FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 8, 2006 Lions announce more signees for women's track JOPLIN, Mo. - Missouri Southern State University head women's track & field/cross country coach Patty Vavra has announced the addition of four more signees. Chandra Cole (Neosho, Mo./College Heights Christian), Erica Culver (Garden City, Kan./Johnson County CC), Jestine Hayes (Warrensburg, Mo./Warrensburg HS) and Channell Lloyd (O'Fallon, Mo./Fort Zumwalt North HS) have signed with the MSSU program, Vavra said recently. Cole joins the Lions after a four-year track & field career at College Heights Christian Academy in Joplin, Mo., where she departs as the school record-holder in the 3200-meter run with her time of 11:28.84 that took her to third place in the 2006 Missouri Class 2 State Championships. Cole has earned all-state honors in the 3200 twice as she also finished sixth in the event in 2004. Additionally, she was part of the Cougars' state championship-winning 4x800-meter relay team that set the school record in 2004. In cross country, Cole competed in 2005 and was seventh at the Missouri Class 1 State Championships, helping College Heights to a second-place team finish. The daughter of Donald and Christy Cole, she intends to major in early childhood education at MSSU. Culver is transferring to MSSU from Johnson County Community College, where she was the NJCAA indoor pole vault champion in 2005 with a vault of 11 feet, 8 inches. At the 2006 NJCAA outdoor championships, Culver finished as national runner-up with a mark of 11-4.50. She finished her career at JCCC as a four-time regional and conference champion and a two-time team MVP. Culver was a four-year letterwinner in track & field at Garden City High School, where she set the school pole vault record. A nursing major, she is the daughter of Bill and Donna Culver. Hayes participates in the sprints and jumps and has recently concluded a prep career as a four-year letterwinner at Warrensburg High School. She has been a two-time all-state performer in the triple jump and a three-time all-state runner as part of WHS' 4x100-meter relay. Hayes, who is part of two school record relay teams (4x100 and 4x200), helped Warrensburg to three straight conference championships, back-to-back district crowns and the 2004 Missouri Class 3 title. Also a two-year basketball starter at WHS, she is the daughter of Tim and Renee Holey. Lloyd competes in both the hurdles and jumps and comes to Missouri Southern from Fort Zumwalt North High School. A Missouri Class 4 state qualifier in each of the last two years in both the 100- and 300-meter hurdles, Lloyd earned all-state honors with a fifth-place finish in the 300 hurdles in 2005. Also a Gateway Athletic Conference champion, she holds school records in the 100 hurdles (15.10) and long jump (17-2). Lloyd has also recorded a mark of 35-6 in the triple jump. She is the daughter of Ronnell and Rosalind Lloyd and intends to major in engineering business management. The four new additions join 10 other signees who inked with Southern during the November early signing period and April period. Missouri Southern women's track & field 2006-07 signees: Ashley Bunch, 5-7, distance/cross country, Loose Creek, Mo. (Linn HS) * Chandra Cole, 5-6, distance/cross country, Neosho, Mo. (College Heights Christian) * Erica Culver, 5-6, pole vault, Garden City, Kan. (Johnson County CC) * Jestine Hayes, sprints/jumps, Warrensburg, Mo. (Warrensburg HS) Victoria Kline, 5-7, distance/cross country, Miami, Okla. (Fairland HS) Ciara Lipsey, 5-9, pole vault, Wichita, Kan. (Maize HS) * Channell Lloyd, 5-8, hurdles/jumps, O'Fallon, Mo. (Fort Zumwalt North HS) Danielle Oliver, 5-4, sprints/jumps, Olivette, Mo. (Ladue Horton Watkins HS) Kayla Piley, 5-7, jumps/hurdles, Lamar, Mo. (Lamar HS) Kimi Shank, 5-3, distance/cross country, St. James, Mo. (Rolla HS) Erin Steffens, 5-4, throws, Festus, Mo. (Herculaneum HS) Courtney Waltbillig, 5-6, distance/cross country, Rogersville, Mo. (Logan-Rogersville HS) Ysatis Williams, 5-9, sprints/relays, St. Louis, Mo. (Ladue Horton Watkins HS) Jessie Wood, 5-8, jumps, Washington, Mo. (Washington HS) * newest signee announced June 8, 2006.