AZUSA, Calif. –- NAIA women’s track & field power Azusa Pacific signed one of its most significant high school recruits in the program’s 26-year history when CIF sprint champion Mandy Ross, a senior out of San Diego Christian High, accepted a scholarship offer to continue her track career as a Cougar.

Ross signed with Azusa Pacific just prior to Christmas, turning down offers from several NCAA Division I programs, including UCLA and family-favorite San Diego State.

As a junior last spring, Ross captured the CIF San Diego Section championship in both the 100 (windy 11.92) and 200 (windy 24.41) meters and narrowly missed a rare triple by finishing second in the 400 meters. For her effort, she was named the San Diego Hall of Fame 2006 Girls’ Track & Field Athlete of the Year. During the course of her breakout junior campaign, Ross clocked legal career bests of 12.04, 24.66 and 56.43, times that not only would have easily placed her among Azusa Pacific’s all-time Top 10 in each event but that also would have put her in the NAIA finals of all 3 events, and good enough to garner All-America recognition in the 200 and 400.

“Mandy is a marvelous athlete and a terrific young lady who is going to fit in quite well at Azusa Pacific,” said Cougar head coach Mike Barnett. “Her skills blend in well with what we expect our team to be in 2008, and she’ll be a key person in our continued pursuit for the NAIA national championship.

Azusa Pacific swept the NAIA indoor and outdoor championships in both 2003 and 2004, becoming the first school ever to sweep both crowns in back-to-back years. The Cougars were the national runner-up in 2006.

Ross’ success on the sectional level paved her way to the CIF state championship meet in Norwalk, Calif., but she did not advance out of the prelims, clocking times of 12.23 and 24.66. However, as a senior this coming spring, she is projected to contend for the state crown in any of the 3 sprints.

An outstanding athlete, Ross also earned All-Western League second team recognition for her play in volleyball this past fall. Mandy hails an athletic family. Her father Mike played baseball at the San Diego State and spent time in the Houston Astros’ farm system, and her mother, Renee, was an outstanding half-miler, competing in 3 U.S. Olympic Trials, and she still holds the SDSU 800-meter record (2:02.88), some 21 years after setting the standard.