Huskies Add Three To 2018-19 Freshman Class
April 20, 2018 | Track & Field
SEATTLE – Washington track and field has added three athletes to its incoming class of 2018-19, as National Letters of Intent were signed this week by Samuel Care from Idaho, Alex Slenning from Oregon, and Washington native Karlee Stueckle.
The three new additions join six high school seniors who committed during the early period late last year. Care is a pole vaulter, Slenning a distance running standout, and Stueckle a hurdler adding to a family legacy.
Stueckle is following in her sisters' footsteps, as she is the younger sibling of recent Husky standouts Kayla (2014 grad) and Kimberly (2016 grad). Both sisters were Pac-12 finalists and Kayla was a two-time NCAA Championships semifinalist in the 400-meter hurdles.
Karlee established herself as one of the top 300-meter hurdlers nationally last season, as she ranked 26th in the U.S. and 10th among non-seniors with her PR of 42.33 seconds, which she set in a win at the Washington 4A state championships. Stueckle also won the 100-meter hurdles state title with a PR of 14.24 seconds, and she event completed a heptathlon last year, scoring 4,179 points to take third at the Washington State Multi-Events.
Stueckle was also a standout soccer player who originally planned to play soccer at Boise State. She scored 52 career goals and was a four-year All-League selection as well as All-Area First Team from the Tacoma News Tribune as a senior and the South Puget Sound League Offensive Player of the Year.
Slenning captured the Oregon 6A State Championships in cross country this past fall and finished 11th at the Nike BorderClash. He won the Portland Interscholastic League title as well as a senior and was third at the state meet as a junior. On the track, Slenning ran at UW's Dempsey Indoor this season, running a 3k in 8:36.96 to take second at the UW High School Invitational and taking fourth at the same meet in the 1,600m in 4:20.67. He has shown a lot of range, running everything from 4x400m relay carries to 800-meters up to the 3,000-meter steeplechase. As just a sophomore he had a 3k PR of 8:26.41 to take fifth at the Oregon state track meet.
Care has made big progress this season in the pole vault, and had a PR earlier this month of 16-1 at the Arcadia Invitational where he placed fourth. He also took second-place at the Oregon Relays with a 15-5 make. Care's 16-1 mark is currently tops in the state of Idaho.
2018 spring signees with comments from Head Coach Greg Metcalf and Assistant Coach Pat Licari
Samuel Care – Pole Vault – Boise, Idaho (Boise High School)
Coach Licari: "Samuel is a good, hard-working kid with a lot of raw talent. He is coached by Stacy Dragila, the former women's World Record-holder. He is long and lanky and is coming off a recent PR and I think he has a lot of potential and I'm excited to see what he can do."
Alex Slenning – Distances – Portland, Ore. (Wilson High School)
Coach Metcalf: "I watched Alex at the Nike Invitational in Portland in September last year where he took second, and he ran 8:26 for 3k as a sophomore and has some experience in the steeplechase. He didn't have a great junior year on the track but won the state cross country title this fall and people who know the state of Oregon said Alex is who we had to try and add to our team. I think he's a gifted and talented young man and he can impact soon."
Karlee Stueckle – Sprints/Hurdles – Puyallup, Wash. (Emerald Ridge High School)
Coach Metcalf: "Karlee visited us in the summer. Years ago she sat in their home when we made a visit to Kayla. The whole family was dressed in purple then. She's been to lots of Husky track meets and watched both of her sisters run. She initially committed to play soccer at Boise State and then had a change of heart. Not to put pressure on her but she might possibly be the most talented of the sisters. Kayla and Kimmie were both great teammates and great competitors and great students, and I think we will get another version of that. I think she's got a shot to break the Washington high school state record."
The three new additions join six high school seniors who committed during the early period late last year. Care is a pole vaulter, Slenning a distance running standout, and Stueckle a hurdler adding to a family legacy.
Stueckle is following in her sisters' footsteps, as she is the younger sibling of recent Husky standouts Kayla (2014 grad) and Kimberly (2016 grad). Both sisters were Pac-12 finalists and Kayla was a two-time NCAA Championships semifinalist in the 400-meter hurdles.
Karlee established herself as one of the top 300-meter hurdlers nationally last season, as she ranked 26th in the U.S. and 10th among non-seniors with her PR of 42.33 seconds, which she set in a win at the Washington 4A state championships. Stueckle also won the 100-meter hurdles state title with a PR of 14.24 seconds, and she event completed a heptathlon last year, scoring 4,179 points to take third at the Washington State Multi-Events.
Stueckle was also a standout soccer player who originally planned to play soccer at Boise State. She scored 52 career goals and was a four-year All-League selection as well as All-Area First Team from the Tacoma News Tribune as a senior and the South Puget Sound League Offensive Player of the Year.
Slenning captured the Oregon 6A State Championships in cross country this past fall and finished 11th at the Nike BorderClash. He won the Portland Interscholastic League title as well as a senior and was third at the state meet as a junior. On the track, Slenning ran at UW's Dempsey Indoor this season, running a 3k in 8:36.96 to take second at the UW High School Invitational and taking fourth at the same meet in the 1,600m in 4:20.67. He has shown a lot of range, running everything from 4x400m relay carries to 800-meters up to the 3,000-meter steeplechase. As just a sophomore he had a 3k PR of 8:26.41 to take fifth at the Oregon state track meet.
Care has made big progress this season in the pole vault, and had a PR earlier this month of 16-1 at the Arcadia Invitational where he placed fourth. He also took second-place at the Oregon Relays with a 15-5 make. Care's 16-1 mark is currently tops in the state of Idaho.
2018 spring signees with comments from Head Coach Greg Metcalf and Assistant Coach Pat Licari
Samuel Care – Pole Vault – Boise, Idaho (Boise High School)
Coach Licari: "Samuel is a good, hard-working kid with a lot of raw talent. He is coached by Stacy Dragila, the former women's World Record-holder. He is long and lanky and is coming off a recent PR and I think he has a lot of potential and I'm excited to see what he can do."
Alex Slenning – Distances – Portland, Ore. (Wilson High School)
Coach Metcalf: "I watched Alex at the Nike Invitational in Portland in September last year where he took second, and he ran 8:26 for 3k as a sophomore and has some experience in the steeplechase. He didn't have a great junior year on the track but won the state cross country title this fall and people who know the state of Oregon said Alex is who we had to try and add to our team. I think he's a gifted and talented young man and he can impact soon."
Karlee Stueckle – Sprints/Hurdles – Puyallup, Wash. (Emerald Ridge High School)
Coach Metcalf: "Karlee visited us in the summer. Years ago she sat in their home when we made a visit to Kayla. The whole family was dressed in purple then. She's been to lots of Husky track meets and watched both of her sisters run. She initially committed to play soccer at Boise State and then had a change of heart. Not to put pressure on her but she might possibly be the most talented of the sisters. Kayla and Kimmie were both great teammates and great competitors and great students, and I think we will get another version of that. I think she's got a shot to break the Washington high school state record."
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