CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Southeast Missouri women's track & field and cross country announce the signing of six student-athletes for the 2023-24 season. Brooklyn Bender, Sydney Burdine, Brianna Dixon, Alivia Busch, and Molly Gorhmann will join the Redhawks in the Fall. 

Brooklyn Bender
The daughter of Kyle and Julie Bender, Brooklyn is a native of Marshall, Ill. And will be joining the Southeast Missouri Cross Country team beginning in 2023. 
 
A graduate of Marshall High School, Bender was a four-time starter and letter-winner in Cross Country for coaches Ryan Arthur, Mike Farrell, and Becky Farrell. 
 
For her career, Bender set a personal-best in the three-mile race, crossing the line in 18:06. As well as setting a new personal record in the women's 3200-meter race, crossing the line in 11:23. 
 
In her senior season, Bender was selected to the LIC All-Conference, 1A All-Region, and was a Cross Country State Qualifier for Marshall High. 
 
Bender also played on her high school volleyball team where she was selected to the 2021 Second Team All-Conference. 
 
An interesting fact about Brooklyn is that she has four pet goats named Derrick, Henry, Eddie, and George. 
 
She intends to major in mathematics and statistics at Southeast Missouri. 
 
Sydney Burdine
Sydney Burdine comes to Southeast Missouri by way of St. Louis, Mo. Where she graduated from Westminster Christian Academy in 2023. Prior to Westminster, Burdine also competed at Trinity Catholic in the St. Louis area. 
 
The daughter of Terrance Burdine and Kimberly Kilpatrick, Burdine competed in the 200-meter and 400-meter dash for Coach Miner. She started and lettered in all three years during her time at both schools. 
 
She finished third overall in the state 400-meter with a career best 55.9 finish and was the Class 3 state champion her junior year in the same event. 
 
She has a career-best 24.8 finish in the 200-meter dash. 
 
Burdine will major in Biology at Southeast Missouri. 
 
Brianna Dixon
A native of Rantoul, Ill., Brianna Dixon will join the Redhawks for the 2023-24 season after graduating from Rantoul Township High School in 2023. 
 
Dixon, the daughter of Herbert and Stephanie Burnett, competes in hurdles, high jump, and sprints. She lettered and started all four years of high school for head coach George Washington. 
 
In her  junior and senior season(s), Dixon finished as the conference champion in the high jump and the 100-meter hurdles. Her senior season saw her finish as a conference champion in the 100-meter hurdles, and the 100 and 200-meter dash. 

As a junior, Dixon placed as the conference champion in the 100 and 300-meter hurdles as well. 
 
During her high school career, Dixon finished as a seven time All-State selection, an eight time conference champion a nine time sectional champion, and was selected as a nine time All-American.
 
Dixon intends to major in the professional pilot program at Southeast Missouri. 
 
Alivia Busch
Alivia Busch will come to Southeast Missouri from Louisiana Monroe where she spent the last four seasons competing for the Warhawks and head coach J.D. Malone. 
 
The daughter of Dayne and Erica Busch, Alivia is a native of Spanish Fort, Ala. And will throw for the Redhawks. 
 
Alivia competes in the women's hammer throw, weight throw, discus, and shot put. She has registered career-bests in all four events during her time at ULM. She registered a 162-3 in hammer (4/29/22), a 49-1.75 In shot put (4/22/22), a 54-11.5 in weight throw (2/22/21) and a 144-2 in discus (4/27/19). 
 
In 2023, Busch did not compete. 
 
Prior to her collegiate career, Busch competed for the Spanish Fort High School Toros where she was a four-year varsity letterwinner. Busch won state titles in the shot put (42') and discus (138') her senior year and was named Athlete of the Year in her graduating class. 
 
She intends to major in health sciences at Southeast Missouri.  
 
Charlie Ham
Charlie Ham will join the Redhawks track & field team for the 2023-24 season as a pole vaulter. A native of Huson, Montana, Ham graduated from Frenchtown High School in 2023. 
 
The daughter of Jonathan Ham and Kelley Durbin-Williams, Ham has lettered and started for head coach Dan Moe for the last three years at Frenchtown. 
 
Ham won the MHSA Class A state title in the pole vault with a jump of 10' 9". She turned around her senior season and placed second in the state event, with a jump of 11'. 
 
Ham's current personal-best in the women's pole vault sits at 11' 3". 
 
In addition to the state championships, Ham was an All-Conference selection for three years and an All-State selection for the previous two years. 
 
In addition to track & field, Ham competed in gymnastics for 10 years and was also on the popular television show 'American Ninja Warrior' in 2018 and 2019. 
 
Molly Gorhmann
Molly Gorhmann will join the Redhawks track & field squad in 2023 after graduating from Waterloo High School. 
 
A native of Hecker, Ill., Molly competed in the high jump, 300-meter hurdles, and the 4x400-meter relay for head coach Larry Huffman at Waterloo where she lettered and started all four years of her high school career. 
 
During her senior season, Gorhmann placed second in the indoor state high jump, was the sectional high jump champion, she placed second in the 4x400-meter relay at sectionals, and took third place in the 300-meter hurdles in the same event. 
 
In the Mississippi Valley Conference (Ill.), Gorhamnn was the champion in high jump, the 300-meter hurdles, and a member of the 4x400-meter conference champion relay. She was selected as the Bi-County MVP along with being the Waterloo High School track & field MVP. 
 
Off the track, Gorhmann was a stellar student and was a member of the 4.0 club at WHS and was a valedictorian in her graduating class. 
 
She intends to major in health sciences and minor in German at Southeast.