PRINCETON, N.J. (6/23/09) – Princeton Men’s Cross Country and Track and Field coaches Fred Samara and Steve Dolan are proud to announce Princeton’s 2009 recruiting class. 

“This is one of Princeton’s finest classes ever, in fact it may be one of the Ivy League’s finest in years,” head track and field coach Fred Samara said. Samara entering his 32nd year at Princeton was pleased with the number of nationally-ranked student-athletes among the incoming freshmen.

National high school record holder in the 25 lb. weight and hammer, Conor McCullough heads the list. “We are extremely happy to have Conor joining us. We believe Princeton will be the perfect place for Conor to continue his tremendous career.” Joining Conor in the throws will be Matt Kann, from Fox Chapel (Pa.) who was the 2008 Penn Relays discus champion.

German speedster, Sebastian Steffen who boasts blazing sprint times of 10.56 in the 100 meters and 20.86 in the 200 meters will make an immediate impact. Los Alamos, New Mexico’s Jason Reagor, who has times of 10.78 and 22.04, respectively, will join him. Multi-talented Richard Sheldon out of Episcopal (Baton Rouge, La.) ran an impressive 13.88 in the 110-meter hurdles to win the Louisiana State Championship this spring. The Princeton long sprints group adds Russell Dinkins from Wilbraham & Monson Academy (Mass.). Dinkins has personal bests of 47.66 at 400 meters and 1:51.92 at 800 meters as a prep.  Dinkins will be a great addition to an already formidable 4x400 team. 

Princeton fortified their middle distance corps with the addition of numerous talented runners. Nathan Mathabane from Lincoln, Ore., is among the national leaders in the 800 meters at 1:51.88 and 1,500 meters at 3:50.58. He will be joined by the impressive upstart of Peter Callahan from North Shore Country Day (Ill.). Callahan’s meteoric season ended up with 1:51.22 800 meters and a remarkable 4:05.20 mile. Callahan and Mathabane will give the Tigers an outstanding frosh one-two punch.  Rounding out the middle distance group and potential nationally-ranked relay unit will be Pennsylvania 1600-meter champion Michael Palmisano, out of Upper Dublin (Pa.). Palmisano has personal bests of 4:13.93 at 1600 and 1:52.45 at 800 meters.  The Tigers also add Matt Gonzalez from The Lawrenceville School (N.J.).  Gonzalez has run 1:53.5 at 800 meters and has split in the 48’s for 400 meters.

Princeton’s distance recruiting class is led by Strake Jesuit Prep (Texas) star James Webb who ran a brilliant 8:55.39 in the 3,200 meters run at the Texas State Meet. Webb will be joined by New Jersey standouts Michael Franklin from West Morris 9:07.66 and George Galasso from Holmdel 9:15.32. Michigan Division IV 3200-meter champion Christian Birky (Saugatuck, Mich.) rounds out an excellent distance class. 

“We are very excited to have such a talented group of student-athletes join our program,” head cross country and assistant track coach Steve Dolan said. “It will certainly be an honor to help them chase their dreams here at Princeton.”