Tech Track Adds Seven More Recruits
June 17, 2010 | Track and Field
June 17, 2010
LUBBOCK, Texas - Texas Tech track has added seven more to its 2010 fall class highlighted by two NJCAA national champions for next season announced by head coach Wes Kittley.
Tech will have one of the premier distance runners from the junior college ranks join the team in Caroline Jepleting. As a sophomore at New Mexico Junior College she capped off an undefeated cross country season by winning the NJCAA Cross Country Championship by over 20 seconds.
She was named the 2010 NJCAA Female Indoor Track Runner of the Year for winning three individual titles and helping a relay to national titles. She won titles in the 800M, 1000M, mile and distance medley relay. During the outdoor season she won the 5000M NJCAA title.
"We are excited about Caroline because we think she is the premier distance runner coming out of the junior college ranks," Kittley said of Jepleting. "She has great range and we think she will be a great addition to the track and cross country teams."
Tech added Dellon Williams, the 2010 NJCAA Male Outdoor Field Athlete of the Year after winning the triple jump and placing second in the long jump. He jumped a 25'-1.75" in the long jump and 52'-7.50". Williams also was the 2009 runner-up at the NJCAA Indoor and Outdoor triple jump as well.
"He is one of the premier jumpers coming out of junior college," Kittley said of Williams. "We are very excited to sign him and we feel he can come in and help us with Darrell Roddick graduating."
Reid Strong of Abilene Wylie, Texas, won the Region I-3A cross country title this past fall. He finished in fourth at the state cross country meet as well. He recently was a two-time 3A Texas state champion in both the 1600M and 3200M. Strong ran a 9:24.48 in the 3200M run and a 4:18.58 in the 1600M.
"Reid is a really intriguing kid and his dad ran at the University of Texas," Kittley said. "We feel he has untapped potential and we think in a couple of years that he will really add to our distance program."
Connor Hughey of Argyle, Texas, was the runner-up in the 800M in the 3A Texas state championships with a personal-best time of 1:55.43. Hughey went to the state meet three times and earned two silver medals in the 800M. This past season he won the district title in both the 400M and 800M.
"Connor is another kid like Reid that has good speed and we are going to try him in the 800M and possibly move him to the 1500M," Kittley said. "He is real tall and slender kid with tremendous upside."
Zack Neely of Kennedale, Texas, placed sixth at the 3A Texas state championships this past season with a time of 22.40. He also ran on Kennedale's 4x200M relay that finished fifth at the state meet.
"Zack is a young sprinter that we are going to bring in and try to develop," Kittley said of Neely. "He came out of a good program in Kenndale high school and we are looking forward to developing him."
Giorgio Bryant ran track this past season at Western Texas College in Snyder, Texas. Bryant has season bests of 10.79 in the 100M and 21.31 in the 200M. He also has a best of 24'-9.75" in the long jump.
"Girogio is a junior college football player and we are taking a shot with him," Kittley said, "He came out for track for the first time since high school this last season and almost jumped 25 feet in the long jump. He has run low 10.5 100M and 21.20 in the 200M with very little training."
Christian Mendoza is a distance runner from Burkburnett, Texas. The senior placed 30th at the cross country state meet and won the district title in the 3200M last season. He finished in fourth place at the 3A Region I cross country meet this past fall.
"He is going to come in and try to increase our cross country and distance depth," Kittley said. "We are hoping he adds good depth."
Players Mentioned
