Nov. 21, 2002
University of Iowa women’s track coach James Grant announced Thursday thatfive prep athletes have signed National Letters of Intent. Shelley Langemeier, Monica Mims, ShannonStanley, Angie Hensel and Peaches Roach will join the Hawkeyes in the fall of 2003.
Langemeier, from Allience, NE, has placed in the top four in the Class B state cross country meetin each of the last three seasons. In track, she is a three-time state champion at the Nebraska State Trackand Field Championships. As a junior she took gold in the 1,600 and 3,200-meter runs, and won the3,200-meter as a sophomore.
“Shelly is a blue chip athlete that will impact our team immediately,” commented coach Grant.
Mims, from Iowa City, helped lead her Iowa City High cross country team to a pair of state titlesand two runner-up finishes at the Iowa State Cross Country Championships. In track, she is a two-timestate champion in both the distance and sprint medleys. Her distance medley team set the Iowa state highschool record. She was an All-American in the 4×800-meter relay and was a part of the champion 4x800team at the Drake Relays. Mims is a member of the National Honor Society and was also the captain ofthe City High girls basketball team.
“Monica will add depth to our team in events were we previously lacked depth. She is not asexperienced as some of our other athletes but she will become very competitive as she matures.”
Stanley, a native of Rochester, MI, is a three-year state cross country runner-up and is ranked theeighth best senior in the nation among prep cross country runners. She finished with a time of 17:31 inher runner-up 5K finish at the state championships her sophomore year. Stanley ran personal-bests of 2:12in the 800-meter run and 5:10 in the 1,600-meter run.
“Shannon is a highly visible athlete, evidenced by her top 25 ranking. She gives us another bluechip athlete in an event we so badly needed help in.”
“(Women’s cross country coach) Coach Angel did a fantastic job of recruiting three very talentedathletes in Langemeier, Stanley and Mims.”
Clinton, IA native Hensel is a former Drake Relays long jump champion and is expected to adddepth to Iowa’s field events.
“We are very excited to add another Iowa native to our team. Hensel will add good depth to ourfield events. She is a good long jumper and multi-event athlete, which is something we’ve needed forthree or four years.”
A native of Jamaica, Roach will contribute immediately to the Hawkeye’s field events. Roachplaced sixth at the Junior World Championships with a jump of one-meter, 83-centemeters.
“Peaches’ distances in the high jump speak for itself, as does championship competition. We arepleased to sign her to our program, she will make an immediate impact in our conference and in nationalcompetition.”
“This is probably the most competitive class we’ve signed since I’ve been here. We’ve had alarge class in the past but the competitiveness of this class is higher than those preceding it. We are nowin a position to realize the goals of the program.”