NORFOLK, Va. — Norfolk State University men's track and cross country coach Kenneth Giles announced Friday the signing of nine athletes to his program for the coming year.
Derrick Baker (Miami, Fla.) is a transfer from Florida State University. He ran track for three years at FSU, and is a two-time outdoor All-American as part of the Seminoles 4x100 meter relay team. He will also run individual sprints for NSU. He is part of the school record holding 4x100 team at FSU (38.92). His personal bests are 10.47 in the 100 meters, 21.19 in the 200 and 47.17 in the 400. He will also play for the NSU football team.
Hillary Cheruiyot (Purnt-Forrest, Kenya/Arnesen's HS) will be a boost to the Spartans cross country and track teams. He has run times of 1:52 in the 800, 3:52 in the 1,500 and 14:31 in the 5,000.
Trayman Hill (Skippers, Va./Greensville County HS) will run sprints for the Spartans. He was the 2004 VHSL Group AA outdoor runner-up in both the 100 and 200 meters, and his personal bests are 10.73 in the 100 and 21.67 in the 200.
Like Cheruiyot, David Kemboi (Nairobi, Kenya) will also strengthen NSU in the distance events. Giles calls him the first true 10,000-meter runner he's had. Kemboi, who will also run cross country, has run a personal best of 30:10 in the 10,000. He has three years of eligibility remaining.
Dominic Luka (Marietta, N.Y./Tully HS) is one of the most decorated prep athletes to join the Spartan track program in recent years. Luka, a rising sophomore who attended NSU but sat out last season, was the 2004 New York state outdoor champion in the 800 meters and came in second in the 800 at the 2004 Nike Championships for high school athletes. His personal best in the 800 is 1:50.33, a time that would have placed second this past season at the MEAC Outdoor Championships. Luka can run sprints, middle and long-distance events.
Le\'Andrae McAdams (Portsmouth, Va./I.C. Norcom HS) was a 2005 Outdoor High School All-American as part of the Norcom 4x100 relay team that took second place (41.36) at the Nike Outdoor Championships. His best in the 100 is 11:09, and is also an accomplished 110-meter hurdler (best of 14.4).
Dionne McClain (Norfolk, Va./Granby HS) will sit out at NSU this season, but will be a threat in the jumping events in 2006-07. His personal-best jump of 49 feet, 2 inches ranked him second nationally during the 2005 indoor track season. He won the 2004 VHSL Group AAA outdoor triple jump title with a jump of 49-1.
Reginald Sands (Nassau, Bahamas/Kingsway Academy) is the Bahamian junior record-holder in the discus (157-9) and the shot put (16 pound, 49-1). He enrolled at NSU last year and is eligible for this coming season.
Avery Wilson (Portsmouth, Va./I.C. Norcom HS) was somewhat limited by injuries in his senior season, but as a junior was the 2004 VHSL Group AAA outdoor state runner-up in the 110 high hurdles. His personal best times are 14.32 in the 300 hurdles, 38.67 in the 300 hurdles and 7.51 in the 60 hurdles.
"This is a great class that I think will help us compete for the championships this year in the MEAC," Giles said. "We did well last year, but there were several events that we didn't score in. This group will help us make up that difference."
NORFOLK, Va. — Norfolk State University men's track and cross country coach Kenneth Giles announced Friday the signing of nine athletes to his program for the coming year.
Derrick Baker (Miami, Fla.) is a transfer from Florida State University. He ran track for three years at FSU, and is a two-time outdoor All-American as part of the Seminoles 4x100 meter relay team. He will also run individual sprints for NSU. He is part of the school record holding 4x100 team at FSU (38.92). His personal bests are 10.47 in the 100 meters, 21.19 in the 200 and 47.17 in the 400. He will also play for the NSU football team.
Hillary Cheruiyot (Purnt-Forrest, Kenya/Arnesen's HS) will be a boost to the Spartans cross country and track teams. He has run times of 1:52 in the 800, 3:52 in the 1,500 and 14:31 in the 5,000.
Trayman Hill (Skippers, Va./Greensville County HS) will run sprints for the Spartans. He was the 2004 VHSL Group AA outdoor runner-up in both the 100 and 200 meters, and his personal bests are 10.73 in the 100 and 21.67 in the 200.