The Lewis & Clark College Department of PE & Athletics is preparing to welcome in a class of talented first-year student athletes. With more students committing to Lewis & Clark every day, the Pioneers already have 102 recruited student-athletes who have paid deposits to attend the school in the fall. This is over a 100% increase above the number of new student-athletes that arrived on Palatine Hill last fall. In addition to these 54 female and 48 male recruits, there are another 70 non-recruited students who will also be attending the College who have expressed an interest in participating in one of the Pioneers’ 19 varsity sports.

The incoming student-athletes have a very impressive academic and athletic profile and come from 28 different states and the District of Columbia. Among the 102 recruited athletes, there are eight valedictorians and thirteen with a 4.0 GPA. On average, this group is in the upper 20% of their class, has a grade point average of 3.6 and scored nearly 1280 on the SAT.

The student-athletes have collectively earned 47 first team all-league, 11 second team all-league, and 27 all-district honors. They also have 12 all-state designations, 11 conference MVP awards. 17 received scholar-athlete awards. In a leadership role, the incoming class has 43 terms as team captain and 25 team MVP’s among them.

The Pioneer women’s basketball team, who finished in a tie for third-place in the Northwest Conference last season, replace their three graduating seniors with four talented newcomers. Jennifer Haskell from Murphys, Calif., was a key contributor to the league champion Bret Harte High team. Hasketll was the co-MLL League Outstanding Player her senior season.

Christina Herring of San Dimas, Calif. was her team MVP, league MVP, and an Inland Valley All-Star playing at Vivian Webb High School.

Maegan Bright, a 5-10 small forward from Lutheran High in Santa Ana, Calif., was named all-league in her junior and senior years as well as being named to the all-tournament teams at the Marina Classic and Lady Rebel Classic.

Heather Jones was a two-time first team all-league player form Ceres, Calif. At Ceres High, Jones was also named the 2007 league MVP.

Also coming to Lewis & Clark are Liz Johnson (Skyline High School, Salt Lake City, Utah) and Tealah Sampson (Ritzville High, Ritzville, Wash.).