Youngstown State head track and field coach Brian Gorby announced Thursday that five-time OHSAA State Champion Caleigh Richards has signed a National Letter of Intent to join the Youngstown State women's track and field and cross country programs for the 2024-25 season.

Richards, a native of Cortland, Ohio and of Maplewood High School, is a standout distance runner. Richards earned back-to-back state cross country titles in 2020 and 2021 at the Division III OHSAA State Championships, clocking a 18:22.3 in 2020 and a 18:16.2 in 2021. In 2023, Richards clocked a sub-18 minute time of 17:55.1 to finish runner-up.

Additionally, the impressive signee owns three state titles on the track. As a freshman in 2021, Richards clocked a 11:07.23 to win the 3200m at the DIII OHSAA State Championships to begin her impressive reign on the track. 

She followed that victory up with a win in the 1600m in 2022 during her sophomore season, clocking a 4:57.53. Richards went three-for-three when she crossed the line first in the 3200m in 2023, running a time of 10:53.00 to finish nearly 20 seconds ahead of the state runner-up.

Richards' five state titles are the most by a YSU signee in program history. Richards has clocked times as fast as 10:39.46 in the 3200m and 4:56.45 in the 1600m on the track to add to her 5k personal record of 17:50.1 in cross country.