Lewis-Clark State College cross country coach Mike Collins has signed three more recruits for next season, including two from the state of Montana, to bring his recruiting total to 13 freshmen who have signed with the two teams for next season. 

Signing with the men’s team is Andy Keim, a senior at Havre High School in Havre, Mont., and joining the women’s team will be Tayler Harringon, a senior at South Medford High School in Medford, Ore., and Debra Gleim from West High School in Billings, Mont. 

The LCSC men’s team finished No. 18 at the NAIA national meet last season, while the women were No. 19. Both teams cruised to Frontier Conference titles. 

Along with the 13 freshmen, LCSC also has signed two transfers and Collins says he expects to add a third transfer in the fall. 

“We have never had this kind of interest in our program before when it comes to recruiting,” says Collins, who has coached at LCSC for 11 years.  “Not only this kind of interest but the quality of recruit when it comes to character, academics, and running talent.  We are happy to announce the signing of three more recruits to letters of intent for the 2008-09 season and all three are very high in these three qualities.” 

Collins says Keim is an extremely talented young man that not many may realize how talented he is. 

“So we feel very fortunate that he has decided to come to LCSC to continue his running and academics,” Collins says.  “He has been an All-State performer in cross country and track his freshman, sophomore and junior seasons.  He has run 16:01 for three miles (Montana does not run 5K), 9:56 for 3,200 meters and 4:33 for 1,600 meters.  All very good times, especially considering that those times were run at altitude, a performance limiter for distance runners.” 

Gleim has run under 19 minutes for three miles, again at altitude.  

“Debra has a great person to vouch for her as well as her high school coach is Lauren Wright, a former LC runner who earned six all-American awards in cross country and track while earning her degree here at Lewis-Clark State,” Collins says. 

Harrington has been a very sought after runner in the Pacific Northwest and beyond, Collins says.  

“I know she has traveled to and/or visited with over 20 different schools and we are very excited that she chose us over all of the others,” Collin says.  “Tayler brings with her all of the things we are looking for and very importantly, her experience running is very limited, which is likely why many schools in addition to LCSC were vying for her.  She did not start running cross country until her junior year after being a soccer player.  She got injured that year of cross and subsequently improved over two minutes for 5K her senior season.  We think she is only going to get better.  She has a great personality and I am extremely confident that she is going to make the team better through her running, but also through a lot of other things that often get overlooked when building a team. 

 “Next year’s teams will undoubtedly be one of the deepest, if not the best team(s) we have ever had.  Should be pretty exciting.  We are already looking forward to it.”