AMHERST, N.Y. - Daemen College Head Cross Country/Track and Field Coach Paul Lagno announced today the signing of Shania LiVecchi (West Seneca, N.Y./West Seneca West) to a National Letter of Intent during the NCAA's early signing period last month for the high school graduating class of 2016.  LiVecchi, a 5-foot-3, runner will join the programs, competing in both cross country and track and field, and enroll in classes beginning in the Fall 2016 semester.

"I am very happy to welcome Shania to the Daemen Wildcat family," Lagno said. "It is always great to attract the top athletes in our immediate area, and to entice them to stay here for their collegiate career.  I think Shania has only begun to scratch the surface of her potential as a runner, and I truly think that she will be one of the pieces that helps push our team towards our first NCAA Championship berth."

LiVecchi has blossomed into a quality athlete at the scholastic level for the West Seneca West Indians and has been competing for the team since 2012.  This four-year cross country and track and field athlete has built quite the resume for herself. 

In three out of her four years, LiVecchi has been an integral part of a championship team.  With her assistance, the Indians were the 2013 and 2014 ECIC Division I champions for outdoor track and field, as well al the 2015 Section VI Class B1 champions in cross country.  She was named second-team All-ECIC Division I this fall, and was a qualifier for the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Cross Country Championship.

LiVecchi will join a Daemen cross country program that recently congratulated junior Mackenzie Donahue (East Aurora, N.Y./East Aurora)  who made history by competing at the NCAA Division II National Championships held in Joplin, Mo., becoming the first Daemen athlete to qualify for an national championship event at the NCAA Division II level.  Lagno will be graduating Brooke Nolan (Depew, N.Y./Depew), the team's lone senior, and will look to LiVecchi to fill her shoes.