The 2003 UCSB Women’s Track and Field recruiting class is the largest and most heraldic group that Santa Barbara has ever encountered. It is no wonder that UCSB Head Coach Pete Dolan and the Gauchos are looking forward to the future.

CalTrack.com has already ranked UCSB’s 2003 recruiting class the fourth best in the state. Twelve athletes have already committed to Santa Barbara and should help the Gauchos become more competitive in more events and also add the needed depth.

“I know we’re getting some heptathletes, jumpers and throwers that we really need,” junior Jasmine Washington said. “It’ll really help us to cover more events. There are also some strong sprinters that’ll give us depth.”

High jumper Misty Brewster from Granite Hills High School in Alpine has a career-best jump of 5 feet and 5 inches and will use her athleticism to train for the heptathlon at UCSB. Thrower Heather Quinn of El Toro High School in Lake Forest has a best of 44 feet and 8 inches in the shot put and 139 feet in the discus throw. Talented twins Lauren and Lindsay Christman from Harbor High School in Santa Cruz will both be joining the Gauchos as distance runners. Lauren won the 2002 Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League title in the 400 meter with a time of 58.05 seconds. Lindsay won the 2002 SCCAL 800 meter with a time of 2 minutes and 17.51 seconds.

“We’ve been working hard getting the word out about [the UCSB Women’s Track and Field program],” Dolan said. “The success that Jasmine Washington has had this year and [junior distance runner] Katie Appenrodt making the NCAA Nationals last year has really gotten people’s attention. And I think after 9-11, people want to keep their families a little closer.”

Another large part of the Gauchos’ recruiting success has been the work of Assistant Coach Andrea Cheda. By day, Cheda works a full-time job as a high school counselor, but by night, she is on the phone, heading up the Santa Barbara recruiting effort with her tireless energy.

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