PEORIA, Ill. - Bradley women's cross country/track & field head coach Marc Burns received six commitments during the recently completed signing period to put the finishing touches on his first recruiting class on The Hilltop announced Tuesday.  The Braves received National Letters of Intent from Hannah Booker (Tremont, Ill./Tremont), Molly Dahlquist (Peoria, Ill./Notre Dame), Emily Delvo (Springfield, Ill./Sacred Heart Griffin), Taylor Johnson (Lincoln, Neb./Southeast), Sarah McMahon (Colfax, Wis./Colfax) and Kyela Specht (Munster, Ind./Munster).

Booker is one of the top runners from the Peoria area after helping Tremont to a sixth-place finish at the IHSA Championships.  She was 62nd in the field at the IHSA meet, in addition to placing seventh last spring in the 800 meters at the IHSA Class 1A Track and Field state championship. 

Burns on Booker:
"Hannah will be fighting for Class 1A state titles this spring in both the 800 and 1600 meters.  She has a great deal of potential and we are looking forward to helping her reach her maximum potential in the coming years.  Hannah will be a solid contributor for our program."

Dahlquist is the 2010 Peoria Journal Star Runner of the Year after finishing second at the Class 2A IHSA cross country championship last fall.  An all-state performer as a senior, she helped the Irish to the 2010 Class 2A state title.  During her junior year, she placed 40th at the IHSA state meet, helping her squad to a fifth-place showing.  The daughter of Bradley Senior Associate Athletic Director Craig Dahlquist, Molly was part of a 4x800 meter relay team which finished fourth at the IHSA state meet last spring.

Burns on Dahlquist:
"Molly should prove to be one of the top recruits to sign at Bradley.  One of the top runners in the state, her potential is great because of her range.  She ran a sub five-minute mile as a junior in addition to strong performances in the 800 meters and three miles.  She will make an immediate impact in the MVC in cross country and on the track."

Delvo is a two-time all-state performer in cross country, capturing sixth in the state championship this past fall and helping her team to an eighth-place finish.  As a junior, she helped Sacred Heart Griffin to sixth place at the Class 2A championship, placing 15th.  The niece of Bradley women's basketball head coach Paula Buscher, her twin brother Eric signed with the Bradley men's cross country team.  She took eighth in the mile at the IHSA Class 2A state championship last spring. 

Burns on Delvo:
"Emily brings many talents to Bradley.  She is a fantastic student interested in going to med school in the future and is one of the best runners in Central Illinois.  We feel she has unlimited potential and will continue to improve throughout her collegiate career.  She is a natural leader with great instincts for what her teammates need to perform at a high level and we are excited about her developing into a leader in our program in the years to come.  Her athletic ability, commitment to academics, sense of humor, and personality fit right in with the girls already assembled and those who have committed to Bradley University for the fall of 2011." 

Johnson won the 800 meters at the 2010 Class A state track and field championship this fall in addition to anchoring the state championship 4x800 relay team. 

Burns on Johnson:
"Taylor will make an immediate impact at the 800m/1500m distance at the top end of the MVC and will develop into a solid contributor in cross country.  Her positive attitude and outgoing personality will allow her to become one of our team leaders."

McMahon was the runner-up at the Wisconsin Division 3 state championship as a junior and also took second in both the 1,600 meters and 3,200 meters at the state track and field championship this fall.  In addition, McMahon placed fourth in the 800 meters at the state meet as a senior.  She also lettered in basketball at Colfax.

Burns on McMahon:
"Sarah will make an immediate impact for us.  She has great potential because of her range with the ability to run anything from the 800 meters to the 3,200 meters.  We feel she will help our program get to the top of the Valley and beyond.

Specht holds the Munster High School record in the 5K and 800 meters.  In addition to holding the top 800-meter time in school history (2:18.87), she ran a 2:16.9 split as part of a 4x800 meter relay team at the state meet last year as a junior. 

Burns on Specht:
"Kyela embodies all that we are looking for in a Bradley student athlete:  She is a talented athlete, amazing student and a great person.  She has great range and along with her long legs and lean body type; she has the makings of a top level athlete in the MVC.  We look forward to helping her accomplish her goals of being one of the top performers in the Valley."