The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB Track And Field Signs Five
11/17/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
Nov. 17, 2005
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ----- UAB head track and field coach Ray Stanfield announced the signing of five athletes on Thursday. The Blazers received letters of intent from Christina Chambers, Lina Grincikaite, Katrina Harrell, Kristina Olsen and Thela Woodring.
Christina Chambers finished 15th at the 2005 State 5A Cross Country meet for Cullman High. Chambers finished second in the 300-meter hurdles and sixth in the 100-meter hurdles at the 2005 Alabama State Track & Field meet. Additionally, Chambers was seventh in the 400-meter dash. Chambers is a three-time qualifier for the state track meet in 300 hurdles.
"Christina is a very impressive runner," said Stanfield. "She has a wide range of events she can compete in. Christina is competitive in everything from the 400 meters to cross country distances. If we find the right event for Christina, I think she's going to be great for us. Another good thing is that she another Alabama girl and it's important to me to recruit in-state athletes."
Grincikaite is a native of Klaiteva, Lithuania and a multiple Lithuanian National Champion sprinter. She placed second in the European Junior Championships in the 100 meters and was fourth in the 200 meters. Grincikaite has already qualified in the 60 meters for the Indoor World Championships.
"Lina is obviously a great sprinter," Stanfield said. "She has broken all of the age-group records held by one of our assistant coaches, Agne Eggerth. Agne is a two-time Olympian and we foresee Lina having that kind of success."
One of the best sprinters in the state, Harrell is a Birmingham native out of Erwin High. She was the 2004 state champion in the 100 and 200 meters as a sophomore and placed third in the 200 meters her junior year. She is third all-time in Alabama High School history in the 100, with a time of 11.90. Additionally, Harrell is fifth in the 200, with a time of 24.54, tying current Blazer Stacey Adewakun's high school best.
"Katrina continues the streak of UAB signing some of the best sprinters in Alabama," said Stanfield. "We started the tradition of signing former state champions with both Oriana Carter and Stacey Adewakun and Katrina helps us continue that tradition. It is great to keep a star like Katrina home in Birmingham."
Olsen signs with UAB out of Jackson High in Jackson, Mich. She was 15th in the 2005 Michigan State Cross Country Championship and qualified for the state meet three-consecutive years. Olsen has won the county meet each of the last three years and has been an all-county selection for the last four years. Additionally, Olsen was all-area in 2002 and 2003. She also received all-state honors in 2003 and 2004 and was a member of the academic all-state team in 2003.
"Kristina is a great runner," Stanfield said. "She will vie for a top-five spot on our team immediately. We're very excited to have her on our squad."
Woodring attends T.L. Hanna High in Anderson, S.C., where she is a distance specialist. Woodring placed 10th in the 2005 Class 4A state meet as a senior and second in the regional meet. Additionally, Woodring ran the indoor and outdoor 3200 meters for Hanna.
"Thela is a great addition to our already great distance runners," said Stanfield. "She is able to compete in many different events and I expect her to run anything from the 3000- to 10000-meters for us."
