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Athletic News
07/16/2010 -
Trojans Sign 18 Recruits To Men's Cross Country/Track And Field
Mount Olive College has signed 18 recruits to the men’s cross country and track and field teams, it was announced by Trojan head coach Matt van Lierop. Nine of the 18 signees will compete in both sports, while nine will compete only in track and field. All will enroll at Mount Olive in the fall.
Competing in both cross country and track and field are Michael Cherry, Trey Darby, Jamar Davis, Ryan Henderson, Trevor Morgan, Erasmo Ordonez, Dalton Souza, Nicholas Springston and Jordan Willett. Competing in track and field only are Nieto Andry, Cameron Braswell, Decardo Cole, Nick MacAdam, Brandon Mitchell, Jose Miguel Palenzuela, Rashad Powell, Jonathan Tedder and T.J. Wilson.
The cross country season takes place in the fall, while track and field is a spring sport.
Andry is from Yadkinville, N.C., and a graduate of Forbush High School. His personal bests are 15.77 seconds in the 110 meter hurdles and 41.45 seconds in the 300 meter hurdles.
Braswell is from Princeton, N.C., and a graduate of Princeton High School. His personal best is 115 feet in the discus.
Cherry is from Sanford, N.C., and graduated from Southern Lee High School. His personal bests are 17:24 in the 5k, 4:40 in the 1600 meters and 10:50 in the 3200 meters. The 5k (5000 meters) is the official distance for high school cross country meets. (8k is the official distance for college men’s cross country meets.)
Cole is from Princeton, N.C., and a graduate of Princeton High School. His personal bests are 11.14 seconds in the 100 meters, 21.90 seconds in the 200 meters, 6-6 (6 feet, 6 inches) in the high jump, 43-11 in the triple jump and 21-9 in the long jump.
Darby is from Baumholder, Germany and a graduate of Baumholder American High School. His personal bests are 15.56 seconds in the 110 meter hurdles, 40.71 seconds in the 300 meter hurdles, 59.50 seconds in the 400 meter hurdles, 11.67 seconds in the 100 meters, 49.70 seconds in the 400 meters and 2:04 in the 800 meters.
Davis is from Richlands, N.C., and a graduate of Richlands High School. His personal bests are 16:44 in the 5k, 1:59.83 in the 800 meters and 4:40 in the 1600 meters.
Henderson is from Houston, Texas, and a graduate of Nimitz High School. His personal bests are 17:30 in the 5k, 2:04 in the 800 meters and 4:44 in the 1600 meters.
MacAdam is from Nova Scotia and a graduate of Millwood High School. His personal bests are 23.19 seconds in the 200 meters, 58.36 seconds in the 400 meter hurdles, 21-10 in the long jump and 43-6 in the triple jump.
Morgan is from Mount Olive, N.C., and a graduate of Southern Wayne High School. His personal bests are 19:52 in the 5k, 5:00 in the 1600 meters and 11:30 in the 3200 meters.
Mitchell is from Laplace, La., and a graduate of East Saint John High School. His personal best is 50.05 seconds in the 400 meters.
Ordonez is from Harrells, N.C., and a graduate of Union High School. His personal bests are 16:26 in the 5k, 2:03 in the 800 meters, 4:40 in the 1600 meters and 10:28 in the 3200 meters.
Palenzuela comes to Mount Olive from La Laguna, Spain. His personal bests are 14.58 seconds in the 110 meter hurdles and 57.44 seconds in the 400 meter hurdles.
Souza is from San Marcos, Calif., and a graduate of San Marcos High School. His personal bests are 16:04 in the 5k, 4:26 in the 1600 meters and 9:41 in the 3200 meters.
Springston is from North Las Vegas, Nev., and a graduate of Shadow Ridge High School. His personal bests are 17:13 in the 5k, 2:07 in the 800 meters, 4:42 in the 1600 meters and 10:51 in the 3200 meters.
Tedder is from Wilson, N.C., and a graduate of Fike High School. His personal best is 12 feet in the pole vault.
Willett is from Chesterfield, Va., and a graduate of Cosby High School. His personal bests are 17:22 in the 5k, 2:04 in the 800 meters, 2:46 in the 1000 meters, 4:37 in the 1600 meters and 10:31 in the 3200 meters.
Wilson is from Princeton, N.C., and a graduate of Princeton HS. His personal bests are 14.30 seconds in the 110 meters, 38.56 seconds in the 300 meter hurdles, 22-9 in the long jump and 48-4 in the triple jump.
“I’m very excited about the group we’re bringing in,” said van Lierop, who is in his second year as head cross country coach and third year as head track and field coach. “I feel like we have a talented and well-rounded group coming in this year. Combined with strong returning rosters, I think we’ll have some good team and individual results in both cross country and track and field.”
Mount Olive finished fourth at last year’s Conference Carolinas Men’s Cross Country Championship and placed 10th at the 2009 NCAA Division II Men’s Cross Country Southeast Regional. The Trojans finished third at the 2010 Conference Carolinas Men’s Track and Field Championship. Mount Olive was ranked as high as No. 7 in both the Division II Southeast Region Cross Country and Track and Field Polls in 2009-10.
Mount Olive opens its 2010 cross country season September 3 as the Trojans play host to a dual meet. The Trojans will also play host to the Mount Olive College Invitational October 22. The 2010 Conference Carolinas Cross Country Championship is scheduled for November 5 at Charlotte, N.C. Mount Olive’s 2011 track and field schedule has not yet been announced.