The Duster Today

Media Credit: Clyde Neff Calderon and parents during signing ceremony.

Lubbock Christian University head cross country coach Clyde Neff announced here Wednesday the signing of Slaton High School standout Valarie Calderon to a national letter of intent. The daughter of Rosemary and Antolino Calderon, she will join the LCU program in the fall of 2008 after completing her career at SHS next May.

Calderon comes to Lubbock Christian University after a stellar career for the Tigerettes in both cross country and track. She is a three-time UIL regional and state qualifier in cross country. As a sophomore she finished third in the Class AA regional meet, while helping lead Slaton to a third place team finish. She managed to run 13th at the state meet that year. She followed that performance with back-to-back runner-up finishes at the regional level in her junior and senior seasons and she finished as the bronze medalist at the 2007 state meet.

"Our entire coaching staff is extremely excited to be able to add Valarie to our squad," said Neff. "We see an enormous amount of potential in her as it relates to her college career. She possesses a great deal of potential as a collegiate runner and we're excited that she's decided to join our program. We know she comes from an excellent high school program under coach Dale Underwood."

As a member of the Slaton track and field squad, Calderon managed a runner-up finish in the 3200-meter run at the regional meet in 2006 and she also placed 7th in the 1600-meters. A state qualifier last spring in the 3200, the SHS standout finished with the bronze medal.

Calderon joins current Lubbock Christian University cross country team member Capri Chapa, who is also a former Slaton product.

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