Track and Field Signs 12 Athletes
7/29/2005 12:00:00 AM | Track & Field
July 29, 2005
NACOGDOCHES - Twelve athletes announced their intentions to continue their education and compete for Stephen F. Austin announced track and field head coach Phil Olson Friday afternoon. The signing class will strengthen SFA's lineup, especially in the sprint and pole vault areas where it has added three athletes each. SFA also added four distance runners to strengthen an already strong men and women's distance program.
The Ladyjacks added Monique Hackney (Alto, Texas), Teshania Langston (Lancaster, Texas) and Krystal McKnight (Mansfield, Texas) to its sprint squad. Hackney guided Alto to state titles in the 4X200 and 4X400-meter relays and a state runner-up finish in the 4X100-meter relay. Langston was also a high school standout in the relays guiding Lancaster to a state title and a class 4A state record in the 4X400-meter relay (3:42.77). She also won a state title in the 4X100-meter relay as well. Langston led the Dallas area with a time of 55.24 in the 400 meters, finishing the season as the state runner-up. McKnight comes to SFA with a personal best of 12.18 in the 100 meters and 25.0 in the 200 meters. She also guided Mansfield Summit to a fifth-place finish at the state meet in the 4X200-meter relay. Both Hackney and McKnight will compete for the Ladyjacks' jumps squad as well. Hackney won the state title in the long jump with a mark of 19-11.00. McKnight has recorded a personal best of 18-3 in the long jump.
The Ladyjacks also signed pole vaulters Kelsea David (Harlingen) and Ashley Dickeson (Arp, Texas) to the roster. David finished fourth in the pole vault at the 2005 Class 5A State meet, clearing a height of 12 feet. She has recorded a personal best of 12-5 in the event. Dickeson is a three-time Class 2A state qualifier. She finished third this past season at the state meet with a vault of 11-0.
The `Jacks also added a talented pole vaulter to its roster in Chayden Feist from Comanche High School. Feist is a two-time Class 3A state qualifier in the pole vault and 300-meter hurdles. He recorded a jump of 15-6 this past season to finish third at the state meet. Feist also won the 2005 Texas Relays group `A' competition clearing a height of 16 feet.
The Ladyjacks brought in Ashley Glasper (Round Rock, Texas) as the lone thrower in the Ladyjack signing class, but she comes to SFA with some impressive credentials. She was ranked among the top-10 shot putters, in all classifications, in the state of Texas this past season. Glasper recorded a runner-up finish at the Class 5A Region II Championships and advanced to the state meet where she recorded a fifth-place finish for a second-straight season. She has a personal best throw of 44 feet.
SFA also added one of the state's top hurdlers in Aaron Harlan (Waco, Texas). Harlan recorded a time of 14.31 to finish fourth in the 110-meter hurdles for Midway High School this past season. He is projected to compete in the decathlon for the Lumberjacks.
The Lumberjacks signed Keith Mahiapala (Plano, Texas) to add depth to the distance squads. Mahiapala recorded a third-place finish in the 1,600 meters at the District 8-5A track and field meet. He crossed the finish line with a time of 4:19.40 in the event. Mahiapala was just as strong in cross country, finishing second at the district meet with a time of 15:33.
The Ladyjacks added three runners on the distance side, including Brooke Blume (Garland, Texas), Megan Williams (Houston, Texas), and Courtney Phillips (Richmond, Texas). Blume recorded a personal best time of 4:58 in the 1,500 meters at the Junior National meet. Williams was the District 16-5A Cross Country Champion recording a time of 11:49. She also won the district in the 1,600 meters (5:21) during the track and field season, while just missing the title in the 3,200 meters finishing second overall with a time of 11:37. Phillips comes to SFA from Richmond, Texas after a standout prep career at Foster High School.
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