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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Each of the six hail from the state of Missouri with four from the Southwest Missouri area. Jake Whillock is a 5-11, 145 pound cross country and track athlete from Lebanon High School in Lebanon, Mo. He ran for coach Teresa Moore while prepping for the Yellow Jackets and also participated in soccer and basketball while at LHS. Whillock was an All-Conference and All-District performer, while being named All-State. He helped his cross country team at Lebanon to a third-place finish in both 2006 and 2007 and a fourth-place finish in 2008. He finished 20th individually at the state cross country meet and is part of the school-record holding 4x800m team. The son of Jerl Whillock and Eva Danek, Jake is undecided on his future major at Southern. Warren Miller is a 5-10, 150 pound distance runner from East Newton High School in Granby, Mo. He ran for coaches Mark Van Slyke and Jake Holt and helped the Patriots to a 2007 Conference and District Championship in cross country and a track, as well as a cross country Conference title in 2008. Miller also participated in basketball at East Newton, but shined on the cross country course where he was an All-Conference selection in 2007 and 2008, as well as being named All-District in 2008. He was also a member of the conference champion 4x800m relay team. The son of James and Debra Miller, Warren is planning on majoring in business at Southern. Adrian Liddell is a 5-8, 143 pound distance runner from Soldan High School in St. Louis, Mo. A four-year letter winner in cross country, Liddell also lettered in basketball, baseball and track for the Tigers. Liddell was his team's MVP in each his sophomore and junior seasons on the baseball diamond, as well as being named the cross country team MVP in his freshman sophomore and senior campaigns. He holds the school record for a 5k cross country race and was a state qualifier in cross country in both his sophomore and senior seasons. The son of Brian and Jeanne Liddell, Adrian plans on majoring in accounting at Southern. Andrew Phoebus is a 6-0, 165 pound pole vaulter out of Lee's Summit High School in Lee's Summit, Mo. A four year letter-winner for the Titan's, Phoebus was a first-team All-Conference selection in both his sophomore and junior seasons, winning the conference title each year. He was an All-District, All-Sectional and All-State selection in 2008, while claming the district title as a junior. Cory Prince is a 6-2, 160 pound jumper from Hillcrest High School in Springfield, Mo. Prince participated in track, while also earning letters in football, baseball and swimming for the Hornets. A state qualifier in the triple jump, he placed 12th as a junior and holds a personal best of 44 feet, one and three quarter inches in the event. The son of Roy and Donna Prince, Cory plans on majoring in business at Southern. Daniel (DJ) Bland is a 6-0, 175 pound decathlete that transfers to Southern from Coffeyville Community College, the same school that current Southern All-American decathlete Philip Horn came from. A native of El Dorado High School in El Dorado, Missouri, Bland was a five-time state qualifier in track and was four-times named All-State. He continued his success at Coffeyville where he was a four-time national qualifier and was an All-American in the decathlon. The son of Kevin and Darcy Bland, DJ plans on majoring in business at Southern. Rutledge plans on up to four more signings before the period ends. |