University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Cross Country Announces 2024 Signing Class
08.15.2024 | Cross Country
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – The UNC Asheville cross country team has announced its 2024 incoming class, which consists of eight incoming women and seven men.
"As a coaching staff, we are very excited for both our men's and women's incoming class this year," said Head Coach Adam Puett. "On both teams, we not only brought in more depth but quality athletes to help us keep improving in the Big South Conference and the NCAA Southeast Region. Like our previous incoming class, we not only recruited athletes from North Carolina and the Southeast but from all over the United States and the world. I know these student-athletes are going to do great things as Bulldogs and I am looking forward to seeing them grow into successful student-athletes at UNC Asheville."
- Freshman newcomer from Riga, Latvia
- Major: Psychologist
- Athletic Awards/Notable Accomplishments:
- Latvia U20 Champion: 400m & 800m (outdoor) | 400 (indoor)
- Baltic U20 Champion: 800m
- Baltic U20 Vice-Champion: 800m
- Estonian Cup Vice-Champion: 800m
- Favorite Professional Athlete: Keely Hodgkinson
- Favorite Food: Sushi
- Favorite Movie: The Notebook
- Who Inspires You?: Family & Friends
- Freshman newcomer from Clayton, N.C.
- Attended Clayton High School
- Major: Health and Wellness Science
- Athletic Awards/Notable Accomplishments:
- All-Conference Runner 2023
- Conference Runner of the Year 2023
- School Record Holder (5K)
- State Qualifier (2023)
- Favorite Professional Athlete: Katelyn Touhy
- Favorite Food: Baked Ziti
- Favorite Movie: Mamma Mia
- Who Inspires You?: My grandparents and teammates inspire me to work hard every day.
- Freshman newcomer from Erie, Colorado
- Attended Erie High School
- Major: Biology
- Athletic Awards/Notable Accomplishments:
- 1x track all-state second-team
- 1x track all-state honorable mention
- 4x academic first team for track and cross country
- Favorite Professional Athlete: Anna Hall
- Favorite Food: Pasta
- Favorite Movie: The Hunger Games
- Who Inspires You?: My High School Coach, Coach Harvard
- Freshman from Asheville, North Carolina
- Attended Asheville Christian Academy
- Major: Mass Communications
- Athletic Awards/Notable Accomplishments:
- 800 state champion
- 4x4 state champion
- 4x800 runners up
- Favorite Professional Athlete: Athing Mu
- Favorite Food: Pizza
- Favorite Movie: How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
- Who Inspires You?: My Dad
Aneta Kučerová
- Freshman from Benešov, Czech Republic
- Attended Gymnasium Benesov
- Major: Business or Health & Wellness
- Athletic Awards/Notable Accomplishments:
- 2nd place in World cross country tour – bronze level (International cross
- country race) 5000m in Italy (2023)
- 5th place in Olympiaberg Cross München 3300 m, Munich Germany (2023)
- 4th place in 3k steeplechase on the International Match U23 in Poland (2024)
- 5th place Czech national championships 3k Steeplechase 2024
- Competing in European road race under 20 (2023)
- 2nd place in Indoor National Championship 3000 m (2023)
- 2nd place in Championship of Czech teams (2023)
- Favorite Professional Athlete: Jakob Ingebrigtsen, Femke bol, Davis, Hodgkinson, Katie Moon, Tamberi, Alica Schmidt, and many others…
- Favorite Food: oatmeal, fruit, goat and sheep products
- Favorite Movie: True Spirit
- Who Inspires You?: My Family
- Freshman from Cary, North Carolina
- Attended Cary High School
- Major: Computer Science
- Athletic Awards/Notable Accomplishments:
- 25th at Adidas XC Challenge in 2022 and 3rd as a team
- 11th at NCRunners Elite XC Invitational and 2nd as a team
- 17th Place at Wendy's XC Meet in 2023
- 9th at the Indoor Snowball Invitational for the 1k in 2023
- Favorite Professional Athlete: Simone Biles
- Favorite Food: Tofu
- Favorite Movie: Cars 2
- Who Inspires You?: My teammates
- Freshman from Wilmington, North Carolina
- Attended Laney High School
- Major: Business
- Athletic Awards/Notable Accomplishments:
- Most improved Award
- All-Conference first team two years in a row for track, 2nd team all-conference for cross country two years in a row.
- Favorite Professional Athlete: Parker Valby
- Favorite Food: Crab
- Favorite Movie: How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
- Who Inspires You?: My Dad
- Freshman from Charlottesville, Virginia
- Attended Albemarle High School
- Major: Chemistry
- Athletic Awards/Notable Accomplishments:
- Varsity state team cross country runner all 4 years
- Placed 12th in the 2023 cross country state meet
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- Freshman newcomer from Asheville, N.C.
- Attended TC Roberson High School
- Major: Biochemistry
- Favorite Professional Athlete: Kevin Durant
- Favorite Food: Hamburger
- Favorite Movie: Good Burger
- Freshman newcomer from Lafayette, Colorado
- Attended Centaurus High School
- Major: Health Sciences
- Athletic Awards/Notable Accomplishments:
- 3X All-American
- NCAC Conference Champion
- State & National Qualifier
- BOCO Champion
- Favorite Professional Athlete: Lewis Hamilton
- Favorite Food: BBQ Ribs
- Favorite Movie: The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
- Who Inspires You?: My Grandpa
- Freshman newcomer from Christiansburg, Virginia
- Attended Christiansburg High School
- Major: Health and Wellness
- Athletic Awards/Notable Accomplishments:
- Two Cross Country State Championship Appearances
- Two All-Region Awards
- Favorite Professional Athlete: Cole Hocker
- Favorite Food: Sushi
- Favorite Movie: Toy Story 3
- Who Inspires You?: Deadpool
- Freshman newcomer from Keringet, Nakuru, Kenya
- Attended St Anthony Boys High School- Kitale
- Major: Business Management & Administration
- Who Inspires You?: My Dad
- Freshman newcomer from Chapel Hill, North Carolina
- Attended Chapel Hill High School
- Favorite Professional Athlete: Geordie Beamish
- Favorite Food: Nigiri
- Favorite Movie: Rushmore
- Who Inspires You?: Ryan Crouser
- Freshman newcomer from Franklin, North Carolina
- Attended Franklin High School
- Major: Environmental Science
- Athletic Awards/Notable Accomplishments:
- 4 x All-Conference
- 3 x All-Region
- 23/24 CC Regional Champion
- 23/24 CC Franklin High School Record Holder
- 2020-2021 Cross Country Panther Award
- 2 x Cross Country MVP
- Favorite Professional Athlete/Who Inspires You?: Nikki Hiltz
- Favorite Food: Chicken Alfredo
- Favorite Movie: Speed Racer
- Transferred from Queens
- Native of Black Mountain, North Carolina
- Major: Environmental Management
- Athletic Awards/Notable Accomplishments:
- Two-time State Champion
- Favorite Professional Athlete: Yared Nuguse
- Favorite Food: Japanese
- Favorite Movie: One Piece
- Who Inspires You?: My moms
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