Great Falls, MT - University of Great Falls cross-country/track and field head coach Jim Brewer has announced the signings recruits Maxx Antush and Chad Skiles to NAIA Letters of Intent today.  Antush and Skiles will join the university's cross-country/track and field program in the fall of 2010.

Antush comes to UGF from his native Puyallup, Washington where he will be a 2010 graduate of Franklin Pierce High School.  In his time running for the Cardinals, Antush has been a three-time All-Conference selection as well as a three-time district qualifier and two-time state qualifier for cross-country.  His personal best at the 5K distance is 16:05 which he ran to finish third overall at the cross-country conference championships this past fall. 

In addition to his impressive athletic credentials, Antush brings a proven track record in the classroom to the Electric City.  He carries a 3.34 grade point average and has been honored as Franklin Pierce's Student of the Month on four separate occasions.  He plans to major in social sciences or government and is the son of Thomas and Tirriona Antush.

"I am looking forward to being a part of the amazing University of Great Falls community and building life-long friendships," Antush said.

"Maxx comes to UGF with an outstanding recommendation from his high school cross-country coach, Jesse McNeil, whom I had the pleasure to work with several years ago during his own collegiate running career," said Brewer.  "It's exciting to now get a chance to work with one of McNeil's athletes.  Maxx will be a great addition to our team and our campus.  He is not only a gifted runner, but an excellent student as well."

Skiles will join the UGF community from his hometown of Marysville, Washington where he currently attends Lakewood High School.  Competing in both cross-country and track for the Cougars, Skiles has racked up the personal accolades as he was a 1^st Team All-Conference selection for cross-country in his junior and senior seasons as well as being a team captain as a senior.  He recently helped the Cougars' cross-country team to a fourth place finish at the 2009 Washington State Cross-Country Championship Meet.  Skiles' personal bests include times of 16:39 in the 5K at the 2009 state meet (qualifying him 24^th overall individually), 4:42 in the mile run at his conference track championship last spring and 2:01 in the 800 meters at his district track championship, also last spring.

Skiles is an accomplished student as well, carrying a 3.2 grade point average through high school.  He plans to major in biology and secondary education and is the son of Todd and Marie Skiles.

"Chad has been groomed by a really strong program in western Washington led by Lakewood High School coaches Jeff Sowards and Jon Murray," Brewer commented.  "We are confident that Chad will make an immediate impact on our team next fall with his positive attitude, excellent work ethic, experience of being on a winning team, and his obvious passion for running."