CHADRON, Neb. -- November 17, 2016 -- A trio of new runners will join Chadron State College cross country in the fall of 2017 after signing National Letters of Intent with the college in the fall early signing period, according to CSC head cross country coach Brian Medigovich.

The one male athlete and two women are Hunter Kratz of Seward, Alaska, Whitney Riesen of Scottsbluff, Nebraska, and Emma Willadsen of Eaton, Colorado.

Kratz follows Riley Howard, a freshman from the Land of the Midnight Sun, as the second Alaskan to join the Eagle program in as many years. He has finished in the top-three individually in his state cross country meet each of the last three seasons, placing second in 2015 and 2016. In 2014 he helped his team to second place by taking third individually. A six-time Alaska track and field state placer, he won the 800 meter title as a junior at the state championships. Kratz has run a personal best of 15:54.1 in cross country at the 5000 meter distance.

Riesen is coming off three straight top-10 finishes at the Nebraska state meet, including a runner-up title this fall. She has led her team to three straight top-three finishes as well. Her personal best of 18:54.4 as a high school senior would have been the No. 10 seasonal 5k record on file with CSC cross country had she been already competing in college. She has qualified twice each for the state track and field meet in the 1600 meters and the 3200 meters, and placed fifth as a sophomore and third as a junior in the 3200. She is also a cousin of Ashley Riesen, who was on the inaugural CSC cross country team in 2012 

Willadsen, a top-20 runner in Colorado for 2016, continues a tradition of Eaton Reds who have migrated north to compete with Chadron State track and field. In her regional meet in Colorado, she was fourth this season after finishing as runner up her junior year. In track and field, she is a six-time state placer having landed in the top eight at both 800 meters and 1600 her freshman year, and again her sophomore year. Her junior year she took fifth in the 800 meters and was on the third-place 4x800 relay team. She led her team to a ranking of eighth at the 2015 CHSAA cross country championships.

All three look to have productive senior track and field seasons before joining CSC next summer.