A quartet of high school track and field standouts -- Allyson Girard (Gilbert, AZ), Michaela Hesse (Sebeka, Minn.), McKayla Stowell (LeSueur, Minn.) Danielle Kohlney (Onalaska, Wis.) -- have all signed National Letters of Intent to attend and participate for the University of Minnesota Duluth in 2015-16.

Girard is a four-time track and cross country letterwinner at Highland High School and is serving as team captain in both sports as a senior. In both 2013 and 2014, she finished seventh at the Arizona State Cross Country Championships and last spring was a part of the state champion 4x800 meter relay team. She has attained All-State honors the last two years in cross country and track. Her personal bests include 5:07 (1,600 meters) and 11:10 (3,200 meters ) in track and 18:01(5,000 meters) in cross country.







Hesse is a five-time track letterwinner at United North Central and has captained the Warriors the past two seasons. She attained All-Park Regions as a freshman, sophomore and junior and has competed in two Minnesota State Class A Championships in the high jump (finishing sixth in 2013 and fourth the following spring, with a personal best 5'5"). Hesse, who is a member of the National Honor Society and Student Council, has also lettered three years in volleyball as prep.








Stowell, a sprinter, is entering her third season as LeSueuer-Henderson High School's team captain. In her six years with the Giants, she has made four Minnesota State High School Class A State Championship appearances. Her best finishes included a pair of second-place showings in the 100 (12.33) and 200 (25.20) meter dash last spring. She also was third in the 200 meters and fourth in 100 meters as a freshman. Stowell, a four-year All-Minnesota River Conference honoree and three-time All-State selection, currently holds a number of conference, section and school records. She's also earned three letters in basketball (guard) and two more in volleyball (outside hitter) with the Giants.






Kohlwey has lettered as a hurdler the past four seasons at Holmen High School and one year ago attained All-Mississippi Valley Conference first team status in both the 100 (14.37) and 300 (44.33) meter hurdles. Voted the Vikings' Most Valuable Track Athlete in each of the last three years, Kohlwey is also a four-year letterwinner with the Holmen High School gymnastics team.








"I am honored and very excited to have these very talented young ladies join our Bulldog family," said UMD head coach Joanna Warmington. "They will have a strong and immediate impact on our team both on the field of play and in the classroom. I am looking forward to working with them and watching them grow over the next four years."