University of Houston Athletics
Track and Field Announces Four Signees
5/9/2011 12:00:00 AM | Track and Field
May 9, 2011
HOUSTON - The University of Houston track and field program announced four additional signees for the class of 2011. Kiersten Brewer, Mark Fernando, Jamie Johnson and Darius Smith are the four most recent additions to head coach Leroy Burrell's signing class bringing the total amount of incoming recruits to 19.
Smith is the most northern recruited student-athlete, hailing from Chicago, Ill. and one of two signees from outside the Lone Star State. Johnson and Fernando both hail from the Houston area while Brewer comes from East Texas by way of Longview.
Kiersten Brewer (Longview, Texas • Longview High School)
Brewer was a state finalist in the 100m dash as a junior and a state qualifier in the 100m and 200m as a senior. She set personal bests as she swept the 100m (11.59) and 200m (23.94) at the 11-5A district meet to qualify for regionals. At regionals, she placed second in both sprint events. Brewer also ran on Longview's relay teams and competed on the volleyball squad.
Jamie Johnson (Atascocita, Texas • Atascocita High School)
Johnson was the anchor leg of the district champion 4x400m relay and a regional finalist in the 800m. Johnson is a versatile runner who competes in cross country and as a member of the sprint relay teams for Atascocita High School.
Mark Fernando (Clear Springs, Texas • Clear Springs High School)
Fernando helped lead his high school team to their first district champion in school history by winning the 800m and by finishing in the top three in both the 400m and 4x400m relay. He ranks in the top-10 in the 800 in the state of Texas with his 1:54.65 time. Fernando also was a mainstay on the Clear Springs soccer squad.
Darius Smith (Chicago, Ill. • Chicago Vocational Career Academy)
Smith brings excellent sprinting speed to the UH track and field team. The 3A State Runner Up in the 100m (10.64) as a junior, Smith was the state's No. 1 ranked sprinter in the indoor 60m (6.95) and 200m (21.72). Smith also ranks in the top five nationally in the indoor 200m. Also an outstanding long jumper, his track success is even more impressive considering he has only been running organized track for two seasons now.
Many of the signees will be competing this week at their respective state meets. Check out UHCougars.com for updates following the conclusion of their high school competition.
2011 Track and Field Signing Class Page
Women | |||
| Name | Event | Hometown | Previous School |
| Taylor Beer | Distance | Round Rock, Texas | McNeil High School |
| Kiersten Brewer | Sprints | Longview, Texas | Longview High School |
| Dominique Brisco | Hurdles/Jumps | Baton Rouge, Louis. | Baton Rouge High School |
| Jaime Johnson | Mid Distance | Atascocita, Texas | Atascocita High School |
| Brittany Kinney | Jumps | Karnes City, Texas | Karnes City High School |
| Khalysia Mayo | High Jump | Spring, Texas | Spring Westfield High School |
| Alicia Perkins | Sprints | Houston, Texas | Alief Elsik High School |
| Samantha Taylor | Throws | Corrigan, Texas | Corrigan-Camden High School |
| Alexis Vick | Distance | San Antonio, Texas | Brandeis High School |
| Kiera Walton | Hurdles/Jumps | Cypress Springs, Texas | Cypress Springs High School |
Men | |||
| Name | Event | Hometown | Previous School |
| Dominique Charles | Sprints | Pearland, Texas | Pearland Dawson High School |
| Anthony Coleman | Distance | Houston, Texas | Alief Elsik High School |
| Sam Dufford | Distance | Magnolia, Texas | Magnolia High School |
| Mark Fernando | Distance | Clear Springs, Texas | Clear Springs High School |
| Randy Forest | Sprints | Houston, Texas | Willowridge High School |
| MarkQuis Frazier | Sprints | Lancaster, Texas | Barton County Community College |
| John Horton | Jumps | Copperas Cove, Texas | Copperas Cove High School |
| Darius Smith | Sprints | Chicago, Ill. | Chicago Vocational Career Academey |
| Yonas Tesfai | Distance | Houston, Texas | Westbury High School |
