Area female track, soccer stars sign

Ferris senior Kelly McNamee, the best female high jumper in Greater Spokane League history, signed a letter of intent this week to compete at the University of Washington.

“The facilities are amazing,” she said. “I loved their team and I think their coaches are motivating.”

McNamee, who cleared 5-foot-10 last spring and won the State 4A championship and also placed in the 110-meter hurdles, picked UW over Washington State, Stanford and Arkansas.

Brianne Brown of Shadle Park, the GSL champion in the 400 meters who ran the second-best time in the state last year at 56.07 seconds, signed with WSU, along with West Valley thrower Ashley Kenny, who was second in the State 2A meet in the discus and sixth in the shot put.

The Cougars also signed Morgan Clem, a hurdler from East Wenatchee, Courtney Kirkwood, a heptathlete from Othello and Jessica Yates, a triple jumper from Snohomish. Alex Ringe, a middle distance runner from Hermiston, Ore., will be joining the men’s team.

A handful of top-notch female soccer players, all who played for the Spokane Shadow club team, also signed in the last week.

Idaho picked up two-time All-GSL goalie Liz Boyden of Ferris and Dani Raczykowski, a midfielder who played at Cheney as a freshman and senior and Ferris the two years in between, earning all-league recognition at both schools. The Vandals also signed defender Danielle Hayward from Salem, Ore., and Desirae Hull from Los Alamos, N.M.

Among the seven players signed by Illinois is forward/midfielder Marissa Mykines from Mead, the GSL Offensive MVP last fall.

Cirara Kremer, a four-year starter at forward for Lake City and the Timberwolves’ leading scorer every year, was one of eight players signed by Montana. Montana also picked up East Valley sprinter Chase Parker.

Ferris distance runner Peter Hawkins Jr., signed with Chicago University.