WICHITA, Kan. - The Wichita State University track and field team signed six more athletes to National Letters of Intent to join the Shockers for the 2008-09 season.

Two men and four women signed NLIs, including Landon Bryan and Ryan Phebus on the men's side. For the women, sprinters Haylie Bolan and Brittany Hemphill join future teammates Samantha Hallman and Camille Kahrs.

“We are extremely excited about these late signees for this season's recruiting class,” WSU head coach Steve Rainbolt said. “On the men's side, Landon will help replace some significant firepower that graduated in the throws, and Ryan is a terrific middle distance prospect. For the women, these four signees are more terrific additions to what is shaping up to be a fabulous recruiting class.”

Phebus, a distance runner from South Elgin, Ill., brings depth and a range of events to the men's mid-distance and distance crew. The incoming freshman placed fifth at the 2008 Illinois State AA High School Track and Field Championships with a time of 1:54.57. Phebus also has a personal best of 4:19.00 in the mile, which he ran recently at the Midwest Distance Gala in Lisle, Ill.

“Ryan is a fantastic recruit for Wichita State,” head cross country coach Marc Burns said. “He is part of the resurgence of the distance crew here, and will give us more depth with his tremendous range from 400 meters to cross country. He has the tools to be a high level competitor in the MVC and Division I.”

Bryan, a thrower transferring from Neosho County CC, will bring a successful discus background, along with the ability to help the Shockers in the shot put and hammer throw. The El Dorado, Kan., native will start his career as a junior for the Shockers after two seasons at Neosho. In his time at Neosho, Bryan earned All-American honors twice in the discus. In 2008, he placed fifth in the discus and hammer at the Region VI Championships.

“Landon has a great chance to be a contributor for WSU in a couple different events,” throws coach John Hetzendorf said. “His strong event is the discus, but he has good upside in the other throws also.”

For the women, Bolan will be the most experienced of the signees, transferring from Friends University. A sprinter, who graduated from Wichita High School South, was an All-American in the 200m this season as a freshman for Friends, placing sixth at the NAIA national meet with a time of 24.60. She also has personal bests of 11.82 in the 100m and 57.07 in the 400m. She won all three events at the KCAC Championships earlier this season. At South HS, she was an all-state performer.

Another talented jumper/sprinter, Brittany Hemphill, from Amarillo, Texas, will join the Shockers. While excelling in the 200m with a time of 24.60, Hemphill also has had success in the long jump and triple jump. She was the district champion in 2006 in the triple jump, and was ranked in the top 10 in the state in her class with a leap of 37-2. Hemphill also has a personal best of 19-0 1/4 in the long jump.

Hallman, who signed with WSU last season before deciding to compete at South Plains College of the NJCAA, brings a successful background in the hurdles. Hallman, a Douglass, Okla., native, completed a high school career that includes 14 state championships and a state record. She holds the class 4A state record in the 300m hurdles with a 43.4 time. The high school standout also holds a personal best of 14.6 in the 100m hurdles. In her time at South Plains, Hallman had a personal best of 1:01.11 in the 400m hurdles.

The Shockers also added Camille Kahrs, who will compete in the multi events. Kahrs, from Dexter, Kan., finished second in the 2008 100m hurdles in Class 1A and third in the 400m hurdles. In her career at Dexter HS, Kahrs broke six different school records.

“Haylie has demonstrated that she can compete with the fastest short sprinters in our league, while Brittany could be one of the best all-around jumper/sprinters in the MVC,” Rainbolt said. “Samantha appears to me that she will come in and immediately compete for top finishes in the sprints and hurdles in the MVC, and Camille will be a solid addition to our multi-event crew.”

These six athletes join 16 previous signees for the Shocker track and field program in 2008-09.