Central Michigan director of cross country/track field Willie Randolph announced one of the largest incoming classes CMU has ever had a few weeks ago.

The 2010 class consists of 24 athletes, 16 men and eight women, while eight will run for the men’s and women’s cross country teams.

Randolph didn’t have to travel far to find his talent. He recruited most of his athletes from within the state, with the exception of two athletes from outside the United States.

“We are excited about our incoming class,” Randolph said. “These athletes provide us with a large quantity of versatile, quality athletes. When you bring all those things together, you get a class that will come in and make an immediate impact across the board. They will help take our team to the next level again moving forward.”

One of the impact freshman so far has been Krista Parks, who earned all-state honors in both cross country and track and field at East Kentwood High School in Grand Rapids.

“I like the family atmosphere at CMU,” Parks said. “I feel like I fit in well here.”

In her first collegiate meet, Parks, running unattached, finished second at the Jeff Drenth Memorial on Sept. 3 in Mount Pleasant.

Also on the women’s side is Kelsey Ritter, who won eight individual titles and led Frankenmuth High School to a state championship last year.

On the men’s side, Randolph found Ethan Lievense, a product of Saugatuck High School in Douglas, who earned all-state honors in cross country and track and field all four years.

Lievense owns the Saugatuck school record in the 1600-meter race with a time of four minutes, 24 seconds, and realizes the determination Randolph has to increase CMU’s profile on a national level.

“I really like how the coaches want to make (CMU) out as a national-level program,” he said.

In addition, Kyle Stacks (Concord H.S.) and Isaac Cox (East Kentwood High School) bring resumes with state championships to the class.

Stacks, who ran unattached, finished fourth at Jeff Drenth with a time of 15:19.

Sprints runner Norman Holman earned all-state honors in indoor and outdoor track and field in 2010, as well as a national title in the 400-meter at the Junior Olympics.

“It’s just about getting a right fit for Central Michigan,” Randolph said. “I am not only pleased with the fact that they are talented athletes, but also great people and dedicated students. We look forward to seeing their immediate impact with our returning class.”

2010 cross country/track and field recruiting class Ryan Brooks, sprinter (Williamston H.S.) Isaac Cox, distance/cross country (East Kentwood H.S.) Norman Holman, sprinter (Lincoln H.S./Ypsilanti) Nathaniel Hop, pole vault (Hudsonville H.S.) Nathan Huff, distance/cross country (Milford H.S./Higland) Lazarous Inya, sprinter (Uganda Christian University/Panyanga, Uganda) Calvin Jackson, throws (Carrollton H.S./Saginaw) Brett Kuhn, sprinter (Novi H.S.) Ethan Lievense, distance/cross country (Saugatuck H.S./Douglas) Cory Noeker, multievents (Pewamo-Westphalia H.S.) Ross Parsons, sprinter (DeWitt H.S.) Tanner Pesonen, distance/cross country (Pinckney Community H.S.) Parker Scott, hurdles (Lake Fenton H.S./Fenton) Kyle Smith, throws (Lancaster Catholic H.S./Leola, Pa.) Kyle Stacks, distance/cross country (Concord H.S.) Ben Wynsma, distance/cross country (Suttons Bay H.S.) Lauren Halm, distance/cross country (Williamston H.S.) Megan Heffner, hurdles/jump (North Huron H.S./Port Austin) Kelly Morissey, polve vault (West Catholic H.S/Grand Rapids) Krista Parks, distance/cross country (East Kentwood H.S.) Kelsey Ritter, sprinter (Frankenmuth H.S./Saginaw) Kirlene Roberts, sprinter (Lincoln University/ St. James, Trinidad & Tobago) Samantha Stein, jumps (Flushing H.S.) Shawntoreah Turk, sprinter (Carrollton H.S./Saginaw)