Ohio State Signs Hurdles Champion Leach

Staci Leach of Thousand Oaks High, the Southern Section 4-A champion in the 300-meter low hurdles, signed a letter of intent with Ohio State on Tuesday.

Leach, the runner-up in the 100-meter low hurdles, looked hard at Arizona, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and Nevada Las Vegas.

“It was kind of a tossup between UNLV and Ohio State,” Leach said. “But Ohio State had better academics and a great coach in Mamie Rollins.

“In my opinion she’s the best hurdles coach in the country. I think she can get the most out of me.”

Rollins coaches Stephanie Hightower, the American record-holder in the 100-meter low hurdles (12.79 seconds).

Leach has personal bests of 13.73 in the 100 hurdles and 42.69 in the 300 hurdles.