BOCA RATON, Fla. – Lynn University’s women’s cross country and track programs announced its incoming recruiting class for the 2020-21 season on Tuesday afternoon, welcoming a cohort of four new Blue and White student-athletes.
“This is a special group! In this class, we have added a collection of young women who will represent the Blue & White at the highest level. These athletes exemplified the characteristics of Spirit, Service and Strength during their time in high school and we fully anticipate them to continue that here at Lynn,” commented head coach Chris Wood.
Lily Koch
Freshman
Langenbrettach, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany / Eduard-Moerike Gymnasium
Koch will be the latest international student-athlete to make their way across the pond to sunny South Florida. In Germany, Koch has been racing on the biggest stages for some time now and brings big-time experience to the Fighting Knight lineup.
From the Coaches: “Lily has advanced maturity and dedication for her age. She has been racing competitively at the national level in Germany for a few years now. It will be great to have her big race experience on the roster.”
Samantha Lopez
Freshman
Winter Garden, Fla. / Windermere HS
Lopez has shown her strength in the mid-distance events, posting a personal-best 2:23.34 in the 800m, finishing third at the 2019 Metro West Championships. She also ran on the winning 4×800 relay team at Windermere’s Meet of Champions Classic on Feb. 22, 2020.
From the Coaches: “Sam has amazing range! She’s one of those runners that could be successful in almost any event. She’ll be a force in cross country this fall, but the true test of her ability will be on the track. Her dedication and hard work will lead her to some very good 800/1500m times!”
Emma Powell
Freshman
Longwood, Fla. / Winter Springs HS
Powell is familiar with a winning culture, being a member of the 2020 3A Cross Country State Championship team at Winter Springs. She also has been a standout in the classroom, earning student of the week and honor roll status.
From the Coaches: “Our program has been following her (Emma) and her teammates at both Lake Brantley and Winter Springs for many years! They continually pump out some of the best running talent the state has to offer. Emma is a champion and we need more of that here! Her expectations are high coming off the Winter Springs state title run.”
Marjury Rodriguez
Freshman
Miami, Fla. / Mater Academy Charter HS
Hailing from Miami, Rodriguez bring a versatile skillset to Boca Raton after an outstanding prep career at Mater Academy Charter. She finished third in the 800m at the FHSAA Region 3/4 meet in 2019 and was also a part of the winning 4×800 relay team.
From the Coaches: “With the recent graduation of Chase Yoder, we’ve been searching for that 800m runner to fill her shoes. We believe Marjury will be that runner. She prides herself on her hard work and tenacity. Marjury is a fighter and we will see that in the fall and the spring.”
About the Fighting Knights
Lynn University’s national champion Fighting Knights compete in baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, lacrosse, softball, soccer, swimming, tennis, track and volleyball. The university’s 19 intercollegiate teams are home to nearly 300 student athletes. Lynn is a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II institution and winner of 25 national championships and 45 Sunshine State Conference titles. Representing spirit, service and strength, the Fighting Knights strive for greatness through athletic performance and academic excellence. For more information, visit: lynnfightingknights.com.
