July 8, 2005

FAIRFAX, Va. - Five athletes have signed National Letters of Intent to join the George Mason University women's track and field and cross country teams, beginning in the 2005-06 season, head coach Angie Taylor announced Friday.

Among the freshmen signees are Murielle Ahoure, Ryann Hendricks, Brittanie Williams, Jonecia Gates, and Stephanie Gunter. Three others, Whitney Slaybaugh, Crystal Lawrence and Jessica Reinhardt, are also expected to contribute to the team.

"I am very excited about this incoming class," mentioned Coach Taylor. "All of the young women will make a huge impact on the team and once again put us in position to challenge for the Colonial Athletic Association championship."

Ahoure attended nearby Hayfield High School in Northern Virginia. A sprinter, she is a 2004 and 2005 Washington Post first-team all-Metropolitan outdoor track and field selection and garnered first-team honors as a 2004-05 indoor athlete. As a junior, Ahoure set school records in the 100m (12.05 seconds) and 200m (24.97) dashes, and set a Patriot District meet record with a time of 12.33 in the prelims of the 100. She was the 100m champ at the 2005 Obie Calhoun Invitational and the 2005 Wolverine Invitational and has run personal-best times of 11.96 in the 100 and 24.97 in the 200. Ahoure finished third overall in the 100m and placed in the top five in the 200m at the 2005 Virginia High School League (VHSL) Group AAA state meet.

Hendricks, who hails from Chicago, Ill. and graduated from Chicago Christian High School, is expected to compete in the long and triple jump competitions as well as the sprints. She won the 2005 Illinois girls Class A state championship in the long jump (18-02.75) and triple jump (38-03.00) and placed fifth in the 200m in a time of 25.77. At the 2005 Iowa Association of Track Coaches Senior Spotlight All-Star track meet that features the top athletes from Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin, Hendricks once again captured individual titles in the long jump (18-11.75) and the triple jump (39-05.50), setting meet records in both events.

Williams attended Armstrong High School in the Richmond, Va. area and should see action in the jumps and hurdles. One of the top jumpers in the state, Williams qualified for the Nike Outdoor Scholastic High School National meet, placing in the top 10 in the high jump and top 15 in the triple jump. She finished third in the high jump and fifth in the triple jump at the 2005 VHSL girls Class AAA indoor state meet and was third overall (37-04.25) in the triple jump at the 2005 VHSL outdoor meet. Williams has personal best indoor marks of 5-08.00 in the high jump, 17-07.00 in the long jump and 38-06.50 in the triple, while her outdoor bests are 5-08.00 (HJ), 17-02.00 (LJ) and 37-10.00 (TJ).

Gates was a teammate of Williams' at Armstrong High School and the duo will continue to compete together at Mason. Gates is slated to participate in the heptathlon and 400m hurdles.

Gunter is a 2005 second-team all-Prince George's County selection from The Star/Gazette newspapers. A former student at Oxon Hill High School in Maryland, Gunter will run middle distance and cross country for Mason.

Slaybaugh attended Biglerville High School in Pennsylvania. She will join Gunter on the cross country team and compete in the 800m run. Slaybaugh finished second in the 800m run with a time of 2:25.47 at the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association District III Class AA meet. She was also a 2004 York Daily Record Girls' Cross Country honorable mention all-star selection.

Lawrence is from nearby Manassas, Va. and graduated from Osbourn Park High School. She has run outdoor personal bests this season of 26.34 in the 200m dash and 1:01.65 in the 400m. She is expected to compete in those events as a Patriot.

Reinhardt is from Holy Names High School in New York, N.Y. She will participate in the high jump.