Cross Country/Track & Field Announces Newcomers
8/29/2017 12:00:00 AM | Cross Country
Spartanburg, S.C. – USC Upstate head cross country and track & field coach Carson Blackwelder announced the addition of 25 student-athletes for the 2017-18 seasons.
"I feel like we have a good recruiting class for both the men's and women's teams," Blackwelder said. "We were able to add some depth in the sprint and hurdle events as well as add some student-athletes who will hopefully make an immediate impact at the ASUN level."
The 2017-18 newcomers are:
Men's Cross Country/Track & Field
Tony Auguste, Washington-Lee HS, Arlington, Va.
Auguste joins the Spartans as a thrower. Auguste finished in third place in the discus and sixth place in the shot put at the Virginia state meet. He has personal-bests of 164'5 in the discus and 54'1 in the shot put.
Ari Jahnfar, Chattahoochee HS, Johns Creek, Ga.
Jahnfar is expected to compete in the triple jump, long jump, 400-meter hurdles, 4x100-meter relay and 4x400-meter relay. Jahnfar recorded a personal-best distance of 46'3 in the triple jump.
Keon Middleton-Weaver, Timberland HS, St. Stephens, S.C.
Middleton-Weaver arrives in Spartanburg from Timberland HS to compete in jumps, sprints and relays. In 2017, Middleton-Weaver was a finalist in the 3A triple jump and has a personal-best mark of 45 feet.
David Mitchel, Spartanburg HS, Spartanburg, S.C.
Mitchel competed in the 100-meter hurdles and 400-meter hurdles at the 2017 5A state qualifying meet. In addition to the hurdles, Mitchel is likely to see action in the 4x400-meter relay.
Josh Moore, Powdersville HS, Greenville, S.C.
Moore joins the cross country team and will compete in distance events during the track seasons. Moore finished in third in the 3200-meter run at the state championship meet and has a cross country personal-best of 16:29.
Antoine Nance II, Forestview HS, Gastonia, N.C.
Nance will join the Spartan sprinters for the indoor and outdoor seasons. Nance has a personal-best time of 10.79 in the 100-meter dash and is expected to compete in the 100, 200 and 400-meter dash as well as relays.
Terry Newell, Jr., Brookwood HS, Snellville, Ga.
Newell, Jr. is expected to compete in events ranging from the 100-meter dash to 400-meter dash. He has a personal-best of 10.63 in the 100-meter dash and will also be a part of the 4x100-meter and 4x400-meter relays.
Jalin Petty, Hopewell HS, Huntersville, N.C.
Petty joins the cross country team for the fall and will compete in mid-distance events for the Spartans on the track. He has a personal-best time of 50.15 in the 400-meter dash and a personal-best of 1:58.90 in the 800-meter run. At the NCHSAA Indoor Championship last year running for Hopewell HS, Petty scored a fifth place finish in the 500-meter run.
Tashaun Wallace, Chapman HS, Inman, S.C.
Wallace joins Chapman HS teammate Cameron Carson at Upstate for the track & field season. Wallace finished in third place in the shot put at the Spartanburg District 1 championship meet and has personal-bests of 107'9 in the discus and 42'11.5 in the shot put.
Jacob Wimmer, Cane Bay HS, Summerville, S.C.
Wimmer arrives in Spartanburg and is expected to compete in the high jump, triple jump, long jump and 400-meter hurdles. Wimmer's main event will be the high jump and he has a personal-best mark of 6'4 in that discipline.
Women's Cross Country/Track & Field
Komiyah Clark, Westside HS, Anderson, S.C.
Clark joins the Spartans as a hurdler. An AAU national finalist in the 400-meter hurdles, she has a personal-best time of 1:02 in the event. Clark will also compete in the 100-meter hurdles and could see time on the 4x100-meter and 4x400-meter relays.
Jer'Nasia Coleman, Irmo HS, Irmo, S.C.
Coleman adds to the Spartan sprinter ranks as a 200-meter dash and 400-meter dash specialist. She was also a 4x400-meter relay state finalist.
Paris Clyburn, Andrew Jackson HS, Kershaw HS
Clyburn will compete in throwing events for Upstate after competing in the shot put, discus and 400-meter run in high school. She has personal-bests of 29'7.75 in the shot put and 104'9 in the discus.
Mia Davis, Fort Mill HS, Fort Mill, S.C.
Davis will run cross country in the fall and join the distance runners for the indoor and outdoor track seasons. She recorded her 5K personal-best of 20:25 at the South Carolina State Championships and has personal bests of 5:36 in the 1600-meter run and 12:09 in the 3,200-meter run.
Alfeeya Hall, Lithia Springs HS, Lithia Springs, Ga.
Hall offers the Upstate program a bit of versatility as she competed in hurdles, jumps and sprints during her high school career. Her main events will be the 100-meter hurdles and 200-meter dash. She has a personal-best of 15.41 in the 100-meter hurdles and has surpassed the 18-foot mark in the long jump.
Sarah Hill, Riverside HS, Greer, S.C.
Hill will compete in the 60-meter dash during the indoor season and outdoor sprint events up to the 400-meter dash. A strong starter, she has personal-best times of 7.74 in the 60-meter dash and 12.3 in the 100-meter dash. She could also see action in the 4x100-meter and 4x400-meter relays.
Haley Hulse, Mauldin HS, Mauldin, S.C.
Hulse will join the mid-distance runners for the Spartans during the indoor and outdoor track seasons. She could compete in the 400-meter dash, 800-meter run, 4x400-meter relay and 4x800-meter relay.
Keayra Jackson, Blythewood HS, Blythewood, S.C.
A multi-sport athlete at Blythewood, Jackson will turn her attention to the track as she joins the Spartans as a jumper and sprinter. She was a state finalist in the triple jump, long jump and 4x100-meter relay. Additionally, Jackson's 4x100-meter relay team competed at the New Balance High School Nationals. Jackson was a four-year varsity basketball player with only two years of track experience.
Jordan LeGardye, Winthop, Boiling Springs, S.C.
LeGardye will run for in the 200-meter dash, 400-meter dash 4x400-meter relay and possibly the 4x800-meters after transferring in from Winthrop.
Krysta Pierstorff, Limestone, Waukesha, Wisc.
Pierstorff will begin her junior season with the Spartans after transferring from Limestone. A 2016 Third-Team All-Conference Carolinas Team member in cross country, she will run cross country in the fall and distance events during the track seasons.
Cierra Smalls, Wando HS, Mount Pleasant, S.C.
Smalls will compete in sprints ranging from the 100 to 400-meter dash as well as both the 4x100 and 4x400-meter relays. Smalls advanced to the state finals in the 100-meter dash and 200-meter dash in each of the last two years and was a member of two 5A state championship teams while at Wando. She has personal-bests of 12.03 in the 100-meter dash and 24.98 in the 200-meter dash.
Shamia Thompson, Limestone, Columbia, S.C.
Thompson joins the Spartans as a junior in the mid-distance ranks after transferring from Limestone. The Limestone school-record holder in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:25.67, she also earned Third Team All-Conference Carolinas during the 2016 cross country season.
Tierra Thompson, Winston-Salem State, Boiling Springs, S.C.
Thompson, a Boiling Springs HS product, joins the Spartans as a transfer from Winston-Salem State as a sophomore. During her one season at Winston-Salem State, Thompson was a member of the CIAA outdoor track and field championship team. She is a former state finalist in several sprint events as well as the 4x100-meter relay.
Adanma Uzor, Mauldin HS, Mauldin, S.C.
Uzor, the defending 5A state champion in the triple jump, will make the short trip to join the Upstate program. She finished in third place at the state championship meet in the long jump and has personal bests of 39'1 in the triple jump and 18'6.5 in the long jump.
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