.png)
BREAKING: Colorado Lands XC Low-Stick Ashley Jones, 9:14 (3k) Runner Addison Dorenkamp & Canadian Middle Distance Ace Avery Pearson
Written by Donny Speas, additional edits and commentary by Garrett Zatalin
Earlier today, The Stride Report learned that the University of Colorado has signed both Ashley Jones and Addison Dorenkamp from the transfer portal. TSR also learned that Avery Pearson, a top Canadian middle distance runner, is expected to join Colorado as well.
According to TFRRS, Jones is expected to have one full year of eligibility remaining across all three seasons of competition as a graduate transfer. Dorenkamp will have three seasons of eligibility remaining for both cross country and indoor track as well as all four seasons of eligibility remaining for outdoor track.
Since Coach Sean Carlson arrived in Boulder this past August, he has slowly but surely begun to rebuild Colorado's distance programs with transfers, a trademark approach in his recruiting efforts. New names to recently join the Buffaloes' men's and women's rosters include former Kansas runner Lawrence Newkirk and Pippa Roessler from the United Kingdom.
However, it's the addition of both Ashley Jones (via Tennessee) and Addison Dorenkamp (via Alabama) that suddenly shift the long-term trajectory of the Buffaloes' distance program. A group that struggled greatly this past fall has now established a nucleus of reliable scorers with great upside.
Jones is a former High Point and Tennessee athlete who entered the transfer portal back in March. She previously trained under Coach Sean Carlson at Tennessee before he left to become Colorado's newest Director of Track & Field and Cross Country.
Here is what we said about a potential move to Colorado once Ashley Jones first entered the transfer portal...
"As we speculate about potential landing spots for Jones, it's hard not to consider the University of Colorado. Coach Sean Carlson left the Vols last summer to join the Buffaloes as their new Director of Track & Field and Cross Country. It would make all of the sense in the world if Jones ultimately reunited with the same coach who helped her reach a nationally competitive tier of fitness."
While Jones is certainly no slouch on the track, holding personal bests of 9:16 (3k), 15:58 (5k), and 33:34 (10k), she will almost certainly make a bigger impact for the Buffaloes on the cross country course. She has twice finished inside the top-65 at the NCAA XC Championships and has twice placed in the top-10 at the SEC XC Championships.
For a Colorado women's team that didn’t qualify for the 2024 NCAA XC Championships, adding someone like Jones to their lineup is huge. Not only will Jones bring much-needed consistency and reliability as a low-stick to this team, but she'll also provide veteran experience to balance a still-young core of Buffaloes.
Ultimately, this feels like a perfect fit for both Jones and Colorado. Jones reunites with the coach who helped her reach new heights while Colorado gains a borderline low-stick on the grass, along with some sneaky-good scoring potential on the track.
Dorenkamp, our former TSR #17 recruit from the Class of 2024, spent the majority of her freshman year competing for the University of Alabama. During her two seasons in Tuscaloosa, the Iowa native posted collegiate bests of 4:55 (mile) and 9:14 (3k). Her other personal bests include 4:21 (1500) and 16:52 (5k).
Some may argue that Dorenkamp ultimately holds more potential on the track, particularly over 1500 meters. However, she should provide an immediate scoring boost for the Buffaloes on the cross country course, especially after running 9:14 for 3000 meters earlier this year.
On the grass, Dorenkamp notched strong finishes at the Loyola Lakefront Invitational (23rd), the SEC XC Championships (19th) and the NCAA XC Championships (86th). Considering that she posted those results as a true freshman, it’s exciting to think about what she could achieve in the years to come.
The combination of Dorenkamp and Jones seems poised to set up the Colorado women for a strong future (as soon as this fall). Adding an immediate low-stick threat in Jones and a strong middle-lineup presence in Dorenkamp should pair beautifully with key returners such as Abbey Nechanicky, Jessie Secor and, if her health permits, Natalie Cook.
But what if we told you that Colorado is also adding ANOTHER promising talent to their women's roster? Enter Avery Pearson, a Canadian middle distance runner from the University of Saskatchewan. The graduate transfer has run a head-turning time of 2:03 for 800 meters, a mark which was run in Edmonton last summer.
Pearson is a unique addition to a Coach Sean Carlson-led team. The 800 meters has traditionally not been a major area of emphasis for the former Tennessee and Notre Dame coach, at least not on the women's side. Thankfully, Colorado will now have another veteran who can fill gaps in certain relay events and in the middle distances, offering valuable event diversity that the Boulder-based program has historically lacked.
