Viking Track & Field Signs Four during 2015 Early Signing Period

PORTLAND, Ore. — Portland State head track and field coach Brent Ericksen announced his first four signees while at the helm for the Vikings Tuesday, welcoming in Michael Biedebach, Cameron Gaskell, Maya Jackson and Raquel Pellecer to the Vikings' program.

"We are excited to announce the signing of four student-athletes during our early signing period," coach Ericksen said. "Due to our August hires, we got a late start to the recruiting process, but I think our staff has done a really nice job of not only just adding these four, but continuing to build on our recruiting class for next year."

Biedebach, Gaskell and Jackson will enter Portland State as freshmen out of high school, while Pellecer will be eligible right away after spending the 2015-16 season at Western Washington University.

Maya Jackson
Sprints
The Northwest School
Seattle, Wash.

PREP PERSONAL BESTS:
Outdoor:
100m – 12.54 – 2015
200m – 25.30 – 2014
400m – 57.04 – 2015

THE NORTHWEST SCHOOL:
Back-to-Back 400-meter state champion (2014, 2015)…Placed 24th in the 400 meters at the Junior Olympic National Championships in 2014…Finished second with her team at the 2015 state meet…Team finished second in its league in 2014 and 2015…Placed fourth in the 200 meters at the state meet in 2015…Placed sixth in the 100 and 200 meters at the 2014 state meet…Placed eighth in the 100 meters at the 2015 state meet…Has won three straight district titles in the 400 meters (2013, 2014, 2015)…Holds school records in the 100, 200 and 400 meters, and was also part of the school record-breaking 4x400-meter relay team…Has won three straight league titles in the 100, 200 and 400 meters (2013, 2014, 2015)…Part of the 4x400-meter relay team that won a league title in 2015…Named a state athlete of the week in 2014…Named the Northwest School Track Athlete of the Year in 2013, 2014 and 2015…Competed in track & field during all four years of high school while also playing three years of volleyball…Has also competed for the Auburn Elite Track Club since 2013.

PERSONAL/MISCELLANEOUS:
Daughter of Katrina and Kevin Jackson…Has a brother, Jordan Jackson…Says playing volleyball is a hobby…Also lists volunteering at Petco, working with cats at a local animal shelter, spending time with friends and traveling as hobbies…Aspires to become a civil rights lawyer after her time at Portland State…Plans on majoring in political science with a minor in philosophy.

COACH ERICKSEN ON JACKSON:
"Maya has all the intangibles you look for and is a great fit for us. Her marks are very similar to the junior marks of some of our best ladies and I'm really looking forward to getting to work with her."