May 29, 2003

SANTA CLARA, Calif. - The Santa Clara University women's cross country team added to the strength of its freshman class with the announcement that Blossom Marimpietri and Morgan Murray have accepted admission into the university and will be part of the distance program in the fall, Head Coach Tom Service announced today.

The duo joins Shannon Bell from Spokane, Wash., Julie Gabelein from Langley, Wash., Sarah Krtil from Sacramento, Calif., Sarah Scott from Portland, Ore. and Lauren Swigart from Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., who previously signed letters of intent to join the Bronco distance program when the team assembles for preseason drills in August.

"I'm really pleased that Blossom and Morgan will be joining our distance program this fall," said Service. "They both have shown the ability during their senior years in high school to compete at a very high level and I think they will be a great addition to our program. We have an outstanding freshman class and a very strong core group of returnees. It's a great statement about our program and this university when we can attract such quality student-athletes. I think we will certainly see great competitive spirit among our squad in the fall, which will do nothing but help us continue to move toward greater heights as a team."

Murray, a recent graduate of Munich International School in Starnberg, Germany, is a two-time member of the Dodds All-Europe Team and finished either as champion or runner-up in the European Council of International Schools (ECIS) league four times during her career. She was named school's Athlete of the Year four times. She recorded a personal-best 5,000-meter cross country time of 19:37 and posted times of 5:05 in the 1,500-meters and 11:14 in the 3,000-meters in track.

Marimpietri will graduate from Oak Park High School in Oak Park, Calif. in June where she was a two-time all-Tri Valley League, all-Ventura County and all-CIF selection. She registered a personal best 5,000-meter cross country time of 19:44 and a three-mile best of 18:59. She also has best track times of 5:28 in the 1,600-meters and 11:38 over 3,200-meters. She was the league runner of the year as a junior and helped lead her team to the league, CIF-Southern Section and state championships in 2001.