NEW YORK – Columbia’s Director of Cross Country/Track & Field Willy Wood has announced the addition of 17 student athletes to the women’s team this fall.

The 17 women joining the program come from near and far, including nine states and Brussels, Belgium. The group includes a heptathlete, sprinters, jumpers, hurdlers and distance specialists, all of who should have immediate impact on one of the strongest women’s programs in the Ivy League. The Lions have a chance to dominate in both cross country and track & field this year. A young Columbia squad came in third in the league in cross country in 2009, and the women’s indoor and outdoor track & field teams had the best year in program history, with an All-American, two Ivy League Performers of the Meet, Ivy League all-time records, and multiple individual and relay Ivy League championships.

“Thanks to the efforts of Associate Head Coach Gavin O'Neal and assistant coach Zach Richard, we have strung together three consecutive outstanding women’s recruiting classes,” Wood said. “We added great depth and quality in the sprinting, hurdling, jumping and distance events. As a result, we should be very much improved this year.”