BLACKSBURG, Va. - The seventh-ranked Virginia Tech women's track & field team has announced the addition of seven new student-athletes, Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Dave Cianelli announced Monday.

"In terms of what this class has accomplished in high school," Cianelli said. "It is the best incoming group of student-athletes in the history of our program. Their challenge when they arrive on campus is to out-perform the classes ahead of them who have placed the bar [of expectations] very high. I expect this freshman class to rise to this opportunity."

Leslie Aririguzo of West Bloomfield, Mich., is one of the top hurdlers in the nation in 2007, Aririguzo ran a personal-best time of 13.62 seconds at the National Junior Olympics in Walnut, Calif., last July, to finish third. During the 2008 indoor season, she ranked among the top five in the nation with a best of 8.49 seconds in the 60-meter hurdles at West Bloomfield High School. She has also run 24.39 seconds in the outdoor 200-meter dash.

Aunye Boone of Prince Frederick, Md., recorded personal-bests of 6.90 seconds for the 55-meter dash, 11.64 for the 100-meter dash, 24.17 for the 200-meter dash, 55.21 for the 400-meter dash and nine state titles at Calvert High School, Boone ranks among the top sprinters ever out of the state of Maryland. Boone is a four-time Southern Maryland Athlete of the Year Award honoree and a First Team All-Met selection by The Washington Post in 2007. Boone is also the president of the National Honor Society and vice president of the Thespian Society.

Samantha Dow of Midlothian, Va., was a key member of perennial powerhouse cross country and track and field programs at Midlothian High School. At Midlothian High School, Dow was a part of the 2005, 2006 and 2007 Virginia State High School League Cross Country Champions as well as the team that won the 2007 Virginia State Indoor Track & Field championship. Dow was selected as an All-American for being a member of the 4xmile championship relay at the 2007 Nike Indoor National Meet. Dow has personal bests of 2:15 for the 800-meter run, 2:58 for the 1,000-meter run, 4:46 for the 1,500-meter run and 5:07. Dow is also a member of the National Honor Society.

Laura Greene of Farmingville, N.Y., is one of the top middle distance distance runners out of the state of New York, Greene placed third in the Penn Relays High School Girls Mile Championship in 2007. Her personal bests include 2:10 for the 800-meter run, 2:56 for the 1,000-meter run, 4:34 for the 1,500-meter run and 4:56 for the mile. As a junior at Sachem East High School, Greene was the runner up at the New York State Outdoor Track & Field Championships in the 1,500-meter race. She also placed fifth in the 1,000-meter run at the New York State Indoor Championships. During the 2008 indoor season, Greene was the Suffolk County champion in the 1,000-meter race. Greene was also an outstanding soccer player, as she was named the Suffolk County Player of the Year in 2007 and a member of the New York All-State soccer team in both her junior and senior years.

Sorina Nwachukwu of Eschweiler, Germany, was a four-time German Junior National Team member with the 4x100-meter and 4x400-meter relays, while attending Stadt Gymnasium. Nwachukwu ran on Germany's 4x400-meter relay team that placed sixth at the 2006 World Junior Championships in Beijing, China and fourth at the 2004 World Junior Championships in Grosseto, Italy. In 2007, Nwachukwu placed third at the German National Junior Championships in the 400-meter race. Nwachukwu has personal bests of 24.08 seconds in the 200-meter dash and 54.11 seconds for the 400-meter dash.

Ogechi Nwaneri of Chatham, N.J., is a five-time New Jersey state champion in the 55-meter dash, 100-meter dash and 200-meter dash at Chatham High School. Nwaneri has personal bests of 6.93 seconds in the 55-meter dash, 11.65 seconds in the 100-meter dash and 23.96 seconds for the 200-meter dash. Nwaneri's time of 6.93 seconds in the 55-meter dash ranks as the fifth-best time in New Jersey history and tied for third-fastest in the nation this year. This past indoor season, Nwaneri finshed third in the 60-meter dash at the Nike Indoor National Meet with a time of 7.55 seconds to earn All-America honors. Over a two-year span, Nwaneri has finished fourth and seventh in the 100-meter dash and eighth in the 200-meter dash at the Nike Outdoor National meet. Nwaneri also participates in her school's peer leadership program and has been recognized as an outstanding participant in the National Achievement Scholarship Program.

Abby Schaffer of Easton, Pa., is a six-time all-American in the pole vault, Schaffer set the Pennsylvania state indoor record in 2008 with her jump of 13'0.25" (3.97m) for Easton Area High School. Schaffer set her personal best of 13'2.5" (4.03m) at the 2008 Nike Indoor National Meet while finishing in second place. Schaffer also placed second at the 2008 National Scholastic Indoor Championships with a jump of 12'11.5" (3.95m). Schaffer ranked as the No. 3 high school vaulter in the nation for the 2008 indoor season, and has has been selected to the Pennsylvania All-State Track & Field Team four times in her career. Also an outstanding field hockey player, Schaffer earned first-team All-Conference recognition as a senior. She is coached by Mike Lawryk and is the daughter of Jim and Melodie Schaffer of Easton, Pa.

Tech's women's team looks to repeat as Atlantic Coast Outdoor Track & Field champions as the conference meet begins Thursday in Atlanta, Ga.