Houston Track & Field Inks Eight for 2021-22

HOUSTON – The University of Houston Track & Field program and Head Coach Leroy Burrell announced the signing of nine student-athletes to National Letters of Intent on Wednesday morning.

Mario Paul, Aaron Bell, Chloe Coffee, Destiny Smith, Makeia Ray, Raven Nunnery, Daisy Monie, Adam Mason and Alexis Tilford Rutherford will join the Cougars as freshmen during the 2021-22 season.

"This year, recruiting took a different twist. We really had to take a close look at our roster given all the eligibility issues with student-athletes gaining an additional year. Early on, the staff took a cautious approach in many of the areas that we are traditionally strong in. As we got into fall training and took a deeper dive into the state of our program moving forward, we knew we needed to fill some critical roles on the men's team and fill some glaring holes on the women's side. I feel pretty good about where we are this far.

We are really excited about this class and excited about the qualities that they bring. They are excellent people. The other thing that we are really impressed with is that they were able to perform really well and put out solid marks as juniors in a year where everything was difficult. We think there is a lot more to come from them during their senior seasons and that even more development and growth will come from them once they arrive on campus."

MARIO PAUL – LEXINGTON, KY. – DUNBAR HS
Paul joins the Cougars from Lexington, Ky. where he enters his senior season at Dunbar High School ranked No. 1 nationally in the 400-meter hurdles (52.23) and 58^th nationally in the 110-meter hurdles (14.49) according to Milesplit. At the 2020 AAU Junior Olympics, Paul clocked personal-best in both events and finished in fifth-place in the 110-meter hurdles. Paul is a two-time AAU Junior Olympics qualifier and New Balance Outdoor Nationals qualifier.

"We are really excited about signing the No. 1 400-meter hurdler in the country in Mario Paul. We think that he can come in and fill some of the longstanding roles that we've had on our team held by Amere Lattin, Quivell Jordan and the long line of hurdles that we've had here. He will also help us get that 4x400-meter relay back to national prominence and give us some long-term stability there along with Aaron Bell."

AARON BELL – JACKSONVILLE, FLA. – TERRY PARKER HS
Bell will journey to Houston from Jacksonville, Fla. where he attended Terry Parker High School. Entering his senior season, Bell is ranked second nationally in the 60-meter, and 12^th nationally in the 200-meter. Bell posted stellar times last season, winning the 60-meter at the 2020 Carl Lewis Invitational with a lifetime best 6.72 and taking second in the 200-meter at 21.53. The New Balance Nationals qualifier is also a Florida State Championships qualifier.

"We feel really good about him (Bell). He is a really good up-and-coming sprinter who actually won the 60-meter at the Carl Lewis Invitational over the best junior sprinter sin the world, Phatutushedzo Maswangyi, who is currently on the team."

CHLOE COFFEE – LEANDER, TEXAS – LEANDER GLENN HS
Coffee will come to Houston from Leander, Texas where she is a two-time Texas State Championships qualifier in the High Jump. Entering her senior year, Coffee ranks fourth nationally in the high jump after finishing second at the State Championships after clearing 1.68m (5-6). Coffee concluded her junior season at the Viking Relays where she recorded a lifetime best of 1.73m(5-8) in the high jump, finishing in second-place.

"We've got Chloe Coffee coming is with the fifth-best mark in the country in the high jump. We think that she has the potential to compete at a really high level in the NCAA. She fills a need on our women's team since we are a little thin in the field."

DESTINY SMITH – DICKINSON, TEXAS – DICKINSON HS
Smith joins the Cougars from Dickinson, Texas where she is a track & field letter winner at Dickinson High School. As her senior year gets underway, Smith is ranked 44^th nationally in the 60-meter hurdles (8.83) and 29^th nationally in the 300-meter hurdles (44.11). Smith finished third-overall in the 60-meter hurdles at the 2020 Carl Lewis Invitational after running a personal-best in the semifinals of the event with a time of 8.83. In 2019, Smith qualified for the UIL Track & Field Championships where she finished fourth in the 300-meter hurdles.

"Destiny Smith, a hurdler from Dickinson is someone I think will come in and play a big role in one of our better groups on the squad. We don't have very much depth in the long hurdles, and we think Destiny is a good dual hurdler along the lines of Amere Lattin."

RAVEN NUNNERY – RIVER RIDGE, LA - JOHN CURTIS CHRISTIAN
Nunnery will join the Cougars after a decorated high school career at John Curtis Christian HS. In 2019 Nunnery won the 100-meter (11.72w) and 200-meter (24.26) at the Louisiana Class 5A State Championships and is the 2019 AAU National Champion in the 200-meters. During the 2020 indoor season, Nunnery secured the 60-meter (7.57) title at the Louisiana State Championships and anchored the 4x400-meter relay the broke an 18-year old record.

"On the women's side, we are really excited about Raven Nunnery. She is an outstanding developing sprinter from Louisiana. We think that she will help us build some depth and be an outstanding contributor to the women's sprint group."

MAKEIA RAY – EL PASO, TEXAS – EL PASO EASTLAKE
Ray comes to UH from El Paso, Texas where she is a track & field letter winner at El Paso Eastlake HS. Entering her senior season, Ray is ranked among the best in both the country and the state in the high jump. In 2019 she finished third at the UIL Track & Field State Championships in the high jump after clearing 1.68m (5-5).

"Makeia is a 5-7 high jumper and potentially a heptathlete. She brings a lot of talent and we feel that she will help fill needs on the field event side and are excited to have another recruit from the El Paso area."

DAISY MONIE – MISSION, TEXAS - SHARYLAND PIONEER HS
Monie will be the second member of her family to join the Houston Track & Field team, following in the footsteps of older sister Nora Monie. Monie saw great success during her sophomore season, qualifying for the state championships and earning a silver medal in the discus. Before her junior season was cut short, Monie placed among the top-three in every meet she competed in.

"Daisy is an extremely athletic individual, who excels in both track and volleyball," said Associate Head Coach and Throwing Coach Will Blackburn. "I'm proud to be able to coach her sister, Nora Monie, through the years and then have the opportunity to coach her at UH. They both come from such a great family and I expect great things from Daisy in the future. She has a solid mindset of what her goals are and where she wants to be."

ADAM MASON - MANVEL, TEXAS - MANVEL HS
Mason is the eighth Cougar to sign the dotted line and commit to Houston. The Manvel High School standout adds depth to the Cougar 800-meter personnel. A State Championships qualifier and top-10 performer in the 800-meter in the state of Texas, Mason provided a big boost for the Cougars.

"Adam is a tremendous addition to our team," said Head Coach Leroy Burrell. "He has turned out to be one of the top 800-meter runners in the state during indoors and the pandemic shortened outdoor season. Right now he among the top-five half milers in Texas. He is a great student and tremendous leader. We think he can come in and solidify our long sprint group along with Chris. We are really excited. We think we filled some gaps with class and that Adam will be a big-time performer for us."

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SUPPORTING HOUSTON TRACK & FIELD AND CROSS COUNTRY
The Podium Club serves as a unique and effective way to enhance the level of excitement and support for Houston Cougar Track & Field and Cross Country. Gifts to the Podium Club provide financial support directly to the UH Track & Field and Cross Country programs for needs beyond their operating budgets. Donations made to the Podium Club are used at the discretion of the Head Coach.

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