LEXINGTON, Ky. ? The Kentucky men?s track and field coaching staff received tremendous news Tuesday when it learned Track and Field News ranked its latest recruiting class as the best in the nation. This year?s honor marks the first time in Kentucky history a recruiting class is listed among the publication?s top five in the nation.
The Wildcat men?s freshmen class finished ahead of Southern California, Florida State, Arizona and perennial SEC powerhouse Arkansas in the magazine?s December issue hitting newsstands this week.
?We were very pleased with the quality and diversity of event athletes in this recruiting class,? said Kentucky Head Coach Don Weber. ?Over the past couple of months, after getting to know them, we feel even better about this group.
?Recruiting is the most important thing we do, but we all know championships aren?t won on paper. We are eager to see our potential realized in performance. Our coaches and athletes are enthusiastic recruiters and as is often the case, good fortune follows good work.?
Kentucky was the only school in the country to pick up four Track and Field News High School All-Americas. The diverse Wildcat class includes the magazine?s No. 2 high hurdler Brendan Ames (13.64A/13.15w), the No. 2 high jumper Grant Lindsey (7-3), the No. 3 long jumper Derrick Locke (25-4.75A) and the No. 3 shot-putter/4 discus thrower Colin Boevers (66-?/191-6). The Cats also signed strongman Rashaud Scott (60-4/198-6), a transfer from Mesa Community College and five-time NJCAA All-America selection in discus, shot put and weight throw.
Ames hails from Cheyenne, Wyo. where he currently holds six state records including indoor titles in the long jump, 55-meter hurdles and 55-meter dash, as well as outdoor championships in the long jump, 110-meter hurdles and 200-meter dash. In 2007, he also claimed a state title in the 100- meter dash. Ames reigned as the 2007 USATF junior national champion in the 100-meter hurdles.
Locke currently is tearing up football fields all over the Southeastern Conference for the Cats. The Hugo, Okla. native is second on Coach Brooks? squad in rushing yards and leads the team in special teams? tackles this season. The dual-sport rookie?s 67-yard touchdown scamper against Kent State is the longest run on the team this year. In 2007, the all-around athlete was Oklahoma state champion in the long jump and 100-meter dash (10.60), breaking the Oklahoma state record in the former.
Mansfield, Texas native Lindsey is the 2007 Texas 5A state champion in the high jump and a 2007 Indoor All-American. During the outdoor season, he broke the 7-foot barrier four times, going undefeated. Lindsey also earned recognition as a 2007 Texas Relays champion while attending Mansfield High School.
Boevers comes to the Lexington from Salt Lake City where he is the reigning 2007 Utah State Champion in both shot put and discus. He owns the fourth-ranked high-school performance in the country last year in the shot put with a throw of 66-5. The accomplished thrower also holds the eighth-best USA high school performance in the discus with a toss of 192-1.
Rashaud Scott comes to Lexington after competing at the junior college level in Mesa, Ariz. last season. In 2007, Scott was a NJCAA All-American for the second consecutive year in both shot put and weight throw. The newcomer also claimed the honor in 2006 for discus.
As a whole, the UK newcomers lay claim to over a dozen championship titles in five different states, with five athletes owning multiple titles. The class brings athletes together from as far away as New York and Utah to compete in the Bluegrass state.
Fans can catch the first glimpse of the Kentucky track and field teams when they begin the indoor season by hosting the Kentucky Invitational, Jan. 11-12.
