VANCOUVER, BC

May 15, 2011

With the BC High School Track and Field Championships just around the corner, the Thunderbirds are thrilled to announce three new signees for the 2011-12 season, Will Cliff, Jake Bruchet, and Njideka Obioha.

Each has had a storied high school career and will be looking to close the book on a high note at the grand finale, June 3-4, at Swanguard Stadium in Burnaby.

Will Cliff, of St. George's School (Vancouver), is one of the top prospects in cross country and distance running in the province. In 2009, as only a Grade 11 student, he placed third at the BC High School Cross Country Championships, and first among Grade 11s, leading the Saints to the team title. Then last November, he won the individual title at BCs in Victoria, and lead St. George's to another team title.

So far this year, Cliff has ran 9:36.27 in the 3200-meters - roughly equivalent to 8:54 for the 3000-meters - at the Shoreline Invitational, in Shoreline, Washington, and will be looking to earn his first medal on the track come June. Cliff will study in the renowned Sauder School of Business.

Out of Elgin Park Secondary (White Rock), Jake Bruchet burst onto the running scene at last year's BC High School Championships, winning the 2000-meter steeplechase as an underdog, and only a Grade 11 student. Bruchet was also 11th in the 3000-meters at BC High Schools last year, and fifth in the BC High School Cross Country Championships last fall. He ran for Team BC at the Legion Championships last summer, placing fourth in the 2000-meter steeplechase, at 6:09.39, and at the Canadian Cross Country Championships as a member of the junior men's team.

At the Oregon Relays in April, Bruchet ran 8:57.20 in the 3000-meters on Friday, and then 4:06.43 in the 1500-meters on Saturday. He will study in the School of Human Kinetics. Jake is also the younger brother of Luc Bruchet - a four-time BC High School Champion, and current T-Bird entering his third year this September.

For Meadowridge School (Maple Ridge) senior Njideka Obioha, 2009 was a coming-out year. That year she won the long jump (5.70-meters), 4x100-meters (48.67-seconds), and was third in the 100-meters (12.28-seconds) and 200-meters (25.22-seconds) at the Legion Championships in the 15-year-old category. At BCs in 2009, she was third in the 100-meters, running 12.47-seconds, third in the long jump, leaping 5.24-meters, and fourth in the 200-meters, in 25.92-seconds. Obioha also ran a personal best of 12.18-seconds in the 100-meters.

Her accomplishments earned her the BC Athletics 2009 Female Track & Field Athlete of the Year award for her age. In 2010 Obioha was injured and did not compete at BCs or major championships. Healthy now, it will be exciting to follow her progress this year. She will be studying alongside Bruchet in the School of Human Kinetics.

RECRUITING CLASS TO DATE

Cliff, Bruchet, and Obioha join the growing list of incoming recruits that already includes Maria Bernard (middle-distance) of Calgary, AB, Devan Wiebe (sprints/middle-distance) of Vancouver, BC, and Jack Williams (middle-distance) of White Rock, BC.

Marek Jedrzejek

Head Coach

UBC Track & Field/Cross Country

604 822-6259

Please note my new e-mail address:

[email protected] effecting immediately