Wake Forest Adds Four Student-Athletes for Fall
7/20/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Cross Country
July 20, 2009
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - The Wake Forest women's cross country team welcomes four new student-athletes this fall. Freshmen Kristen Buchan, Claire Hagler, Allison Homer and transfer Katy Swain will join a nationally-recognized program under head coach Annie Bennett.
With returners like 2008 ACC Freshman of the Year Anna Nosenko and all-region selection junior Marley Burns, Buchan, Hagler, Homer and Swain join a squad that is both young and talented.
"This team is incredibly hungry and as a group, they're challenging each other to take risks," Bennett said. "Sometimes you'll see teams that will look at one or two people to set the bar but I think that our whole team is really challenging each other to step up, and they're all taking the responsibility to get it done."
When the squad heads across campus to the Water Tower Fields on Friday, Sept. 4, to defend back-to-back Wake Forest Relay titles, there will be four new student-athletes on the roster who have 39 high school letters between them and even more potential.
Kristen Buchan
Fayetteville-Manlius High School
Manlius, N.Y.
Background: Ten-time letterwinner in four different sports, including three in cross country ... Member of champion team at Nike Team Nationals (Nike Cross Nationals) in 2007, 2008 and 2009 ... Placed 48th overall at 2007 NTN ... All-state and all-county selection in 2007, as squad won sectionals, state and federations ... Coach was Bill Aris ... Class officer throughout high school and Triathalon Club letterwinner ... Born Jan. 28, 1991, in Kansas City, Mo. ... Daughter of Debbie and Grady Buchan ... Identical twin sister, Kathryn Buchan, runs cross country and track at Cornell University.
Claire Hagler
Jesuit High School
Portland, Ore.
Background: Three-time letterwinner in cross country and four-time letterwinner in track and field ... Three-time all-conference selection ... Member of state championship and conference championship squads from 2006-08 ... In 2008, part of the team that won the Northwest Region of Nike Team Nationals ... In 2007, also competed in NTN ... Track team won state in 2007, as well as capturing the conference title from 2005-08 ... Coach was Tom Rothenberger ... High school teammates running collegiate cross country include Adrienne McGuirk (Boston College), Katie Sullivan (Cornell) and Noelle Van Rysselberghe (Columbia) ... Named most inspirational athlete for cross country in 2008 and track in 2009 at Jesuit ... Scholar-Athlete Award winner ... Honor roll student ... Member of National Honor Society and National Spanish Honor Society ... Born Sept. 19, 1991, in Newport Beach, Calif. ... Daughter of Lacy and David Hagler ... Father, David, played lacrosse at Duke from 1978 to 1982.
Allison Homer
Blacksburg High School
Blacksburg, Va.
Background: Three-time All-America selection in the 4xmile at the Nike Indoor Nationals ... Captured state title in indoor two-mile ... In 2008, all-state selection, Region IV Cross Country Champion and Most Valuable Runner ... Part of record-breaking team in the 4x800-meter relay ... Qualified for the individual Nike Cross Nationals in 2008 ... River Ridge District Runner of the Year and Most Valuable Senior in 2008-09 ... River Ridge District Runner of the Year and first-team all-state selection in 2006 ... Member of seven state championship teams in cross country and track ... Eleven-time letterwinner: four-time cross country selection, four-time indoor track selection and three-time outdoor track selection ... Coach was James DeMarco ... Also selected as team captain ... High school teammates competing in cross country include current Wake Forest scholar-athlete Cate Berenato, in addition to Ariel Burbey and Avery Mattingly of William and Mary and Laurel MacMillan of the University of Virginia ... Member of French National Honor Society ... Recipient of AP Scholar Award ... Born May 13, 1991, in Roanoke, Va. ... Daughter of John and Kimberley Homer.
Katy Swain
Davidson College/Maclay High School
Tallahassee, Fla.
Background: Ran cross country and track at Davidson in 2008-09 ... Eleven-time letterwinner in cross country and track and field at Maclay High School in Tallahassee, Fla. ... Member of 2005 FHSAA 1A Cross Country state champion squad ... Team also was two-time state runner-up in cross country ... All-state selection in track from 2004-08 ... Coached by Gary Droze ... High school teammates running collegiately include Emily Ness (Florida State) and Laura Kuhse (University of Florida) ... National Honor Society member ... Born Dec. 18, 1989, in Tallahassee, Fla. ... Daughter of Jeff and Mary Swain ... Full name is Kathryn Voorhees Swain.
Players Mentioned
