DETROIT (7/25/2023) -- University of Detroit Mercy Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Guy Murray '89 has finalized his roster for the upcoming season with the announcement of eight newcomers. All eight will join the track and field team, while four will compete in cross country.

"Our class of 2027 compliments the team and helps us continue building the roster," said coach Murray. "They all have the potential to make positive contributions this year. The cross country group will get the first chance and will definitely impact the varsity seven."

Alaina Burns * Distance/XC * Point Edward, Ontario * Northern Collegiate Institute & Vocational School

• Lettered in cross country and track and field
• Helped her team to a pair of OFSAA bronze finishes in 2022 and 2023
• Was the Lambton Kent District individual champion in cross country in 2019, leading her team to a title
• Also won the 2019 Windsor Invite title and guided the team to a SWOSSAA championship
• Won the SWOSSA steeplechase in 2022 and 2023, setting a meet record as a junior

Abby Fifield * Distance/XC * Clinton Twp., Mich. * Utica

• Earned varsity letters in soccer, cross country and track and field
• Tabbed All-Macomb County as a senior in cross country and was All-Academic all four years
• Took home the Shalane Flanagan Award three times 
• In track, she helped her team to a MAC White Co-Championship as a senior and was All-Academic as a junior and senior
• A member of the National Honors Society

Gabriela Gashaj * Sprints/Jumps * Marine City, Mich. * Cardinal Mooney 

• Earned letters in basketball and track and field and was a two-time team captain
• Holds school records in the 60, 100 and 200-meters, the 300-meter hurdles and the long jump
• Ran in 84 total races as a prep and won 17 times, runner-up in 16 and third on another 10 occasions
• A four-time state qualifier in the 100 and 200m and the 300mH, while also qualifying as a senior in the long jump
• All-State in the 300mH as a senior
• Was All-Catholic three times in the 300mH and 200m and added another All-Catholic honor in the long jump as a senior
• A two-time CHSL performer in the 300mH as well as All-League in the 4x200 and long jump as a senior
• A member of the National Honors Society

Ashlee Lewis * Sprints * Toronto, Ontario * Vaughan Secondary (Lincoln Memorial)

• A transfer from Lincoln Memorial University, where she also played soccer
• Holds school records in the 300 and 400-meters
• Last season, she was sixth in the 400m at the South Atlantic indoor championships and also posted top 10 finishes in 400m at both the Winter Classic and Samford Bulldog Open
• As a prep, she was a four-year letterwinner in soccer and track and field
• Represented Team Jamaica at the U15 and U17 levels for soccer

Helana Napiorkowski * Distance/XC * Macomb, Mich. * Austin Catholic

• Lettered in basketball, cross country and track and field
• In cross country, she was a two-time team captain, two-time All-Catholic honoree and a two-time state qualifier
• As a senior, she broke the school 5k record
• In track, as a senior, she was All-State in the 3200-meters taking seventh place at the state championships
• Also All-Catholic and claimed sixth at the Macomb County Championship in the 3200m, receiving All-County honors
• As a junior, she broke school records in the 800 and 3200m and was a state qualifier in the 1600 and 3200m
• All-League honors at the Catholic High School League Championships in both events
• Helped her team to a regional championship as a sophomore and was a state qualifier for 1600m and 4x400-meter relays
• Graduated holding school records in the 800, 1600 and 3200m as well as the 4x400

Avery Saunder * Distance/XC * Chesterfield, Mich. * Lanse Creuse

• Earned letters in cross country and track and field
• All-Academic all four years
• Guided her team to a MAC Blue title in track and field in 2021 and 2022
• Helped the 4x800-meter relay to a MAC Blue first-place finish in 2002 and runner-up in 2023
• Also placed second in the 1600 and 3200m at the 2022 and 2023 MAC Blue championships
• Ran club with the Utica Bay Crusaders

Grace Steffes * Throws * Redford, Mich. * Divine Child

• Lettered in basketball, cross country and track and field and was a two-time team captain in track and field
• Named the Thrower of the Year as a senior, MVP for field events as a junior and the Rookie of the Year as a sophomore
• Won the inaugural Divine Child Track & Field Tony Mifsud Award as a senior
• Tabbed All-Catholic and All-Region as a junior and senior
• Helped her team win a CHSL title in 2022 and regional championships in 2021 and 2022
• Was All-State in the discus and shot put as a senior, finishing third in the discus and sixth in the shot put 
• A MHSAA state qualifier in 2021, 2022, and 2023 
• Won a regional title in the shot put as a senior, after taking second as a junior, and also won first in the discus both years and was second as a sophomore
• Catholic League Champion for shot put and discus in 2022 and 2023 
• A member of the National Honors Society

Kayla Wize * Sprints * Birmingham, Mich. * Seaholm

• Lettered in track and field in her final three seasons and was team captain as a junior and senior
• Selected team MVP as a junior and senior and was the Sprinter of the Year as a sophomore
• Was All-League, All-County and All-Region in the 200 and 400-meters as a junior and senior 
• A MHSAA Scholar-Athlete all three years
• Holds the second-fastest 60-meter time in school history, fourth in the 200m and sixth in the 400m