SycamoreTrack
The Blue Level
Ace Hunt
GoSycamores.com
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State men’s track and field head coach John McNichols announced earlier today (June 22) the signing of six athletes to national letters of intent.
The list of those signed includes: Xavier Carr (Fort Wayne, Ind./Harding HS); Dexter Childress (Ferdinand, Ind./Forest Park HS); Al Escalera (Lafayette, Ind./McCutcheon HS); Maurice Lyke (Country Club Hills,Ill./Hillcrest HS); Corey Olive (St. Leon, Ind./East Central HS) and Justin Smith (Springfield, Ill./Lanphier HS).
Carr reached a mark of 6-10 in the high jump as his sectional meet to win the event. He enjoyed a stellar outing at the 2009 IHSAA State Championship as he cleared 6-8 in the high jump to finish in fourth place. Carr’s 4 x 100 relay team claimed second at the state meet as well with a time of 41.52. In 2008, Carr’s height of 6-10 was good enough for second in the high jump at the state championship.
“Xavier is a great addition to our sprint group as well as our high jump,” McNichols said. “There was a different kind of competition at the state meet this year, but he was very impressive in his events and ran a really strong leg late in the relay.”
Childress ran a variety of events at this past spring’s IHSAA State Championship and recorded a trio of top 15 finishes. His time of 14.72 in the 110m hurdles was good enough for 10th while he was eighth in the 300m hurdles with a time of 38.98. In the pole vault, Childress finished 14th with a height of 14-6.
“You always find your great multi-event athletes from the hurdles and the pole vault,” McNichols said. “Dexter is a strong athlete that works extremely hard. We have holes to fill in the pole vault and in our multi’s, so we are looking for him to step right in and compete.”
Escalera is a distance runner who culminated his high school career with a victory in the 3200m run at the 2009 Midwest Meet of Champions in a time of 9:11.87. Escalera was fourth at the state meet, completing the 3,200m run in a time of 9:15.50. Also a star in cross country, Escalera finished 18th at the state meet with a time of 15:59.07.
“Al is an athlete that we have watched for quite a while,” McNichols commented. “He seemed to get better and better as the season continued to progress. To see him run the best of race of his career in his final meet was tremendous. He is one of the fastest two milers we have ever signed at Indiana State.”
Lyke won the 110m hurdles at his sectional over in Illinois with a time of 13.8. He went on to win the 110m hurdles (14.37) and was on the state championship 4 x 100 as well as 4 x 400 relays. Lyke also finished fourth with a time of 39.02 in the 300m hurdles. His Hillcrest HS team won the 2009 Illinois Team State Championship. Indoors, Lyke’s time of 7.62 in the 55m hurdles ranked second across the state of Illinois in 2009.
“Maurice is a talented hurdler and a state champion,” McNichols said. “We are looking forward to him stepping right in a filling in for our graduating seniors right away. He is going to be a great addition to the team.”
Olive took third as a member of his 4 x 400 meter relay with a time of 3:24.26 at the 2009 Midwest Meet Of Champions. Individually, his time of 37.5 at the IHSAA State Championship won the 300m hurdles while his time of 39.58 at the Midwest Meet of Champions was good enough for seventh.
“Corey ranked as one of the fastest in the 300 meter hurdles in the state last year,” McNichols said. “He has the potential to be one of the top quarter milers we have had at Indiana State and I expect him to make a nice transition to the 400 meter hurdles at the collegiate level. “
The final ISU signee, Justin Smith, won his sectional in the long jump with a mark of 23-11 and went on to finish second at the Illinois Championship with a jump of 22-6. Smith won the 100 meter state championship with a personal best time of 10.70 and went on to also capture the 200 meter crown in 21.67. Indoors, Smith’s time of 6.53 in the 55 meters was tops in the state of Illinois, while his mark of 23-1 in the long jump was also tops in the state.
“Justin is one of the top jumpers as well as one of the top sprinters to come out of the state of Illinois this year,” McNichols said. “He is another talented athlete that we are looking forward to adding to our program at Indiana State.”
GoSycamores.com
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State men’s track and field head coach John McNichols announced earlier today (June 22) the signing of six athletes to national letters of intent.
The list of those signed includes: Xavier Carr (Fort Wayne, Ind./Harding HS); Dexter Childress (Ferdinand, Ind./Forest Park HS); Al Escalera (Lafayette, Ind./McCutcheon HS); Maurice Lyke (Country Club Hills,Ill./Hillcrest HS); Corey Olive (St. Leon, Ind./East Central HS) and Justin Smith (Springfield, Ill./Lanphier HS).
Carr reached a mark of 6-10 in the high jump as his sectional meet to win the event. He enjoyed a stellar outing at the 2009 IHSAA State Championship as he cleared 6-8 in the high jump to finish in fourth place. Carr’s 4 x 100 relay team claimed second at the state meet as well with a time of 41.52. In 2008, Carr’s height of 6-10 was good enough for second in the high jump at the state championship.
“Xavier is a great addition to our sprint group as well as our high jump,” McNichols said. “There was a different kind of competition at the state meet this year, but he was very impressive in his events and ran a really strong leg late in the relay.”
Childress ran a variety of events at this past spring’s IHSAA State Championship and recorded a trio of top 15 finishes. His time of 14.72 in the 110m hurdles was good enough for 10th while he was eighth in the 300m hurdles with a time of 38.98. In the pole vault, Childress finished 14th with a height of 14-6.
“You always find your great multi-event athletes from the hurdles and the pole vault,” McNichols said. “Dexter is a strong athlete that works extremely hard. We have holes to fill in the pole vault and in our multi’s, so we are looking for him to step right in and compete.”
Escalera is a distance runner who culminated his high school career with a victory in the 3200m run at the 2009 Midwest Meet of Champions in a time of 9:11.87. Escalera was fourth at the state meet, completing the 3,200m run in a time of 9:15.50. Also a star in cross country, Escalera finished 18th at the state meet with a time of 15:59.07.
“Al is an athlete that we have watched for quite a while,” McNichols commented. “He seemed to get better and better as the season continued to progress. To see him run the best of race of his career in his final meet was tremendous. He is one of the fastest two milers we have ever signed at Indiana State.”
Lyke won the 110m hurdles at his sectional over in Illinois with a time of 13.8. He went on to win the 110m hurdles (14.37) and was on the state championship 4 x 100 as well as 4 x 400 relays. Lyke also finished fourth with a time of 39.02 in the 300m hurdles. His Hillcrest HS team won the 2009 Illinois Team State Championship. Indoors, Lyke’s time of 7.62 in the 55m hurdles ranked second across the state of Illinois in 2009.
“Maurice is a talented hurdler and a state champion,” McNichols said. “We are looking forward to him stepping right in a filling in for our graduating seniors right away. He is going to be a great addition to the team.”
Olive took third as a member of his 4 x 400 meter relay with a time of 3:24.26 at the 2009 Midwest Meet Of Champions. Individually, his time of 37.5 at the IHSAA State Championship won the 300m hurdles while his time of 39.58 at the Midwest Meet of Champions was good enough for seventh.
“Corey ranked as one of the fastest in the 300 meter hurdles in the state last year,” McNichols said. “He has the potential to be one of the top quarter milers we have had at Indiana State and I expect him to make a nice transition to the 400 meter hurdles at the collegiate level. “
The final ISU signee, Justin Smith, won his sectional in the long jump with a mark of 23-11 and went on to finish second at the Illinois Championship with a jump of 22-6. Smith won the 100 meter state championship with a personal best time of 10.70 and went on to also capture the 200 meter crown in 21.67. Indoors, Smith’s time of 6.53 in the 55 meters was tops in the state of Illinois, while his mark of 23-1 in the long jump was also tops in the state.
“Justin is one of the top jumpers as well as one of the top sprinters to come out of the state of Illinois this year,” McNichols said. “He is another talented athlete that we are looking forward to adding to our program at Indiana State.”
