Nov. 24, 2003
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Purdue Track and Field team recently announced the signings of Kara Patterson and Zack Wilder. Both recruits will join the Boilermakers for the start of the 2005 season.
Patterson will be coming to West Lafayette from Skyview High School in Vancouver, Wash., and is considered by the coaching staff to be one of the most promising young throwers in the country. She is a two-time Washington State 4A champion in the javelin, and owns a career best mark of 157 feet, 6 inches. This past season, Patterson placed third at the Golden West Invitational and sixth at the USATF Outdoor Junior National Championships.
Patterson, currently ranked second in the country for returning juniors, is an multi-talented athlete having competed at the state level in both swimming and basketball.
Wilder will be joining the Boilermakers' track and field and cross country teams from his hometown of Versailles, Ken., where he attends Woodford High School. A three-time runner of the year in Kentucky, Wilder recently won the state cross country championships after a season of dominating all the major races of the year. Last season, Wilder was named first team all-state in the two-mile run on the track.
The 2004 indoor track and field season begins Saturday, Jan. 17 with the Purdue Invitational, which will be held at Lambert Fieldhouse.