in cross country. She was a state champion on the 3200 meter relay her freshman year and placed 3rd at Regions and 5th at State the past two years in cross country. Kristen also excels on the basketball courts as she was selected Miss Defense her junior year, as well as All-Conference Big Dakota and honorable mention for the SESD Conference. Kristen is the daughter of Brad and Terri Mohror and plans to major in the medical or biology fields.
of Gregory, SD will compete as a Black Hills State Yellow Jacket this indoor and outdoor season. Jenny went to Gregory High School and then attended Augustana College in the fall of 2005 before she transferred to Black Hills State at semester. At Gregory High School, Jenny placed at the state meet 14 times. She is the school record holder in the long jump, triple jump, 300-meter hurdles, mile relay and the 800-meter relay. Some of her personnel best marks include 17’3” in the long jump, 36’7” in the triple jump, and 46.5 in the 300-meter hurdles. Jenny is the daughter of Rod Pochop and Bob and Nancy Wik. She plans to study Mass Communications while attending Black Hill State.
Wendy O’Lexey currently of Rock Spring High School in Rock Springs, Wyoming will be attending Black Hills State University in the fall of 2006 and competing as a Yellow Jacket. Wendy was All-Conference in Cross Country her 2003, 2004, and 2005 seasons, as well as All-State in 2005. In track she was All-Conference the past two seasons and Wendy is an eleven time letter winner in cross country, indoor track and outdoor track. She plans to pursue a degree in Psychology while at Black Hills State University to work in the field of Counseling. Wendy is the daughter of Patty and Don O’Lexey.