BILLINGS, Mont. – On the heels of signing nine more incoming track recruits, Montana State University Billings head cross country coach Jonathan Woehl announced that seven distance runners will join the 2021-22 cross country and track and field rosters on Friday, July 30.
 
The group consists of five newcomers on the women's side and two on the men's side. Additionally, the seven new 'Jackets include current MSUB men's distance runner Carson Jessop's younger sister, Anna, three out-of-state recruits and MSUB's first-ever international cross country recruit: British distance runner Maisie Hoskins.
 
Although the Yellowjackets did not compete in cross country last season since the 2020 season was canceled, the men's cross country team brings back five of its top seven runners from the 2019 season — including varsity scorers Ase Ackerman, Bryant Edgerton, Logan Straus and the aforementioned Carson Jessop. Meanwhile, the women's team returns two of its top five runners from the 2019 season, plus its top two distance runners from the 2021 track season: Kailee Stoppel and Ally Whitmer.
 

Athlete	Event(s)	Hometown	Previous School
Aubrie Christman	Throws	Helena, MT	Helena HS
Annelise Clark	Sprints/Hurdles	Glenrock, WY	Glenrock HS
Faith Ekness	Throws	Shepherd, MT	Shepherd HS
Kylee Halpin	XC/Middle Distance	Bozeman, MT	Bozeman HS
Katelyn Hamill	Sprints	Helena, MT	Helena HS
Adam Heck	Hurdles	Auburn, WA	Auburn Riverside HS
Whitney Herden	Sprints/Hurdles	Belfry, MT	Belfry HS
Maisie Hoskins	XC/Distance	Fareham, United Kingdom	Cams Hill School/North Iowa Area CC
Caleb Gackle	Throws	Circle, MT	Circle HS
Taylor Gordon	Sprints	Eagle, ID	Eagle HS
Bradley Graves	Hurdles	Ballantine, MT	Huntley Project HS/Montana State University
Anna Jessop	XC/Distance	Pinesdale, MT	Corvallis HS
Micah Katz	Throws	Paso Robles, CA	Paso Robles HS/Cuesta College
Dakota Lobmeyer	Throws	Cheyenne, WY	Cheyenne Central HS
Gaven McColloch	XC/Distance	Greybull, WY	Greybull HS
Ryann Moline	Throws	Brockway, MT	Circle HS
Riley Noser	Throws	Glasgow, MT	Glasgow HS
Jordi Peiro	XC/Distance	Apple Valley, CA	Apple Valley HS
Ben Ralston	Sprints	Boise, ID	Cole Valley Christian School
Jon Rocha	Sprints	Othello, WA	Othello HS
Madeline Severson	Sprints/Jumps	Manhattan, MT	Manhattan HS
Izzy Siegle	XC/Triathlon/Distance	Glendive, MT	Dawson County HS
Skyler Taylor	Middle Distance	Aberdeen, WA	Aberdeen HS
Danara Tulimaiau	Throws	Billings, MT	Skyview HS
William Ullery	Sprints	Fort Benton, MT	Fort Benton HS
Kit Wiersema	XC/Distance	Manhattan, MT	Manhattan HS
Abbi Zent	XC/Distance	Meridian, ID	Cole Valley Christian School

 
Maisie Hoskins
Hometown: Fareham, Hampshire, United Kingdom
Previous School: Cams Hill School/North Iowa Area Community College
 
Maisie Hoskins, MSUB's first international cross country and track recruit, hails from Fareham, United Kingdom, but has competed for North Iowa Area Community College's cross country, indoor track and outdoor track teams for two seasons. She comes to MSUB with two years of eligibility remaining.
 
In cross country as a sophomore, Hoskins helped the NIACC women's cross country place tenth at the 2020 NJCAA Division II National Championships — a program-best. Later in her sophomore season, Hoskins helped NIACC's 4x800 relay team place 11^th at the 2021 NJCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships. As an individual, she finished in 16^th in the 800 meters at the 2021 NJCAA Region XI Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Her best individual performance in indoor track was placing ninth in the 600 meters at the 2021 NJCAA Region XI Indoor Track and Field Championships.
 
In prep school, Hoskins ran for Cams Hill School's cross country and track teams from 2015-17. She specialized in the 800 meters in track.
 
Her personal bests include 1:09.65 in the 400 meters, 1:55.31 in the 600 meters (indoor), 2:44.15 in the 800 meters and a 22:51.1 5K in cross country.

Woehl on Hoskins: "Maisie is our program's first international recruit from England. She brings a ton of great experience having already competed collegiately at NIACC and I see her competing for a scoring spot on our cross country squad."
 
Hoskins on choosing MSUB: "MSU Billings was the best option for me both athletically and academically. I can do my master's degree in a 3+2 year program, which saves me a whole year of college, and it is a great program. Athletically, I feel that it suits my ability but will also be a great place for me to get better as an athlete and grow as a person."
 

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Anna Jessop
Hometown: Pinesdale, Montana
Previous School: Corvallis High School
 
Anna Jessop comes to MSUB from Corvallis High School, where she was a four-year varsity letterwinner and team captain in both cross country and track. She qualified for the MHSA Class A State XC Championships twice; her best finish at the state cross country meet was finishing 19^th as a junior in 2019.
 
Jessop's personal bests include a 2:37.52 in the 800 meters, 6:02.07 in the 1,600 meters, 13:37.0 in the 3,200 meters and a 20:39.0 5K in cross country. In addition, she won her team's most improved award in 2019 and the Blue Devil Award in 2020. Academically, she was an all-state selection in both cross country and track in all four years of high school.
 
Her older brother, Carson, is a men's distance runner on MSUB's cross country and track teams.

Woehl on Jessop: "I'm excited to have Anna join her older brother, Carson, on our team. Like all our newcomers, she'll be strengthening our pack and she will be in the mix to be one of our top five runners."
 
Jessop on choosing MSUB: "I chose MSUB because it offers the courses and degree I'd like to pursue. It is also where my older brother goes to school."
 

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Gaven McColloch
Hometown: Greybull, Wyoming
Previous School: Greybull High School
 
The reigning Wyoming 2A boys 3200 meter state champion, Gaven McColloch joins the team after a four-year cross country and track career at Greybull High School. During his career, McColloch earned all-conference honors three times and won two conference titles in the 1,600 and 3,200 meters as a senior. This past spring, McColloch also placed third in the 1,600 meters at the state meet – his best finish in the event at state.
 
While competing for Worland High School in cross country, McColloch competed at the state cross country meet three times, with his best finish being a 36^th place showing as a senior at the 2020 Wyoming 3A State Cross Country Championship. His high school personal bests include a 4:45.92 1,600, a 10:19.29 3,200 and a 17:45.3 5K in cross country. McColloch also played three years of varsity basketball at Greybull.
 
Woehl on McColloch: "Gaven had a great senior track season by PRing in the 1600 meters by nearly 30 seconds and then by almost 50 seconds in the 3200 meters. He's riding that momentum this summer and training well. He'll be a great addition our men's team and he'll make our pack stronger."
 
McColloch on choosing MSUB: "I had a goal of running collegiate track since I was in middle school. I also knew that I wanted to stay fairly close to home. I decided to visit MSUB in the spring of my senior year. I really liked the campus and the coaches, so I decided to sign with MSUB. MSUB has some good long-distance runners that will me improve my times by training with them and competing against them.
 

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Jordi Peiro
Hometown: Apple Valley, California
Previous School: Apple Valley High School/San Bernardino Valley College
 
A 2020 graduate of Apple Valley High School, Jordi Peiro arrives at MSUB after a four-year cross country and track career. Peiro's senior track season was cut short due to the pandemic, but Peiro led his team to the CIF Southern Section finals in cross country as a senior. In track, Peiro had two, top-10 finishes at the Mojave River League Finals meet in the 3,200 meters, plus he has personal bests of a 4:46.6 in the 1,600 meters, 10:15.03 in the 3,200 meters and a 15:59.1 three-mile in cross country.
 
Throughout his career, Peiro earned all-league honors in cross country, was named MVP of his cross country team as a freshman and was a team captain by his senior year. He also ran club cross country and track for the SoCal Roadrunners Club team, which included a 15:41.47, fifth-place finish at the 2016 USATF Southern California Association Junior Olympic Championships.
 
Woehl on Peiro: "Jordi is going to be a great fit with our men's squad. He truly loves to compete and has been working hard in his training and studies to be ready to roll this fall."
 
Peiro on choosing MSUB: "I chose MSUB because I feel like I will fit in and find the most success for myself at the school. The environment, staff and coaches were welcoming and motivating. It seemed like the place for me as soon as I stepped on campus when I visited. I can't wait to see what success I will find with my running and academics at MSUB."
 

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Izzy Siegle
Hometown: Glendive, Montana
Previous School: Dawson County High School
 
Izzy Siegle will compete for MSUB's cross country, triathlon and track teams after her prep career at Dawson County High School, where she was a four-time varsity track athlete and a three-time varsity cross country runner.
 
In cross country, her best finish at the MHSA Class A State XC Championships was 32^nd as a sophomore. As a senior, she was Dawson County's top finisher four times, including a three-race stint to close out the season. Siegle specialized in the 800 and 1,600 meters in track, plus she ran on Dawson County's 4x400 and 4x800 meter relays. Her best showing as an individual at the state track meet was placing 14^th in the 800 meters and 16^th in the 1,600 meters as a sophomore.
 
Her personal bests include a 2:31.73 in the 800 meters, a 5:52.61 in the 1,600 meters and a 21:24.6 5K in cross country. Siegle was also named MVP of her cross country team, won Dawson County High School's Seven-Letters Award (given to athletes who lettered in at least seven sports seasons) and earned academic honors.

Woehl on Siegle: "I'm excited to have Izzy join us this fall, and to see her compete for not only our cross country team, but also for our triathlon team. She's an accomplished swimmer and runner and has the drive to excel in college."
 
Siegle on choosing MSUB: "I chose MSUB because they have a great athletic department, as well as amazing credentials for my pending major. MSUB offers everything I strive for in my schooling, and the coaches and teachers are amazing at helping me on my path for success."
 

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Kit Wiersema
Hometown: Manhattan, Montana
Previous School: Manhattan High School
 
Kit Wiersema joins fellow Manhattan High School track recruit Madeline Severson, who will be part of MSUB's sprints/jumps squads for track in the spring. Wiersema, who was a four-sport varsity athlete in cross country, track and field, basketball and cheer, was an instrumental part in Manhattan winning three district track titles and a Class B state cross country title in 2018.
 
Individually in track, Wiersema placed 10^th in the 3,200 meters and 13^th in the 1,600 meters at the 2021 MHSA Class B State Track and Field Meet. Her best finish at the MHSA B State XC Championships came during her senior year, in which she placed 22^nd in Manhattan's second-consecutive, second-place team finish.
 
Her personal bests include 1:06.68 in the 400 meters, 2:37.90 in the 800 meters, 5:53.11 in the 1,600 meters, 13:21.52 in the 3,200 meters and a 21:33.0 5K in cross country. Additionally, she won academic all-state awards three times in track, three times in cross country, twice in basketball and once in cheer. This past spring, she graduated in the top 10 percent of her graduating class.

Woehl on Wiersema: "She is our second newcomer from Manhattan High School, joining her teammate, Madeline Severson. She's a strong runner and great student. I'm looking forward to have her compete for the 'Jackets on the track and in the classroom."
 
Wiersema on choosing MSUB: "My family and I always loved visiting Billings and how welcoming it is there. I have a brother who attended MSUB and he loved it. I had decided that MSUB is the best fit for me. I am excited to be part of the MSUB community and become a Yellowjacket."
 

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Abbi Zent
Hometown: Meridian, Idaho
Previous School: Cole Valley Christian School
 
Abbi Zent is the second Cole Valley Christian athlete joining the MSUB track program; she joins men's sprinter Ben Ralston from the state of Idaho. Zent was a three-sport varsity athlete and team captain in cross country, track and field and cheer at Cole Valley Christian.
 
During her track career, she ran every event from the 100 meters through the 800 meters — including both the 100 and 300 hurdles — and ran on Cole Valley Christian's 4x200, 4x400 and sprint medley relays. Most notably, in her first year running the 800 meters, she placed sixth at the 2021 2A IHSAA Track and Field Championships with a 2:29.09. In that same meet, she helped Cole Valley Christian's 4x200 and 4x400 meter relays place fifth, plus she anchored Cole Valley Christian's sprint medley relay team to a sixth-place finish.
 
Over in cross country, her best finish at the 2A IHSAA XC Championships was 41^st, as a senior. She also had two top-10 finishes at the district cross country meet, including a third-place finish as a sophomore.
 
Her personal bests in track include a 1:06.64 in the open 400 meters, a 2:28.55 in the 800 meters and a 21:29.0 5K in cross country. In the classroom, Zent earned academic excellence awards for three years in cheer, cross country and track.
 
Woehl on Zent: "Abbi is our second newcomer from Cole Valley Christian School, joining her track teammate, Ben Ralston. She is hardworking on the track and in the classroom and she will push her teammates to be their best in both."
 
Zent on choosing MSUB: "The location, the opportunity to continue pursuing athletics and the major I want made MSUB the right choice for me."