CEDAR CITY, Utah - The Thunderbird cross country and track and field teams are gearing up for the upcoming season with several athletes joining the Thunderbird family.

KaSandra Nordgren will join the Thunderbirds cross country and track and field teams from Erda, Utah, where she attended Stansbury High School. In high school she ran a 5:20 in the 1,600 and a 11:44 in the 3,200. 

Samantha Taylor will come to SUU from Overland Park, Kansas, where she competed for Shawnee Mission North High School in both track and field and cross country. She posted times of 5:11 and 11:24. 

Emma Amundsen will be a distance runner for the Thunderbirds. While attending Phoenix High School in Talent, Oregon, she was the State Champion in the 3k, setting a time of 10:31. She also finished fourth in the 1,500 at the Oregon State Championships.

Hailing from Spring Creek, Nevada, Julia Mahlke was a cross country state champ as well as state champ in the 3,200-meter. She was runner-up in the 1,600-meter, coming to Southern Utah as a highly decorated freshman. 

Julieta Navarette-Lamas will come to SUU from Orem, Utah, where she attended Timpanogos High School and was the team champion on her cross country team at the 4A Championships. She was also eighth in the state in the 3,200-meter. 

Danielle Beckstead is from Forney, Texas, will run cross country and track and field for the Thunderbirds. Her top times in High School were a 5:08 in the 1,600 and a 11:30 in the 3,200.

Brady DuPea was the State Champ in Nevada in the 800-meter, and is the D-1A record holder in the event. DuPea is from Spring Creek, Nevada, where he attended and ran from Spring Creek High School.

Michael Martin will come to Southern Utah from TrackTown Oregon, better known as Eugene. While competing for South Eugene High School he set a time of 3:59 in the 1,500-meter and a 8:31 in the 3k, which was 14th best in his division.

Coming to SUU from Helena, Montana, Aiden Reed was the State Runner-up in cross country where he competed for Helena High School. He is set to compete in both cross country and track and field for the Thunderbirds.

Tre James comes to SUU from Las Vegas High School, where he was a two time Nevada State Champion. Tre is the son of Will James, who is a School Record holder. Tre ran a 10.49 in the 100-meter and a 21.10 in the 200-meter.

Bobbilynn Parker competed for Rock Springs High School in Rock Springs, Wyoming, where she was a three time Wyoming State Champion. She won the 55-meter indoor title, following by an 100-meter outdoor title and a 200-meter outdoor title.

Peyton Green helped lead her Centennial High School team to a first place finish in the 4x400 relay at the Nevada State Championships, where she also finished third in the 200-meter race. The native of Las Vegas also helped lead her team to the title at the State Championships.

Another native of Las Vegas, Linnea Saltz ran for Coronado High School had an impressive year. She finished second at the Nevada State Championships in the 400-meter, and helped lead her team to a second place finish in the 4x800 relay.

Jeff Rowley threw the javelin for Juab High School in Nephi, Utah, where he finished in first place at the Utah State 3A Championships in both 2013 and 2014. His personal best in High School was a 194' 7.5''.

Jordan Porcaro is following the family trend, coming to Southern Utah to join his brother from Maple Mountain High School in Spanish Fork. In High School he threw both shot put and discus. He was the runner-up in the 5A Championships in both events in 2014.

Amy Pouliot was a discus thrower at Payson High school. She was the State Champion on the 4A level in 2016, with a personal best of 134' 11.75''.

Regan Hulet is staying home to compete collegiately, as the Cedar City native is staying to throw discus for SUU. She took first place at the Utah 3A State Meet in 2016, with a personal best in High School of 124' 1''.

Alexis McAllister is coming to SUU from Lone Peak High School in Highland, Utah, where she threw the javelin. She finished in third at the Utah 5A State Meet this year, with a personal best of 128' 11'' in the javelin.

Marlee Peterson is joining the Thunderbirds from Herriman, Utah, and will run sprints for the Thunderbirds.