#HTownSpeedCity Welcomes Signing Class for 2020-21 Season

HOUSTON – The University of Houston Track & Field program and Head Coach Leroy Burrell are excited to announce the addition of 26 student-athletes to the squad for the 2020-21 season.

After sweeping the American Indoor Track & Field titles for the second consecutive season, the Cougars will be welcoming 12 women and 14 men to the Houston Track & Field team, 13 of which hail from the state of Texas.

"I am really excited about the 2020 Houston track and field recruiting class and want to welcome them to #HTownSpeedCity as they arrive to campus throughout the week. The success that we have had has allowed us to expand our recruiting footprint to the point where we can attract the athletes from all over the world. "

WHAT COACH IS SAYING ABOUT THE WOMEN'S SQUAD
"I am particularly excited about the addition of athletes that have competed on the international stage, such as NuNu (Nu,uausala Tuilefano) and Sarah (Belle). Several of the incoming women already have performed well enough to score at the conference level. I believe they would have performed well enough, had they had a senior season, to compete above the conference level. Iman (Babineaux), Zarie (Dumas), Winter (Bogan), Rachel (Maciejeski) and Camille (Rutherford) will come in and have an immediate impact and provide depth. Macie (Ellis), Hannah (Gault) and Michelle (Mayer) are great additions to a young, yet rapidly improving distance squad."

WHAT COACH IS SAYING ABOUT THE MEN'S SQUAD
"On the men's side the class is headlined by James (James Brown III), Shaun (Phatutshedzo Shaun Maswanganyi), Benjamin (Okafor), and Mustafa (William Fall). They are All-Americans or Champions in their previous international or collegiate competitive environments, and capable of qualifying and scoring at the Division I level.

Juan (Olmos) and Caleb (Malbrough) come in as state champions and will provide depth and production to the distance and jumps squads. Several athletes in the class are expected to be big time contributors such as Azzez (Akindele), Dylan (Brown), Adam (Khriss) and Raylen (Sharp). They are an outstanding group of young athletes that will play a big role in the continuity of success in the program over the next three or four years. I am really pleased with how the coaching staff did an excellent job of addressing the future needs of the program in assembling this group of outstanding young women and men from all over the world under some very challenging conditions. Quiet as it is kept, this is one of the best group of athletes we have assembled in my time here and I really feel we are set up for continued success at the conference and national levels."

WOMEN'S SIGNING CLASS
Iman Babineaux – Quartz Hill, Calif. – Quartz Hill HS – Sprints
CIF Southern Section titleholder, State Championships qualifier and medalist
PERSONAL BEST
200m – 24.83
400m – 54.21

Sarah Belle – Barbados – Christ Church Foundation School – Sprints/Hurdles
2019 CARIFTA Games qualifier and medalist
PERSONAL BEST
100m – 12.91
100mh – 13.55
300mh – 44.83

Winter Bogan – Humble, Texas – Atascacita HS – Hurdles
Two-Time State Championships qualifier, 6A State Championships Runner-up
PERSONAL BEST
100mh – 13.73
300mh – 44.16

Zarie Dumas – Simpsonville, S.C. – Hillcrest HS – Sprints
New Balance Outdoor All-American, South Carolina State Champion, Greenville County Most Valuable Track Athlete
PERSONAL BEST
100m – 11.80
200m – 24.08
400m – 54.90

Macie Ellis – Richmond, Texas – Richmond Foster HS – Distance
PERSONAL BEST
1600m – 12:05.20
3200m – 11:27.56

Hannah Gault – Conroe, Texas – Conroe HS – Mid-Distance
PERSONAL BEST
800m – 2:17.09
1600m – 5:18.99

Rachel Maciejeski – Tomball, Texas – Tomball HS – Pole Vault
District finalist, Area finalist, Region III-5A Finalist, 2019 AAU National Champion
PERSONAL BEST
Pole Vault – 13-4

Michelle Mayer – Pearland, Texas – Pearland Dawson – Mid-Distance
PERSONAL BEST
800m – 2:19.54
1600m – 5:05.44

Khacia Mitchell – Missouri City, Texas – Fort Bend Marshall – Sprints
Texas State Championships Finalist
PERSONAL BEST
100m – 12.63

Camille Rutherford – Richmond, Texas – George Ranch HS – Sprints
PERSONAL BEST
60m – 7.65
100m – 11.84
200m – 24.56

Nu,uausala Tuilefano – Oceanside, Calif. – El Camino HS/Coffeyville CC - Throws
Silver medalist at the XVI Pacific Games (Shot Put), Two-time NJCAA All-American, 2019 NJCAA Region VI Outdoor Bronze medalist (Shot Put), 2020 NJCAA Region VI Indoor Bronze medalist (Shot Put)
PERSONAL BEST
Shot Put - 14.67m (48-1.75)
Hammer Throw – 46.36m (152.-1)
Discus Throw – 43.77m (143-7)
Weight Throw – 16.31m (53-6.25)

MEN'S SIGNING CLASS
Phatutshedzo Shaun Maswanganyi
South African Junior 100m recordholder
PERSONAL BEST
100m – 10.06
200m – 20.50

Mustafa William Fall – Suva, Fiji – Marist Brothers HS/ Coffeyville CC – Throws
2020 Indoor NJCAA National Champion (Shot Put), 2020 NJCAA Region VI Indoor Champion (Shot Put), NJCCA Indoor All-American
PERSONAL BEST
Shot Put – 18.35m (60-2.5)
Weight Throw – 15.95m (52.-4)
Discus Throw – 53.89m (176-10)

Azezz Akindele – Atlanta, Ga. – Heritage HS/Kennesaw St. – Hurdles
PERSONAL BEST
110mh – 13.92

Calder Erick – Forest Lake, Minn. – Forest Lake HS – Multi's
Three-Time All-State selection, 4x200-meter relay school recordholder, Five-time National Qualifier, Regional Champion
PERSONAL BEST
100m – 11.11
Long Jump – 6.28m
Shot Put – 12.95m
High Jump – 1.65m
400m – 51.43
110mh – 15.00
Discus – 37.5m
Javelin – 39.5m
1500m – 5:12.6

Dylan Brown – Detroit, Mi. – Renaissance HS - Sprints
2019 Pan-American games qualifier, Michigan State Championships qualifier, New Balance Nationals qualifier
PERSONAL BEST
100m – 10.60
200m – 21.18

James Brown III – Atlanta, Ga. – Charles Drew HS – Coffeyville CC – Sprints
Bronze medalist at the 2020 NJCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships, 2020 NJCAA Region VI Champion (Long Jump)
PERSONAL BEST
100m – 10.39w
200m – 21.10
60m – 7.81w

Trey Grant – Missouri City, Texas – Fort Bend Elkins – Sprints/800m
Three-time Regional Qualifier, 2017 Newcomer of the Year, 2018 Mid-Distance MVP, Cross Country District Champion
PERSONAL BEST
800m – 1:56

Pierre Ingram – Cedar Hill, Texas – Cedar Hill HS – Sprints
PERSONAL BEST
400m – 48.75

Adam Khriss – Secaucus, N.J. – Secaucus HS/UConn – Sprints/Hurdles
Finished fourth in the 400m at The American Indoor Track & Field Championships
PERSONAL BEST
400m – 47.94
400mh – 53.87

Caleb Malbrough – Rosharon, Texas – Manvel HS – Jumps
2019 UIL Class 5A State Champion (Triple Jump), program record holder in the Triple Jump
PERSONAL BEST
Triple Jump – 48-1.5

Ayomide Ogunbunmi – Houston, Texas – Alief Elsik HS - Multis

Benjamin Okafor – Jonesboro, Ga. – Elite Scholars Academy – Western Carolina – Jumps
2020 Southern Conference Indoor Track & Field Champion (Long Jump), 2020 Southern Conference Indoor Track & Field Silver Medalist (Triple Jump)
PERSONAL BEST
Long Jump – 7.38m
Triple Jump – 14.63m

Juan Olmos – El Paso, Texas – El Paso Eastwood – Distance
Two-time Cross Country State Champion, fifth-place individual finish at Texas State Cross Country Championships, Nike Cross Country National Championships qualifier
PERSONAL BEST
1600m – 4:30.75
3200m – 9:58.41
5K – 15:02

Raylen Sharp – Allen, Texas – Allen HS – Hurdles
PERSONAL BEST
110mh – 14.44
400mh – 53.61

FOLLOW THE COUGARS
Fans can keep up with the latest in University of Houston Cougar athletics by following us on Facebook (Facebook.com/HoustonAthletics), Twitter (@UHCougars), Instagram (houstoncougars) and YouTube.com (Youtube.com/UHAthletics). In addition, the Track & Field team has established its own official Facebook (facebook.com/UHCougarTF) and Twitter pages (@UHCougarTF).

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.
Houston supporters interested in joining the Podium Club or for more information, please click here.

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#HTownSpeedCity Welcomes Signing Class for 2020-21 Season

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