Union Catholic held a special signing day ceremony on Wednesday for
Emmy O'Hearn and
Ella Solorzano, who have been the backbone and catalysts for the last four years for the Vikings' cross-country and track and field programs. Both star distance runners have provided great leadership and have delivered multiple clutch performances to fuel both programs to dynasty level dominance during their careers.
Here are the bios on each student-athlete.
EMMY O'HEARN
A fierce competitor who has combined a blue-collar work ethic with a deep passion for distance running, Emmy has been a key piece in Union Catholic's remarkable run of cross-country and track and field supremacy.
Since joining the program as a freshman, she has helped lead the Vikings to unprecedented success — including a streak of five straight Non-Public A state titles in cross-country and a state record 10 consecutive state championships both indoors and outdoors on the track.
This past Saturday, Emmy helped the Vikings win their fifth consecutive Non-Public A cross-country title and take down the Holmdel Park course record average. She will be back on the line this Saturday when the Vikings, ranked No. 1 in the state, chase their fourth straight Meet of Champions title and a fourth consecutive No. 1 state ranking.
Since Emmy joined the team as a freshman, the Vikings have built a dynasty in both cross-country and track and field. With Emmy's consistent scoring and dedication to the program, the Vikings haven't lost to a New Jersey team in cross-country during her career,and have been undefeated on the track.
Over her illustrious four-year career, Emmy has been selected to multiple All-County, All-Conference, and All-Non-Public Teams, and she has been a consistent scorer during Union Catholic's ascension to national prominence.
Emmy, who owns a 5K personal best of 18:16, was a crucial scorer for the Vikings when they captured the past two Nike Northeast Regional Cross-Country titles and qualified for the Nike National Championships three years in a row.
On the track, Emmy has been just as impressive by running personal best times of 5:06.94 for 1,600 meters and 10:54.74 for 3,200 meters to help steer the Vikings to unmatched success on the oval.
Emmy's legacy at Union Catholic is defined by her ability to elevate teammates, her gutsy running style and her willingness to do whatever the team needed to uphold the Vikings' culture of excellence.
Emmy will continue her running and academic career at Bucknell University, becoming the latest in a long line of Union Catholic distance stars to compete at the Division I level.
ELLA SOLORZANO
Resiliency, grit and a motor that won't quit are the best ways to describe
Ella Solorzano's career on the trails and on the track during her days at Union Catholic.
Few athletes in Union Catholic's storied cross-country and track and field history have embodied championship consistency like Ella, who has been a cornerstone of the Vikings' dynasty since she joined the program as a freshman.
During her remarkable career, Ella has helped lead the Vikings to record-breaking success, which includes a streak of five straight Non-Public A state titles in cross-country and a state-record 10 consecutive state championships in both indoor and outdoor track.
Since Ella joined the team as a freshman, the Vikings have not lost to a New Jersey team in all three seasons combined - cross-country and indoor and outdoor track. During that time, Ella has been honored several times on the All-County, All-Conference, and All-Non-Public Teams, and she has helped ignite the Vikings' rise to becoming a national powerhouse.
This past Saturday, Ella played a key role as Union Catholic not only captured its fifth consecutive Non-Public A cross-country title, but also broke the Holmdel Park course record.
Ella will be on the starting line this Saturday when the Vikings, ranked No. 1 in the state, are heavily favored to win their fourth straight Meet of Champions team title and secure their place as the No. 1 team in New Jersey for a fourth consecutive year.
Ella, who owns a 5K personal best of 18:18, was also a crucial scorer for the Vikings when they captured the past two Nike Northeast Regional Cross-Country titles and qualified for the Nike National Championships three years in a row.
On the track, Ella has been just as successful, running personal best times of 5:04.38 for 1,600 meters and 11:03.50 for 3,200 meters while helping the Vikings continue their tradition of greatness.
Ella's team-first mentality and championship pedigree have left an indelible mark on the most decorated combined cross-country and track and field program in New Jersey history.
She will continue her academic and athletic career at the University of Richmond, where she will add her name to Union Catholic's long list of Division I athletes.
