LONDON, Ont. - The Western Mustangs track and field program has landed another outstanding recruit with the commitment of Caroline Ehrhardt of Espanola, Ont.
Canada's top junior women's long and triple jumper decided to come to Western this summer after turning down a full athletic scholarship at Oklahoma. She made the decision after Oklahoma's jumps coach resigned.
Ehrhardt says the commitment of top recruit world junior long jump bronze medalist and national junior long jump champion Taylor Stewart helped with her decision.
"Taylor being at Western was a huge pro for me while I was weighing my options," Ehrhardt says. "Not so much because of the success he has had this year but more so because it will be good to have someone to train with who has the same goals and is at the same level nationally."
"It's also kind of reassuring to know that the program that the Western coaches have him on is working for him," Ehrhardt adds. "It allows me to have more confidence coming in which is really good."
Ehrhardt joins a solid recruiting class including Stewart, pole vaulter Matt Diston (OFSAA gold medalist), shot putter Drew Welch (junior national team member), 400m/800m runners Evan Porter and Matt Muldoon (Ontario junior 800-metre champion), and high jumpers Courtney Olah (OFSAA bronze medalist) and Jennifer Pitman (from Nova Scotia).
"Our women's team had a great recruiting year, but we have lost four CIS medalists due to graduation including multi-event winner Jen Cotten," says Mustangs track and field head coach Vickie Croley. "Although the loss of these athletes will be felt, we still return six (female) athletes who finished eighth or better at CIS nationals in 2010."
Those Mustangs include two triple jumpers - second-team All-Canadian Alicia Smith and bronze medalist Mila Simulik - along with Sarah Sylvester and Katie Kaiser who finished ninth and 10th respectively.
Fourth-year long jumper Morgan Hall and what Croley calls the "the best ever rookie class of horizontal jumpers" including Ehrhardt, Jodian Daley, Katie Flemington and Kristen Bujnowski will help the Mustangs as well.
"Western should be a dominant force in the horizontal jumps at both the OUA and CIS Championships," Croley says. "The jumps will be our strength but we should have enough strength in the sprints/relays, hurdles, pole vault, high jump and throws to be a darkhorse for a CIS medal finish."
"They (the recruits) all have the ability to contribute right away and some of them are coming off of outstanding high school and summer seasons," Croley says.
Ehrhardt is a multiple OFSAA champion, and set the national high school triple jump record at her final OFSAA championship.
"I decided that I would be more comfortable at Western with Vickie than I would have been in Oklahoma with a new coach that I have never met," Ehrhardt says. "I decided to come to Western because I knew I could trust Vickie with my training."
Croley says she is excited about Ehrhardt's potential.
"I believe she is the best young female talent in the long and triple jump combination that we have ever seen in Canada," Croley says.
Ehrhardt says she is excited about the season ahead, adding her goals for her rookie season are to break the CIS triple jump record and compete at the Pan-Am junior games.
"Beyond that I would like to compete internationally at the senior level, whether it be at a world championships or Olympic Games," Ehrhardt says. "And then one day, I would like to retire as the Canadian record holder in triple jump."
"Above everything, I just want to keep doing what makes me happy and to be a role model for young girls."
