Eastern Washington adds fifteen athletes to its track teams...

The Eastern Washington University track and field team presents a stellar lineup of newcomers for the 2010-11 school year as 15 new Eagles join the roster.

Athletes include Junior Olympic national champion in the hammer throw, Olivia Midles and Italian triple jumper Morena Mannucci (left/photo courtesy Eastern Washington University), whose personal records already exceed marks in the Eagle record book.

Coming from a family whose bloodlines flow rich in the excellence of the hammer throw, Midles broke records left and right in that event during her career at Capital High School in Olympia, Wash. Midles’s best toss in the hammer was 175-10 at the Centralia Twilight meet. She shattered the state record of 173-7 previously held by her cousin Gabby Midles, who currently throws for Idaho. Midles dominated the state meet in the hammer, winning in 2008 and 2010, breaking the meet record in 2010. She placed first at the USATF National Junior Olympic Track and Field Championships in 2007 and in 2010. Her best throw would already place her fifth on EWU’s all-time outdoor best list.

Hailing from Rome, Italy, Mannucci’s best mark in the triple jump was 40-9, a leap that would earn her EWU’s school record in the event. While competing for Fondiaria SAI Athletica, Mannucci performed at the Italian Junior Championships, finishing third indoor and fourth outdoor. Mannucci will come to America to join her brother, Eugenio, who throws for Idaho.

The complete list of newcomers to the Eastern squad can be accessed here.

NOTE: The sports information office of Eastern Washington University contributed to this report.