Texas Tech Track and Field Announces 2000 Recruiting Class
May 17, 2000 | Outdoor Track
May 17, 2000
LUBBOCK, Texas - The Texas Tech track and field program has inked its first recruiting class under head coach Wes Kittley. A total of 22 new faces will join the team next season with the possibility of more yet to sign.
"We are very excited about this class as a whole," Kittley said. "In this group we've got athletes who have won 12 titles at the Texas state meet, not to mention we were able to go outside of the state and recruit some of the top national names. When (the coaching staff) came to Texas Tech we set out with the intent to improve the talent base, recruit in all areas of the sport and recruit the best athletes Texas has to offer. With this class we have done all of those things and made ourselves better."
Among the top national names that Kittley spoke of are Katie Lyman from Cheyenne, Wyo., Charlotte Turner of Coollidge, Ariz., and Chuck McGhee of St. Louis. Lyman was one of the top high school distance runners in the nation this year. Her top times include a 4:53 in the mile run and 10:55 in the indoor 2-mile run. Turner, who competed for Central Arizona Junior College in 1999-2000, is currently ranked as the nation's No. 1 junior college hammer throw athlete. She also placed 2nd in the discus at Juco Nationals with a throw of 163'5". McGhee is one of the top sprinters in the country. He has won 32 consecutive 100-meter races for LaDue High School in St. Louis. He is a two-time Missouri 4A state champion and is described by Kittley as "the best sprinter in the talent rich St. Loius area."
The Red Raiders have also inked in-state talent such as Tiffany Green of Hamlin High School, Dwayne Benoit of Abilene Cooper and Ashley Mitchell of Houston Westbury. Green won the Texas State 2A 200-meter title in 2000 with a time of 23.78, the fastest time of all competitors at the state meet. Benoit is currently ranked at No. 2 in the nation in the mile run. He took first in the 5A Texas State championships with a mile time of 4:12.63. Mitchell won the 2000 5A 400-meter championship with a time of 54.75. She also ran on the Westbury 4x400 relay team that won state titles in 1999 and 2000. Additionally, Mitchell's team has won the 5A State team title the past four seasons.
Texas Tech Track & Field 2000 Recruits
Name Hometown(School) Dwayne Benoit Abilene, Texas (Cooper) Notes: Currently ranked No. 2 in the the United States in the mile...2000 Texas 5A State Champion in the mile with a time of 4:12.63... 5A Regional Champion in the mile (4:17.44) and runner-up in the 2-mile (9:35.54)... 2000 Texas Relays mile champion (4:12).
Robby Carey Woodsboro, Texas (Woodsboro) Notes: PR of 16'0 in the pole vault... will compete in the pole vault and decathlon at Texas Tech.
Joseph McCellon Alvin, Texas (Alvin) Notes: 1999 Texas State 5A Cross Country qualifer... placed sixth with a time of 15:5... PR's of 4:23 in the mile and 9:32 in the 2-mile.
Chuck McGhee St. Louis, Mo. (LaDue) Notes: 2-time Missouri State Champion in the 100... has recorded 32 consecutive victories in the 100-meters... top marks of 24'2.25" in the long jump, 10.40 in the 100-meters, 21.40 in the 200-meters... 6.27 in the 55-meters... odds-on favorite to win his third state 100-meter title at Missouri state meet May 26-27.
Bronzay Rivera Odessa, Texas (Permian) Notes: one of Texas 5A's top hurdlers... placed third at 5A regional meet in short hurdles (14.37) and third in long hurdles (39.17).
Orin Darrington Austin, Texas (Pfluggerville Connally) Notes: Pr's in the 400-meter dash of 48.20... placed 3rd at Regional meet with a time of 48.34
Nick Hulstrom Clovis N.M. (Clovis) Notes: PR's of 4:35 in the mile and 9:35 in the 2-mile.
Tyson McKinney Spur, Texas (Spur) Notes: 2000 1A State Champion in the short hurdles witha time of 14.14... 2000 State Champion in the long hurdles with a time of 38.77... was also a state qualifier in the long and triple jump... was 1999 1A state champion in the long hurdles with a personal best time of 37.85... placed fourth at 1999 state meet in the triple jump (45'-5.75")... was ranked No. 1 in the long hurdles by Texas Track and Field News... 2000 regional champion in the short and long hurdles... 2000 regional runner-up in triple jump(45'-4.5") and long jump (22'4.25").
Kristen Adkins Abilene, Texas (Abilene) Notes: Placed fifth at 1999 Texas 5A Cross Country Championships... PR of 11:30.
Megan Beaty Idalou, Texas (Idalou) Notes: Two-time Texas State Cross Country Championship qualifier.
Tiffany Green Hamlin, Texas (Hamlin) Notes: 2000 Texas 2A State Champion in the 100(11.62) and 200(23.78)... her 23.78 200-meter time was the fastest of all female competitors at the state meet and is the only wind legal mark... ran the anchor leg of 2000 2A state champion 4x400 relay team... placed third at state meet in the long jump (18'-2.5")... regional champion in the 100, 200 and long jump(18-4.75")... 1999 USA Junior Nationals competitor where she finished 8th in the 100 with a time of 11.60... 1999 2A State Champion in the 100 (11.64) and 200 (23.92)... 1999 State runner-up in the long jump (18'-10.75").
Katie Lyman Cheyenne, Wyo. (Central) Notes: Ranked among nation's top high school distance runners... PR's include 4:53 mile and 10:55 indoor 2 mile... Simplot Games mile champion...Wyoming State Champion in the mile and 2-mile... chose Texas Tech over a number of schools, including national powerhouse and Big 12 rival Colorado.
Jennifer Marable Canyon, Texas (Canyon) Notes: 2000 Texas 4A State qualifier in the mile and 2-mile... placed fourth at 2000 state meet in the mile (5:25.91) and seventh in the 2 mile (12:19.59)... 4A Regional mile champion with a PR of 5:04.92... 1999 Texas State Cross Country Championships qualifier where she placed third with a time of 11:16... 1999 Texas 4A runner-up in the mile-run with a time of 5:10.01.
Bridget Tidwell Crawford, Texas (Crawford) Notes: Has earned six state titles during her high school career... 2000 Texas 2A State Champion in the mile (5:20.20) and 2-mile (11:27.89)... 2000 Regional Champion with record setting times of 5:13.54 in the mile and 11:20.05 in the 2-mile... runner up in the high school mile at Texas Relays with a time of 5:02... 1999 Texas 2A Cross Country Champion (11:50)... 1999 Texas 2A State Champion in the 2 mile with a time of 12:06.
Tracie Akerhielm Sulpher Springs, Texas (North Hopkins) Notes: Three-time Texas State Champion... 2000 1A mile champion (5:06.81) and 2-mile champion (11:26.88)... Regional mile and 2-mile champion... 1999 Texas 1A State Cross Country Champion with a time of 11:46... 1999 Texas 1A State runner-up in the 2-mile... 2-mile PR of 10:57.
D'Andria Brigham Dallas, Texas (Kimball) Notes: Member of 1999 Texas State Champion 4x400 relay team.
Rachelle Evans Dallas, Texas (Carter) Notes: Placed third in the 400 at 2000 5A Texas State Championships with a time of 55.40... 5A Regional Champion in the 400-meter... 1999 Texas 5A State qualifier in the 400 where she finished fourth with a time of 56.31.
Ashley Mitchell Missouri City, Texas (Houston Westbury) Notes: 2000 5A Texas State 400-meter champion (54.75)... member of 4x400 realy team that won the state champion... Westbury team won it's fourth consecutive state team title... Regional champion in the 400 and 4x400 relay... member of 1999 4x400 and 4x100 State Championship teams.
Kacie Petropoulos Woodsboro, Texas (Woodsboro) Notes: Pole vaulter with a PR of 10'-6"... was the first year she has ever competed in the pole vault... PR of 45.0 in the 300-meter hurdles.
Charlotte Turner Coollidge, Ariz. (Central Arizona J.C.) Notes: Ranked as the No. 1 Juco hammer thrower... 2000 Juco Nationals discus runner-up with a throw of 163'-5"... PR's of 170'-9" in the hammer, 163'-7" in the discus and 44'-8" in the shot put.
Bliss Williams Abilene, Texas (Wylie) Notes: Versatile athlete qualified for 2000 Staet meet in five events (long jump, 200-meters, triple jump, 4x100 and 4x400 relays)... 3A Regional Champion in the long jump (18'10.75") and 200-meters (25.42)... 2000 3A Texas State Championships runner-up in the long jump with a mark of 19'-2".
Rachelle Stevenson The Colony, Texas (The Colony) Notes: sprinter who was a favorite to qualify for state meet... did compete at regionals, running 11.70 in the 100-meters and 24.32 in the 200-meters during the preliminary rounds but strained her hamstring and did not run in the finals.