April 30, 2004
Iowa City, IA – Iowa women’s track and field Head Coach James Grant has announced the addition of four recruits to the Hawkeye program. Lisa Bonistalli, Molly Esche, Kineke Alexander and Ashley Granger will join the team for the 2004 cross country season and 2004-05 track and field season.
Bonistalli, a Naperville, IL, native, was the Illinois state runner-up in cross country last fall with a state record time of 16:49 for three miles. Her second place finishing time was the fifth best three mile time in the nation.
Esche, a native of Waukesha, WI, is also the sister of current Hawkeye runner Matt Esche. She finished 14th at the 2003 Wisconsin State Cross Country Championships and plans to major in pre-veterinarian medicine curriculum.
Alexander will be joining the Hawkeyes from the islands of St. Vincent and Grenadines in the West Indies. Alexander is considered one of the top youth sprinters in North America and according to Coach Grant will be “a fitting replacement for Shellene Williams.” She recently competed in the 400 meters at the Carifta Championships in Bermuda where she placed second with a time of 53.83. This time would put her in third place on Iowa’s all-time best performance list in the 400 meters.
Granger, who is the younger sister of current Hawkeye volleyball player Lastascia Granger, will be a spring specialist. She was runner-up at both the Drake Relays and the Iowa state high school championships in the 100 meters in 2003. Granger anchored the winning 4×100 meter relay at the state meet in 2003 as well.
“These fine young athletes will add depth and talent to our program,” Coach Grant said. “Lisa and Molly will also contribute to the cross country teams. All four of these girls have been performing very well this spring and we are looking forward to them competing as Hawkeyes”
Bonistalli, Esche, Alexander and Granger join Meghan Armstrong, Jessica Schmidt, Shirlene Duncan, Natalie Dyke, Kaitie Johnson and Jenni Elbert who committed during the early signing period this fall.