April 17, 2006

SANTA CLARA, Calif. - The Santa Clara University women's distance program has signed two high school seniors to national letters of intent, according to head coach Tom Service. Gillian Fitch of Carlsbad, Calif. and Katie Wallace from San Jose, Calif. will be freshmen on the Bronco cross country team in the fall.

"We are really thrilled to add Gillian and Katie to our program," said Service. "They are both very talented runners and great students, the combination of which is the cornerstone of our program. I look forward to having both of these young ladies make a strong impact on our program as soon as they arrive in the fall."

Fitch, a senior at La Costa Canyon High School, has registered personal best times of 5:01.6 in the 1,600-meters and 11:06.0 in the 3,200 meters. She advanced to the state championships as a junior and has participated in the state cross country championships three times.

"Gillian has been a star for distance powerhouse, La Costa Canyon for all four of her prep years," said Service. "She has been a force in both cross country and track in the San Diego section and has been a regular state meet performer in both sports. We look forward to Gillian making a definite impact on the Bronco top seven early in her career. Her dedication and focus match her talents."

Wallace, a senior at Presentation High School in San Jose, posted a career-best time of 18:55 on the Crystal Springs Cross Country Course in Belmont, Calif., the site of the annual West Coast Conference Championships. She finished eighth in the Central Coast Section in cross country.

"Katie is a raw talent who improved tremendously her senior year" said Service. "She is just coming into her own as a distance runner but is currently nursing a minor injury in track. She is looking forward to joining her teammates for the rest of the season."