April 27, 2005

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame track and field/cross country program has announced 16 student-athletes have confirmed their intent to enroll at Notre Dame and compete for the Fighting Irish next fall. A total of eight women and eight men are included in the spring signing class.

Lauren Biscardi (high jump), Alyissa Hassan (multi-events), Ramsey Kavan (distance/cross county), Kate Matton (pole vault), Mary Saxer (pole vault, long jump), Morgan Schultz (distance/cross country) and Anna Weber (throws) will join the Irish women’s team this fall.

Robbie Barany (distance/cross county), Billy Buzaid (middle distance), Blair Majcina (high jump/long jump), Mark Moore (distance/cross county), Tray Morgan (pole vault), Chris Rodriquez (distance/cross county), Andy Scott (distance/cross county), and Patrick Smyth (distance/cross county) will join the Irish men’s squad this fall.

WOMEN’S SIGNEES

Lauren Biscardi, high jump, Shoreham, N.Y., Shoreham-Wading River H.S.
A five-time New York State high-jump champion and a three-time Empire States Games champion as well as winner of the Adidas Outdoor Championships, Penn Relay Scholastic Championships, National Scholastic Indoor, Nike Indoor and Bishop Loughlin meets. She led the nation in the event for much of the 2005 indoor season. Since she began high jumping as a prep freshman, she has improved dramatically over the years from a best of 5-4 to a current PR of 5-10 1/4. Biscardi is a member of the National Honor Society, plays clarinet in the high school band, and is a volunteer worker in the Shoreham kids summer track program. Lists Olympic gold medalist Dwight Stones, among those who have aided in her development.

Megan Flynn, middle distance, South Bend, Ind., Marion H.S.
An outstanding all-around athlete who has excelled in the middle distances on the track, Flynn is a local product who finished third in the 800 meters at the 2005 Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) Indoor Championships. Flynn ran 2:14.60 at the state outdoor meet last spring. Her father is a Notre Dame graduate, and her older sister will graduate from Notre Dame this year. Her mother is an advisor in the First Year of Studies at Notre Dame.

Alyissa Hasan, multi-events, Williamsville, N.Y., South H.S.
One of the nation’s elite multi-event athletes, Hasan is a five-time New York State high-jump champion and a three-time Empire States Games champion as well as winner of the Adidas Outdoor Championships and was the 2004 Junior Olympic champion in the heptathlon (4,784 points). She has earned 14 Prep All-America citations. Hasan figures to impact the Irish immediately in several individual events, in addition to her multi-event talents. Her best time in the 100-meter high hurdles is 14.02 seconds.

Ramsey Kavan, distance, Yankton, S.D., Yankton H.S.
Widely regarded as the finest distance runner ever produced by the state of South Dakota, Kavan has won state championships at 800 meters, 1,600 meters, and 3,200 meters during her prep career in addition to garnering national recognition by being named Foot Locker first-team All-American, NHSAA All-American, and the South Dakota Sportswriter Female Prep Athlete of the Year two years in a row. Kavan’s performances helped lead the Yankton Gazelles to back-to-back State AA cross country championships and a three consecutive ESD titles. She set new course records at the 2004 South Dakota AA Cross Country Championships, ESD Championship, USATF Dakotas Association Championship, and the USATF Regionals and was third at the 2004 Foot Locker Cross Country National Championships and sixth at the 2003 Foot Locker Cross County National Championships. Kavan also was honored by the Eightieth Legislature of the State of South Dakota in 2004 for her excellence in cross country during her high school career.

Kate Mattoon, pole vault, San Diego, Calif., Rancho Bernardo H.S.
One of the top prep vaulters in the nation the last two seasons and the winner at the 2005 Arcadia Invitational, the nation’s premier high school track invitational, with a winning height of 12 feet, 3 inches. Also won the 2005 Mt. SAC Relays title. Has a best clearance of 12-9. A two-time California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) champion. Managed an impressive recovery from mononucleosis to finish third at the 2004 California State Track and Field Championships, although she considered herself only 80 percent fit and was forced to use a smaller pole because of her strength loss as she cleared 12-0. A former gymnast who took up vaulting when she decided her arms and legs were too long to continue in gymnastics.

Mary Saxer, pole vault/long jump, Lancaster, N.Y., Lancaster H.S.
Widely regarded as the nation’s best girls pole vaulter, Saxer recently broke her own national indoor record for the third time this year at the Dartmouth Relays in Hanover, N.H. and set an American junior pole vault record at the Nike Indoor National Championships in March. She cleared 14 feet, 2 inches, a world record for a female under 17. That’s better than the winning vault at this year’s NCAA Indoor Championships. Saxer took her pole vaulting to new heights this past winter, breaking her own high school national record seven times. The 2005 National High School Indoor Athlete of the Year, Saxer also is an excellent long jumper. She will compete in both events for the Irish.

Morgan Schultz, distance, Aurora, Colo., Smoky Hill H.S.
A standout distance runner throughout her prep career, Schultz figures to make an impact for the Irish in the distance events (mile and above) and in cross country. In cross country, Schultz was 11th at the 2003 Foot Locker Cross Country Championships and fifth at the 2003 Foot Locker Cross County Championships. She placed second at the 2004 Colorado State Cross Country Championships (17:54.8) as a senior. She also was second as a junior at the 2003 Colorado State Cross Country Championships (17:38.4) and was fourth as a sophomore at the 2002 State Cross Country Championships (18:47.4). As a freshman, she was fourth at the 2001 State Cross Country Championships in 19:40.1. On the track, Schultz was a second-place finisher in the 1,600 meters at the 2004 Colorado Class 5A State Championships (5:01.53); she also was second in the 3,200 at the Class 5A State meet in 10:59.36.

Anna Weber, throws, Indianapolis, Ind., Roncali H.S.
The dominant shot put performer in the state of Indiana through much of her high school career, Weber will help the Irish in the shot put and the discus. She has consistently produced shot put marks in the 45-46 foot range, marks that rank among the best in the nation’s best. As a junior, she was the 2004 Indiana (IHSAA) State Champion in the shot put with a toss of 46-1 1/2 and was 11th in the discus. As a sophomore in 2003, she was third in the shot put (45-1) at the IHSAA State Championships and 12th in the discus. Weber won the Sectional Championships in the shot put in 2003 and 2004.

MEN’S SIGNEES

Robbie Barany, distance, Yakima, Wash., Eisenhower H.S.
One of the nation’s top prep cross county runners throughout his high school career, Barany was eighth at the 2004 Foot Locker Cross Country National Championships (15:35). Throughout his high school career, Barany has consistently ranked among the state of Washington’s elite cross country performers, placing among the contenders at every state meet dating to his freshman season. As a senior, he was second in the 2004 Washington Cross Country State Class 4A Championships (15:24) while leading Eisenhower to a third-place team finish. As a junior, he was ninth in the 2003 Washington Cross Country State Class 4A Championships (15:51) while leading Eisenhower to a second-place finish in the team standings. As a sophomore, he was ninth at the 2002 Washington Cross Country State Class 4A Championships (16:11), leading his team to a second place team finish. As a freshman, he placed 35th in the 2001 Washington Cross Country State Class 4A Championships (16:32) and was Eisenhower’s top finisher overall.

Billy Buzaid, middle distance, West Orange, N.J., Seton Hall Prep
One of the top 400/800 runners in New Jersey, Buzaid has been a key member of one of the top high school relay units in the nation the last two seasons, in addition to posting several top individual performances in the quarter and half-mile. Buzaid has run 1:56 in the 800 and 48 seconds in the 400 this indoor season. Seton Hall Prep’s 4×400 and 4×800 relay teams have both ranked in the top 10 in the nation this indoor season.

Blair Majcina, jumps, Frankfort, Ill., Lincoln-Way East H.S.
One of the nation’s top prep high jumpers, Majcina has cleared 7-1 indoors and went 6-8 to win the high jump at the Thornridge Invitational outdoors in March. His rapid progression during 2005 has made him one of the most coveted jumps prospects in the Midwest. He should compete in the high jump and long jump for the Irish. In February, he jumped 6-10 in the Lonelle Poole Invitational to break a 25-year-old Bloom High School field house record. While his strength is the high jump, Majcina also has been a competent long jumper and will help the Irish in both events.

Mark Moore, distance, Novi, Mich., Novi H.S.
Led Novi to a fourth place team finish at the 2004 Michigan Cross Country State Finals with a third place finish in 15:38.50. Was the Regional champion (16:20) while leading his team to a berth in the State meet after placing second in the Kensington Valley Conference meet (15:51) while taking Novi to the team title. As a junior in 2003, he was 10th in the State Finals (15:31.35) after placing seventh at the state meet in 2002 as a sophomore (15:47.50). The younger brother of current Irish distance ace Tim Moore, Mark has made a name for himself by leading Novi to continued success in cross country and on the track.

Tray Morgan, pole vault, Birmingham, Ala., McGill-Toolen H.S.
Morgan placed second in the Alabama Class 6A state indoor championships with a personal best of 15-0 and has been nationally ranked in the pole vault. He has a sister who also attends Notre Dame and he may also compete in the decathlon for the Fighting Irish.

Chris Rodriguez, distance, Kelso, Wash., Kelso H.S.
A solid miler with good range, Rodriguez could help the Irish in the mile, 1,500 or greater distances. In 2005, he has run a state-leading 4:15 in the 1,500 at the Arcadia Invitational in California. Rodriguez placed fourth at the 2004 Washington State Class 3A Cross Country Championships (15:59). As a junior, he placed 12th at the 2003 State Class 3A Cross Country Championships in 16:18 and was ninth in the 1,600 (4:24.28) at the 2004 Class 3A Outdoor State Championships on the track. As a sophomore, he was ninth at the 2003 state outdoor meet in the 3,200 meters (9:49.41).

Andy Scott, distance, Portland, Ore., Jesuit H.S.
Scott boasts bests of 4:01 in the 1,500 and 1:56 in the 800, giving the Irish another versatile middle distance man to bolster an already solid group. He comes from an accomplished high school cross country program as he helped Jesuit win the 2004 Oregon State Cross Country team title with a 12th place finish (16:05) after a second place team finish in 2003.

Patrick Smyth, distance, Salt Lake City, Utah, Judge Memorial H.S.
The top distance runner in the state of Utah and one of the nation’s finest cross country performers, Smyth will cap a standout prep career this spring before joining the Irish. In the fall of 2004, Smyth led Judge Memorial to the Class 3A State Cross Country title by winning the Boys division in a time of 15:35. That was his second consecutive 3A title in the event, following his 2003 Utah Class 3A State Cross Country Championship (16:25.7). Smyth also is a top distance man on the track, boasting a 9:04 clocking at in the 3k at the 2005 Arcadia Invitational in April. At the 2003 Utah Class 3A State Track & Field Championships, Smyth won both the 1,600 meters (4:24.62) and the 3,200 meters (9:38.79) and was second in the 800 (1:57.62).

–ND–