LCSC signs cross country runner from Mount Angel, Ore.

2-26-07 

LEWISTON, Idaho – Eva Vaquera, a senior at Kennedy High School in Mount Angel, Ore., has signed a national letter of intent to run for the Lewis-Clark State College women’s cross country team this fall, LCSC coach Mike Collins has announced.

Vaquera has built up an impressive running resume that includes First Team All-State Cross Country her junior and senior seasons after finishing fourth and sixth, respectively, at the state meet. Collins says her senior year finish may be the bigger of the two accomplishments as the state meet was only her third meet after being held out most of the year with a knee injury.

Vaquera also represented the state of Oregon in the Nike Borderclash race her junior year.  In addition, she was her district champion in 2005, holds her school record for 5 kilometers and was the team’s captain this past year.

She competed in track as a junior for the first time and finished eighth at the state meet in the 3,000 meters, and 10^th in the 1,500. She was voted her team’s most valuable athlete.

Vaquera also serves as student body secretary at Kennedy, is a member of the National Honor Society, and volunteers with Habitat for Humanity.  She has a high school GPA over 3.75.

“We are excited about Eva coming to the program,” Collins says. “Obviously she is a very talented young lady.  However, what most people don’t know is she has been running less than two years and her performance at state cross country this past year was on extremely limited training.  I think a lot of coaches overlooked this young lady and I am sure it won’t take too long into the fall season before they realize this.  She will undoubtedly have an impact on our program immediately and long term.”