Terps Announce Track Newcomers
7/6/2011 8:00:00 AM | Track & Field
July 6, 2011
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COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The University of Maryland track and field program announced Wednesday a talented and strong class of newcomers who will join the Terrapins for the 2011-12 academic year.
The class includes student-athletes across multiple event areas, including two transfers and a number of talented high-school competitors who have won state championships. Multiple state-champion Thea LaFond will compete for Team USA at the upcoming World Youth Games in France.
"We're excited about this next crop of incoming Terrapins," said head coach Andrew Valmon, who will also be the head men's coach for Team USA at the 2012 London Olympics. "Adding these athletes to our current group will add depth to the program in supporting multiple event areas."
Thumbnail sketches of some of Maryland's incoming class in track and field follow:
WOMEN
MYAH HICKS - Edison HS - Alexandria, Va.
800 - 2:08.99... 1,000 - 2:58.09... 1,600 - 5:01.83
Won Virginia State title outdoors in 800 as both a senior and junior at Edison HS after placing second as a sophomore... Posted PR of 2:08.99 to win 800 as a senior and set new state record... Won the 1,600 at the Nike Spring Invitational in 2011... Best mark in 1,000 came as a senior at Virginia Tech HS Invitational with 2:58.09... Had 5,000-meter time of 17:50.70 to finish second at Northern Regional Cross Country meet... Two-time individual champion at Glory Days Invitational in cross country.
SYDNEY KING - Saratoga Springs HS - Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
5,000 - 18:00.60
Finished 5th at 3,000 meters as a junior at N.Y. State Indoor Championships (10:11.01)... Top 1,500 mark outdoors was 4:46.78 as a junior... Posted 10:06.30 in 3,000 outdoors as a junior to finish third at sectional meet... Had cross-country best of 17:48 in 5K at sectional championships... Top-10 finish at the Great American Festival as a senior... Had back-to-back top-25 finishes at the N.Y. State Class AA cross country championships.
THEA LAFOND - Kennedy HS - Silver Spring, Md.
TJ - 41-8.50... HJ - 5-8... 100 Hurdles - 14.43
Won four events at the 2011 Maryland State 3A Outdoor Championships - 14.45 in the 100H, 5-6 in the high jump, 17-11.50 in the long jump and a career-best 41-8.50 in the triple jump... Won the Maryland State 3A indoor title in the girls high jump for Kennedy HS, with a personal-best 5-8... Also won the state title in the 55 hurdles at 8.39... Winter All-Met selection by the Washington Post... Won four events as a senior at Montgomery County Championships - 55 hurdles, high jump, long jump (career-best 18-4) and triple jump... Won outdoor state titles as a junior in 100 Hurdles, long jump and triple jump, while placing second in high jump...New Balance National Champion in the triple jump
AMBER MELVILLE - North Carroll HS - Westminster, Md.
HJ - 5-9
Placed second as a junior at the Maryland State 2A outdoor championships in girls high jump at 5-6... Lost to current Terrapin Amina Smith... Won Carroll County title in high jump as a junior and as a senior... Also ran on North Carroll's county-champion 4x400 relay team... Personal-best in high jump is 5-9 set outdoors as a sophomore... Class 2A regional champion in high jump as a senior... Second in the state indoors as a junior... Won the state and regional titles indoors and outdoors as a sophomore... Won state title in high jump outdoors as a freshman (5-6).
SHADE PRATT - Rosemount HS - Rosemount, Minn.
400- 56.23
Placed 4th at the Minnesota State high school meet in the 400 with a season-best 56.43... Ran anchor leg on Rosemount 4x400 relay team that finished second... Career-best 56.06 in 400 came at 2010 Minnesota State High School meet... Won South Suburban Conference Championships, as well as section title in the 400... Will also play women's soccer for Maryland.
ALEXA WILLIAMS - Jonathon Dayton HS - Springfield, N.J.
HJ - 5-10... 100 Hurdles - 15.19... LJ- 18-3
Holds career-best of 5-10 in the high jump, which ranks 4th on New Jersey all-time indoor list... Won N.J. Meet of Champions indoors... Mark tied for the best prep mark in the U.S. in 2011... Prep All-American with 5th-place finish at New Balance Indoor Nationals as a senior... Won Union County Conference Championships in high jump and long jump (18-3) outdoors as a senior... Union County champ in 55m hurdles with 8.65 clocking.
MEN
YAO ADANTOR - transfer from Morgan State - Reservoir HS - Fulton, Md.
DT - 157-5; SP (College) - 49-9.75; SP (High School) 55-3.25
Finished 6th in discus and 8th in shot put for Bears at 2011 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Outdoor... Season-best in shot put came indoors with 49-9.75 to win the Albany Great Dane Classic... Also had top mark in weight throw of 48-0 to place 2nd at that meet... Season-best discus mark of 144-10 was at MSU Legacy Meet... Lettered in football, wrestling and track at Reservoir HS... Holds all throwing records at the high school... First team All-State, all-region, All-Howard County selection in throws... Three-time track MVP in high school...
PAT COLE - Hasbrouck Heights HS - Hasbrouck Heights, N.J.
DT - 171-5; SP- 57-9.5
Top-10 finishes in discus and shot put at the 2011 N.J. Meet of Champions... Personal-best of 171-5 in the discus came with victory at the NJIC League Championships... Also won the shot put at that meet... Won Bergen County titles in shot and discus.
MICHAEL LYNCH - transfer from Oklahoma State - Atholton HS - Columbia, Md.
3,000 - 8:38.44... 3,200 - 9:25.6
Did not compete for Cowboys in 2009-10... Appeared in three meets for Oklahoma State indoors in 2010, posting season-bests of 4:29.56 in the mile and 8:38.44 at 3,000 meters... Did not compete in cross country for Cowboys, but ran for Team USA at the world junior cross country championships in Poland, placing 84th at 25:23... Won Maryland Class 3A state title indoors as a senior with PR of 9:25.6... Second at 3,200m outdoors at state meet... All-state in cross country as a senior (2nd at 2008 state meet at 16:50 for 3 miles) at Atholton HS.
TERRENCE MALIFF - Wall HS - Wall, N.J.
800 - 1:56.24... 400 Hurdles - 54.21
Won Monmouth County, Shore Conference and Central Jersey Group III titles in 400 hurdles as a senior... Had PR of 54.21 to win conference championship... Won Shore Conference title indoors at 400 meters... Finished 7th in N.J. Group 3 meet in 800 (1:56.24) and 5th in 400 hurdles...
MAMADOU NIANG - transfer from Seton Hall - West Essex HS - North Caldwell, N.J.
800 - 1:51.61... 400 - 48.92
Won Lehigh Games title in 800 and ran on first-place 4x400 relay team... Best 800 time in 2011 came with 1:51.61 at the Colonial Relays... Also won 800 at Monmouth Season Opener... Did not run indoors in 2011... Won the first 800-meter competition of his collegiate career by finishing first at Yale Collegiate Invitational indoors... Ran two seasons of cross country for Pirates... Seton Hall cut men's indoor and outdoor track following 2011 season... Will have two seasons remaining outdoor and in cross country, and three indoors... Won silver medal at National Scholastic Indoor Championships as a prep... Held West Essex (N.J.) HS records in 400 and 800... Second team All-State as a senior... First team all-county and all-conference honoree.
KIKANAE PUNYUA - Glenelg Country Day School - Nairobi, Kenya
2 Miles - 9:11.47... Mile - 4:20.51... 3,200 - 9:12.16
Won Maryland State Class 3A title in 3,200 at 2010 outdoor meet at Wilde Lake HS (9:35.93)... Attended Glenelg Country Day School as a senior... Won mile and 3,200 indoors at Last Track to Philly meet... Doubled in 1,600 (4:19.36) and 3,200 (9:12.16) at FSU Relays high school meet... Fourth in 2-mile run at New Balance Indoor Nationals at 9:11.47, raking 14th in the nation... Second overall at MIAA cross country championships as senior, going 15:59 over 3 miles.
TYLER TATE - Tatnall HS - Wilmington, Del.
800 - 1:53.15... Mile - 4:17.89... 5,000 - 15:22.80
Two-time Delaware State indoor track athlete of the year as voted by state's coaches... Led Tatnall HS to two straight cross country titles... Qualified for Nike Cross Country Nationals... Won 800 and 1,600 outdoors at Delaware Division 2 State Meet, going 1:53.15 and 4:18.36... Went 9:33.39 over 2 miles indoors to post best mark in state in seven years... Set state mile record indoors at 4:17.89 and was on state-record 4x800 relay quartet that went 8:09.75.... Best 800 indoors as a senior was 1:56.84... Won state indoor titles as senior in 800 and 1,600... Five-time Delaware state champion at 800 both indoors and outdoors.
ALEX WILLET - Walter Johnson HS - Bethesda, Md.
1,600 - 4:14.47... 3,200 - 9:32.10
Won Maryland State Class 4A title indoors in 3,200 meters (9:33.34)... Finished first at 1,600 meters and second at 3,200 meters at 4A West Regional outdoors as senior...Two-time Montgomery County Outdoor champion in the 1,600... Had PR of 4:14.47 to win title as a senior... Class 4A West Region individual champion in cross country as a senior (17:12.21 over 5K) after placing second at Montgomery County Championship...
