HAMMOND, La. – Southeastern Louisiana track and field head coach Sean Brady and his staff went the distance in filling needs in the program during the early signing period.
 
    Brady and recruiting coordinator Corey Mistretta announced the signing of 10 student-athletes on Thursday, eight of which were distance runners.           
 
    "This was a class we felt we needed to go out and fill some needs in our distance group," Brady said. "Between coach Mistretta and (cross country) coach (Rocky) Capello, they have done just a fantastic job of going out and finding young men and women from our state and the region to go fill those needs."
 
    All four men signees were distance runners – Adam Cortez (El Paso, Texas), Parker Phillips (Eden Prairie, Minnesota), Reed Callegan (Baton Rouge, Louisiana) and Logan Thibodeaux (Donaldsonville, Louisiana). Joining the women's distance group were Breanna Bernard and Sophie Daigle, both from Donaldsonville; Lindsey Hutcheson (Bossier City, Louisiana) and Tara Stuntz (Prairieville, Louisiana).
 
    Also signing with the Lady Lions were hurdler Jacquelyn Walker (Jefferson City, Missouri) and thrower Taylor Jeffers (Temecula, California).
 
    Brady said Bernard and Daigle, both from Ascension Catholic High School, and Stuntz, from Dutchtown High, were among the top-10 distance runners in Louisiana, while Hutcheson, a multi-sport athlete at Parkway High, was ranked just outside the top 10.   
 
    "We think they are going to have an immediate impact on our cross country team," Brady said.
 
    Walker was the top 300-meter hurdler in Missouri out of Jefferson City High School. Jeffers competed at Great Oak High School
 
    "Walker has an opportunity to come in and contribute as a freshman on the track and Jeffers we feel is going to help build that women's throw group," Brady said.

    Cortez, one of the top 30 distance runners in a deep Texas field out of Franklin High School, was the top recruit on the men's side.
    
    "We feel he is the best male distance runner we have signed in a number of years," Brady said. "We feel his ceiling is very high and we're very excited about him. He's really good in a really competitive state for distance runners."
 
    Phillips, out of Eden Prairie High School, was an AAU national champion in the steeplechase.
 
    Brady said he feels the addition of Cortez and Phillips, along with Callegan (St. Michael High School) and Thibodeaux (Ascension Catholic), further strengthens a young cross country team that made strides during the 2016 season.
 
    "We feel he is going to be able to come in and certainly fill a void we haven't been able to fill in recent years," Brady said of Phillips. "The signing of those two really strengthens the men's distance group. And we talk about all the young guys that we brought in last year and we're well on our way to seeing an immediate improvement in the cross country program."
 
    Brady commended Mistretta, now in his third season at Southeastern, for putting together the class.
 
    "He's about tripled the class we've usually had during this time," Brady said. "He's really been out there hustling as the recruiting coordinator and he's done all you could ask or expect."
 
    Southeastern will open the 2017 indoor track and field season at the LSU Purple Tiger in Baton Rouge on Jan. 6.
 
2016 Southeastern La. Track and Field Signees
Adam Cortez - Distance - El Paso, Texas - Franklin HS
Parker Phillips - Distance - Eden Prairie, Minn. - Eden Prairie HS
Reed Callegan - Distance - Baton Rouge, La. - St. Michael HS
Logan Thibodeaux - Distance - Donaldsonville, La. - Ascension Catholic HS 
Sophie Daigle - Distance - Donaldsonville, La. - Ascension Catholic HS
Breanna Bernard - Distance - Donaldsonville, La. - Ascension Catholic HS
Jacquelyn Walker - Hurdler - Jefferson City, Mo. - Jefferson City HS
Taylor Jeffers - Thrower - Temecula, Calif. - Great Oak HS
Lindsey Hutcheson - Distance - Bossier City, La. - Parkway HS 
Tara Stuntz - Distance - Prairieville, La. - Dutchtown HS