Women's Track/Cross Country Signs Four

“We are excited to have all four of these young ladies joining our program,” said director of track and field Tom Akers.  “We look forward to coaching them over the next four years and seeing them develop in their disciplines.”

Howse (Assumption, Ill.) competes in throws at Moweaqua Central A&M HS where she has been a three time IHSA Class A state qualifier in the discus and two time qualifier in the shot put.  She is the top returning discus thrower in Class A this season after placing second in the state meet as a junior.  She was fourth as a sophomore and 12th as a freshman.  Howse placed fifth in the state in the shot put last year.  Entering the season she holds the school record in both events with a mark of 138'7 in the discus and 39'5” in the shot put.  She is also a member of the basketball and cross country teams.

“Janie is a very athletic and well rounded athlete who will bring intensity and passion to the program.  She has been shown how to throw the hammer and has the flexibility and athletic ability to develop into a javelin thrower,” said assistant head coach Jessica Sommerfeld who coaches the throws position at EIU. 

Quarton (Litchfield, Ill.) is a distance runner from Litchfield HS that has improved each season at the state championships in both cross country and track.  As a senior she placed ninth at the IHSA Class A state meet with a time of 17:55 on the three mile course.  She posted a pair of point scoring performances as a junior at the IHSA State Track meet with a fifth place showing in the mile and seventh place effort in the two mile.  She ran the mile in 5:14.03 while her two mile time was 11:19.42. 

“Victoria has an incredible amount of upswing in the sport of distance running.  Her passion for running is contagious, which is an important element to being successful at the Division I level,” EIU cross country coach Erin Howarth said.  “For her, the further distances she goes the better she will be.”

Rohrer (Petersburg, Ill.) is a two-year member of the track and cross country teams at PORTA HS.  She ran the 400m early in her track career but switched to the 800m as a junior qualifying for the IHSA Class A state meet.  She ran the 4x400, 4x800 and 800m events at the state championships and was a member of the second place 4x800 relay team.  In cross country Rohrer advanced to the IHSA state meet as a junior and senior.  As a junior she placed 32nd with a time of 18:45.  She improved as a senior to finish 29th with a time of 18:31. 

“Kristen has a wildly bright future ahead of her,” said Akers.  “She is a tremendous athlete in general and brings a lot of excitement to the incoming class.  She already has great low end speed, but add a few more years of miles to her legs and the sky is the limit.”

Yeoman (Petersburg, Ill.) is a middle distance runner at PORTA HS.  She was a four-event qualifier at the IHSA Class A state track meet as a junior competing in the 4x400 relay, 4x800 relay, 400m and 800m events.  Her 4x800 relay team placed second at the state championships with a time of 9:41.17 while she was fifth as an individual in the 800m at 2:17.01.  She was the sectional champion in the 400m and posted a time of 1:00.41 in the event at the state meet. 

“Amy has a beautiful stride and will add a lot of power to the track team,” Akers said.  She has the rare combination of speed and endurance that will bring much success on the track.

EIU women's track is currently in the middle of the 2012 indoor season.  The Panthers have won three straight Ohio Valley Conference indoor and three straight OVC outdoor track team championships.  In 2011 the EIU women's cross country team won its second OVC title.