ELON, N.C. – The Elon University cross country program announced the additions four talented student-athletes in its early fall signing period year as released by Phoenix head coach
Nick Polk on Wednesday, December 30.
Elon welcomes the quartet of Melissa Anastasakis (St. Theresa High School, Hillsdale, Ontario), Molly Offstein (Mountain Ridge High School/Frostburg, Md.) and Sophia Tasselmeyer (East Aurora High School/East Aurora, N.Y.) on the women's side and Richie Kasper (Robbinsville High School/Robbinsville, N.J.) on the men's team. The four commits are slated to join the program in the fall of 2016.
"I am very excited about our incoming class," said Polk. "We are constantly working towards taking this program to the next level and I believe this class can help us do that. Elon cross country has a bright future."
Melissa Anastasakis • St. Theresa High School • Hillsdale, Ontario
Personal Bests: 800m – 2:14.98 • 1500m – 4:36.19 • 3000m – 9:59.92 Anastasakis was a three-time cross country and track and field MVP at St. Theresa under head coach Mark Macdonald. She was a four-time Provincial Championships qualifier in cross country and a three-time Provincial Championships qualifier in the 1,500-meters. She also was on the honor roll from 2012-2015 and was the 2014 recipient of the Service Above Self award from the Rotary Club.
Molly Offstein • Mountain Ridge High School • Frostburg, Md.
Personal Bests: 800m – 2:17.70 • 1600m – 5:05.80 • 3200m – 10:50.01 Offstein arrives from Mountain Ridge High School and holds the school-records in the 1,600-meters, the 3,200-meters, three-mile run and as a part of the 4x400-meter and 4x800-meter relay teams. She has received All-State recognition every year of her career and was named the 2015 Track Runner of the Year. She also earned the 2014 Cross Country Student-Athlete of the Month and Runner of the Year by the
Cumberland Times. She earned National Elite times for her performances in the 1,600-meters, 3,200-meters, three-mile and the 5K. She also competed at the New Balance Nationals in 2014.
Sophia Tasselmyer • East Aurora High School • East Aurora, N.Y.
Personal Bests: 1500m – 4:41.88 • 3000m – 10:02.69 • 5000m – 17:16.01 • 5K (XC) – 17:40 Tasselmyer is the daughter of Nancy Morell and Phillip Tasselmyer. She finished eighth in the 5,000-meters at the New Balance Outdoor Nationals in 2014 and was 21
st overall at the Nike Cross Nationals in 2013. At East Aurora High School under head coach Walt McLaughlin, she has been first team All-Conference, All-County, All-Region and All-State for cross country and first team All-Conference and All-State for outdoor track and field.
She intends to major in sport and event management at Elon.
Richie Kasper • Robbinsville High School • Robbinsville, N.J.
Personal Bests: 1600m – 4:24 • 3200m – 9:35 • 5K (XC) – 15:41 Kasper competed at Robbinsville High School where he was a four-year letterwinner in cross country and outdoor track and lettered for three years in indoor track. He has been a two-time first team All-Conference honoree in cross country and received first team All-County honors during his senior season. Kasper also qualified for the New Balance Eastern Regionals during indoor track in the two-mile run and also for the New Balance Nationals Championship race in the 4xmile relays.
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