DeKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University cross country program added two quality signings this past week as first-year head coach Adrian Myers secured the first commitments in his first full recruiting class at the helm of the Huskies’ distance-running efforts.

Vivian Overbeck (Vernon Hills, Ill./Vernon Hills) and Kate Stewart (Newmarket, Ontario, Canada/Newmarket) signed on the dotted line and committed to bettering the NIU cross country and track & field programs as Huskies by signing this week.

Here’s the breakdown on both new NIU distance-running commitments:

Vivian Overbeck
Vernon Hills, Ill. – Vernon Hills High School
*Three-time IHSA Cross Country All-State medalist: 11th in 2013, 13th in 2014, 5th in 2015
*Led Vernon Hills to third place at IHSAs twice
*2015 IHSA 3,200 meters 2A All-State medalist: 3rd place
*2015 Illinois Prep Top Times 3,200 meters 2nd place and 1,600 meters 9th place
*2014 IHSA 3,200 meters 2A All-State medalist: 5th place

Coach Myers on Overbeck: “Vivian is a very special athlete, and I truly believe she will graduate from NIU having accomplished a great deal of success. She comes in under-developed in regards to total training volumes, which is great for her upside. While under-trained, I’ve always been excited about her ability to compete with great confidence and fearlessness. I was most drawn to Vivian’s focus on setting high goals with a plan to achieve them over the course of her career. I preach to the girls that your ambitions are meaningless if you cannot align a passion with the purpose. Vivian has already done a great job in demonstrating both. That combination of tenacity and willingness to work hard makes her very dangerous in my eyes moving forward. Her energy and passion to be successful is contagious. I foresee her having a breakout senior track season that will have her contending for a state title in a very strong Illinois division. Vivian will immediately help our program as I expect her to adapt and develop very quickly in the collegiate ranks.”

Kate Stewart
Newmarket, Ontario, Canada – Newmarket High School
*Canadian National Championship Qualifier
*Three-time Cross Country Regional champion
*Four-time OFSAA Cross Country Championship qualifier
*Top-9 finish at Club Provincial in the 800 meters and 1,500 meters on the track
*Two-time OFSAA Track & Field Championships qualifier and 800 meters medalist
*Finished 2nd at Club Cross Country Provincials, qualifying to represent Ontario at the Nationals
*Her sister, Kirsten, was an NCAA qualifier in the 1,500 meters at Iona College and a MAAC Indoor champion in the same event

Coach Myers on Stewart: “I am very excited to have Kate joining the Huskie family. She has a lot of championship experience in Canada, but has carried a fairly modest training load as well, which speaks to her upside. What excites me a lot about Kate is how well-rounded she is in regards to the events she has successfully competed in. She’s been a provincial medalist from 800 meters through cross country. Her skill set demonstrates to me a great deal of potential as she develops at the collegiate level. Kate has excellent foot speed and is very detail-oriented in regards to doing everything right. She comes to us having ran 2:16.10 for 800 meters, 4:43.13 for 1,500 meters and 10:22 for 3K as a high school junior. I expect to see her have an amazing senior season after the tone she’s set this fall in cross country, placing 2nd at provincials. I expect to see Kate have an immediate impact for the Huskies in cross country and show great development on the track at 1,500 meters and 3,000 meters. Kate is also from a family of successful collegiate runners as her sister was a conference champion and NCAA qualifier at Iona in the 1,500 meters. So she’s seen what it takes to be successful in this sport.”

Under Myers’ leadership, the NIU cross country program recently finished the 2015 season with its best ever finish at the Mid-American Conference Championships with a seventh-place team effort, led by the program’s best ever individual performance as sophomore Kelsey Hildreth took second place overall.

--NIU--