This is a fun topic, because the Red Raider roster is full of kids who are just on the cusp of being major factors in the Big 12 Conference. Frankly, if even half of these kids truly do "break out" this season, then the men's team could be a conference title contender and the women's team could move into the top 3 and that is exactly what you want with Tech hosting the Big 12 meet this coming spring.
I am listing the athletes in a rough order of expectation to "break out" - most likely to least likely:
WOMEN
Michelle Guzman - Soph from Giddings - tremendous improvement in XC from her first year at Tech to this year. Tech has been looking for one of their recruits from a Texas HS to step up and become a major contender in the distances, since much of their success has been with international kids. I think that Michelle is a legit candidate for points at conference in the 5K and 10K - I have heard time and again what a tough competitor she is in workouts. Love to see her have a great season.
Kelsey Lloyd - Soph from Amarillo HS - already placed 6th last year at conference in the HJ. However, she did not qualify for the regional meet and I fully believe she is capable of threatening the 6 foot mark in the HJ. Kelsey is also a quartermiler with some promise. I think the coaches wanted to bring her along slowly in her first year at Tech, but I expect to see her running the quarter more frequently and to possibly push her way onto the 4X400 relay.
Jonisha Boleware - Jr (?) from Lancaster - I think she may actually be a soph in outdoor eligibility. Jonisha was injured in a spring break accident in 2007 and last year was the first year she ran outdoors for Tech. She was more of a 100/200 sprinter before the accident and is now more of a 200/400 runner. She only missed the Big 12 finals in the 400 be a few tenths in 2008 and I think we see her lower her 400 drastically in 2009 - now that she is over her injury completely.
Shannon Jackson - Soph from Houston Westbury - 11th in the Big 12 800, Shannon is just about one second from qualifying in the halfmile. I fully expect to see her shave 3-5 seconds off her 800 time and make the conference finals in 2009.
Erica Worthy - Sr from N. Crowley - has shown potential for 2 years for Tech. Hopefully, this is the year Erica puts it all together. She literally missed the finals in the conference 400 by one/tenth in 2009. I am not absolutely sure that she still has a outdoor eligibility year left, but if she does, she could make a huge difference for the women's 4X400.
Kearci Jobe - Soph from Keller Central - indecision really hurt Kearci in 2008. The former 4A state champ in the 800 wanted to become a heptathlete and worked on all the events in the heptathlon for much of 2008. She also tried to bulk up some to be more effective in the throwing events of the heptahtlon. Late in the season, she changed course and came back to the 800 only, but it was too late. I think she could still be an excellent halfmiler, if she concentrates on that event only.
Jessie Gibbs - Soph from Jim Ned - she vaulted at conference in 2008, but no-heighted. Some potential with Jessie, who frankly would have benefited from a year of redshirt in 2008. Injuries to two other key vaulters forced Jessie to vault all last year. Still, there is some potential in Jessie.
Janell Appelhans - Jr from Perryton - I thought that Janell was going to bust loose in 2008 in the LJ, but she never got untracked. There is some potential for Janell in contend in the LJ, but she needs to take a big step forward in 2009. Also, Janell occasionally runs on the 4X100 and may need to be pressed into action again in 2009.
There are 4 others who are still a long way from being conference-competitive, but who hopefully will make strides in 2009: Veronica DiLullo, the triple jumper from Round Rock McNeil; Christina Graham, the halfmiler from El Paso Hanks (a transfer from Baylor); Katherine Priebe, the distance runner from Midland HS, who has shown some promise in XC, but has not transferred that to the track; and Kayla Sayegh, the distance runner from Cedar Park.
MEN - wow, there are a lot of men on this team who are ready to make some noise in 2009
Gil Roberts - Soph from Millwood, OK - he only ran in 2 meets outdoors in 2008 due to nagging injuries left over from HS. In those meets, he qualifed for regionals in both the 200 and 400 - in the only times he ran those races! I truly believe that Gil has the capability to become the greatest quartermiler in Tech's history. He has that kind of talent. I am talking Big 12 champion and even national champion kind of talent. I expect to see the real Gil Roberts in 2009 if he is healthy.
Bill Lawhorn - Soph from Giddings - Bill is just a fraction behind Gil in having other-worldly talent. Bill also spent most of 2008 injured. If he is healthy, he is also a potential 200/400 conference finalist and could help on either the 4X100 or 4X400. Both of these guys have transcendent talent or at least that potential.
Silas Kemboi - Jr from Kenya - one of my biggest disappointments in 2008 was Silas not making the finals in the 800 or 1500 at conference. Silas has top-3 conference talent in both races, particularly in the 1500. Not sure why he had a little sophomore slump in 2008, but I truly do not expect to see that slump in 2009.
Lamont Adams - Soph from Round Rock McNeil - this kid is a great quartermiler and was actually the most successful of the three freshman quartermilers in 2008 (finishing 11th at conference in the 400), because he was the healthiest of the three. He is a big, strong kid. I still think he could also be a powerful halfmiler. Lamont gives Tech three sophomores who have legit shots at making the conference finals this year.
Waylon Randolph - Jr from Humble - suffered through a injury-filled freshman year that was largely wasted, then came back with a terrific soph year where he placed 6th at conference. If Waylon sees anywhere close to the same kind of improvement between 2008 and 2009, then he is a contender for top-3 at conference and a probable national qualifier.
Skye Green - Soph from Sweetwater - I saw Skye run in the HS and thought he would bust out as a freshman at Tech. The coaches worked on his technique, his start, his attitude. He had to take a few steps backward in 2008 to give him a shot at much bigger things in 2009. Not only should Skye have a much, much better 2009, but he is a part of what could be a killer 4X100 relay for Tech.
Justin Turner - Jr from Levelland - huge potential in the HJ, yet so far he has not come close to that potential. I really think Justin should be a 7-2 or 7-3 jumper, yet he jumped consistently at 6-9/6-10 all of 2008. if Justin gets his head together, then his body will start flying into the stratosphere.
Cory Higgins - Jr from Eula - steady progress has moved Cory into the picture in the 1500 at conference, finishing 15th in 2008. He appears to be a bit stronger and a bit steadier in XC in 2008, which hopefully translates into a conference finals-qualifying run in 2009.
Logan Culotta - Soph from Flower Mound - a younger version of Cory Higgins. If he improves at a similar rate as Cory has improved, Logan could also be a contender for conference points in the 1500 as early as 2010.
Paden Behrens - Jr from Brady - finished 17th in the javelin in 2008. Made steady improvement in an event he did not pick up until 2007, in his freshman year at Tech. Paden is a perfect candidate for a javelin thrower - an excellent HS quarterback and solid athlete. Don't forget that Terry Bradshaw was one of a long line of excellent quarterbacks who also were outstanding javelin throwers. I would love to see Paden throw over 200 feet this year and move into the confernce picture.
Kelly Wilson - Soph from Lewisville - had a solid redshirt freshman year, finishing 13th at conference in the vault. If he can step it up to 17 feet, then he can contend at conference.
Rashad Hawk - Soph from Copperas Cove - ran pretty well in the last few meets of the year (after football spring practice was over). Outstanding potential - don't forget, he was 3rd in the 4A 100 in HS. The coaches dilemma - do you wait for Rashad to come out of football to run on the sprint relay and risk having to rapidly have to get handoffs down (which happened pretty disastrously in 2008)? Or, do you put someone like Bill Lawhorn on the relay from the get-go and let the group (probably Julius Walker, Skye Green and freshman Markus Henderson) become a strong unit over several weeks?
Chuck Zavala - Soph from Brownsville St. Joseph's - Chuck has all the tools to make an excellent decathlete - he placed in 4 events at the TAPPS state meet as a HS senior. However, in two years as a redshirt and then as a RS freshman, Chuck has never completed a full decathlon. I truly believe he can be a contender if he can ever get that first decathlon under his belt.
There are some other interesting kids who could see some improvement in 2009, although I don't see them as conference contenders:
-Distance runners David Boston, from Belton; Aaron Greer, from Cedar Park; Jeremy Kight, from Flower Mound and Jake Szot, from Cy-Fair.
-Jumpers Bernard Hammonds, from Keller Central and Travon Hill-Chadwick, from McDonough HS in Marylan
-Halfmiler Kurtis Limmer, from Lubbock Cooper, a former 3A two-time state finalist in the 800, who lost a lot of ground in two years at UH before transferring to Tech.
If you see several of these kids "break out" in 2009, then it will be a banner year for Tech. There is certainly the capacity on the part of virtually every one of these kids listed above to compete at conference. I would definitely love to see it on the home track in May!!!
I am listing the athletes in a rough order of expectation to "break out" - most likely to least likely:
WOMEN
Michelle Guzman - Soph from Giddings - tremendous improvement in XC from her first year at Tech to this year. Tech has been looking for one of their recruits from a Texas HS to step up and become a major contender in the distances, since much of their success has been with international kids. I think that Michelle is a legit candidate for points at conference in the 5K and 10K - I have heard time and again what a tough competitor she is in workouts. Love to see her have a great season.
Kelsey Lloyd - Soph from Amarillo HS - already placed 6th last year at conference in the HJ. However, she did not qualify for the regional meet and I fully believe she is capable of threatening the 6 foot mark in the HJ. Kelsey is also a quartermiler with some promise. I think the coaches wanted to bring her along slowly in her first year at Tech, but I expect to see her running the quarter more frequently and to possibly push her way onto the 4X400 relay.
Jonisha Boleware - Jr (?) from Lancaster - I think she may actually be a soph in outdoor eligibility. Jonisha was injured in a spring break accident in 2007 and last year was the first year she ran outdoors for Tech. She was more of a 100/200 sprinter before the accident and is now more of a 200/400 runner. She only missed the Big 12 finals in the 400 be a few tenths in 2008 and I think we see her lower her 400 drastically in 2009 - now that she is over her injury completely.
Shannon Jackson - Soph from Houston Westbury - 11th in the Big 12 800, Shannon is just about one second from qualifying in the halfmile. I fully expect to see her shave 3-5 seconds off her 800 time and make the conference finals in 2009.
Erica Worthy - Sr from N. Crowley - has shown potential for 2 years for Tech. Hopefully, this is the year Erica puts it all together. She literally missed the finals in the conference 400 by one/tenth in 2009. I am not absolutely sure that she still has a outdoor eligibility year left, but if she does, she could make a huge difference for the women's 4X400.
Kearci Jobe - Soph from Keller Central - indecision really hurt Kearci in 2008. The former 4A state champ in the 800 wanted to become a heptathlete and worked on all the events in the heptathlon for much of 2008. She also tried to bulk up some to be more effective in the throwing events of the heptahtlon. Late in the season, she changed course and came back to the 800 only, but it was too late. I think she could still be an excellent halfmiler, if she concentrates on that event only.
Jessie Gibbs - Soph from Jim Ned - she vaulted at conference in 2008, but no-heighted. Some potential with Jessie, who frankly would have benefited from a year of redshirt in 2008. Injuries to two other key vaulters forced Jessie to vault all last year. Still, there is some potential in Jessie.
Janell Appelhans - Jr from Perryton - I thought that Janell was going to bust loose in 2008 in the LJ, but she never got untracked. There is some potential for Janell in contend in the LJ, but she needs to take a big step forward in 2009. Also, Janell occasionally runs on the 4X100 and may need to be pressed into action again in 2009.
There are 4 others who are still a long way from being conference-competitive, but who hopefully will make strides in 2009: Veronica DiLullo, the triple jumper from Round Rock McNeil; Christina Graham, the halfmiler from El Paso Hanks (a transfer from Baylor); Katherine Priebe, the distance runner from Midland HS, who has shown some promise in XC, but has not transferred that to the track; and Kayla Sayegh, the distance runner from Cedar Park.
MEN - wow, there are a lot of men on this team who are ready to make some noise in 2009
Gil Roberts - Soph from Millwood, OK - he only ran in 2 meets outdoors in 2008 due to nagging injuries left over from HS. In those meets, he qualifed for regionals in both the 200 and 400 - in the only times he ran those races! I truly believe that Gil has the capability to become the greatest quartermiler in Tech's history. He has that kind of talent. I am talking Big 12 champion and even national champion kind of talent. I expect to see the real Gil Roberts in 2009 if he is healthy.
Bill Lawhorn - Soph from Giddings - Bill is just a fraction behind Gil in having other-worldly talent. Bill also spent most of 2008 injured. If he is healthy, he is also a potential 200/400 conference finalist and could help on either the 4X100 or 4X400. Both of these guys have transcendent talent or at least that potential.
Silas Kemboi - Jr from Kenya - one of my biggest disappointments in 2008 was Silas not making the finals in the 800 or 1500 at conference. Silas has top-3 conference talent in both races, particularly in the 1500. Not sure why he had a little sophomore slump in 2008, but I truly do not expect to see that slump in 2009.
Lamont Adams - Soph from Round Rock McNeil - this kid is a great quartermiler and was actually the most successful of the three freshman quartermilers in 2008 (finishing 11th at conference in the 400), because he was the healthiest of the three. He is a big, strong kid. I still think he could also be a powerful halfmiler. Lamont gives Tech three sophomores who have legit shots at making the conference finals this year.
Waylon Randolph - Jr from Humble - suffered through a injury-filled freshman year that was largely wasted, then came back with a terrific soph year where he placed 6th at conference. If Waylon sees anywhere close to the same kind of improvement between 2008 and 2009, then he is a contender for top-3 at conference and a probable national qualifier.
Skye Green - Soph from Sweetwater - I saw Skye run in the HS and thought he would bust out as a freshman at Tech. The coaches worked on his technique, his start, his attitude. He had to take a few steps backward in 2008 to give him a shot at much bigger things in 2009. Not only should Skye have a much, much better 2009, but he is a part of what could be a killer 4X100 relay for Tech.
Justin Turner - Jr from Levelland - huge potential in the HJ, yet so far he has not come close to that potential. I really think Justin should be a 7-2 or 7-3 jumper, yet he jumped consistently at 6-9/6-10 all of 2008. if Justin gets his head together, then his body will start flying into the stratosphere.
Cory Higgins - Jr from Eula - steady progress has moved Cory into the picture in the 1500 at conference, finishing 15th in 2008. He appears to be a bit stronger and a bit steadier in XC in 2008, which hopefully translates into a conference finals-qualifying run in 2009.
Logan Culotta - Soph from Flower Mound - a younger version of Cory Higgins. If he improves at a similar rate as Cory has improved, Logan could also be a contender for conference points in the 1500 as early as 2010.
Paden Behrens - Jr from Brady - finished 17th in the javelin in 2008. Made steady improvement in an event he did not pick up until 2007, in his freshman year at Tech. Paden is a perfect candidate for a javelin thrower - an excellent HS quarterback and solid athlete. Don't forget that Terry Bradshaw was one of a long line of excellent quarterbacks who also were outstanding javelin throwers. I would love to see Paden throw over 200 feet this year and move into the confernce picture.
Kelly Wilson - Soph from Lewisville - had a solid redshirt freshman year, finishing 13th at conference in the vault. If he can step it up to 17 feet, then he can contend at conference.
Rashad Hawk - Soph from Copperas Cove - ran pretty well in the last few meets of the year (after football spring practice was over). Outstanding potential - don't forget, he was 3rd in the 4A 100 in HS. The coaches dilemma - do you wait for Rashad to come out of football to run on the sprint relay and risk having to rapidly have to get handoffs down (which happened pretty disastrously in 2008)? Or, do you put someone like Bill Lawhorn on the relay from the get-go and let the group (probably Julius Walker, Skye Green and freshman Markus Henderson) become a strong unit over several weeks?
Chuck Zavala - Soph from Brownsville St. Joseph's - Chuck has all the tools to make an excellent decathlete - he placed in 4 events at the TAPPS state meet as a HS senior. However, in two years as a redshirt and then as a RS freshman, Chuck has never completed a full decathlon. I truly believe he can be a contender if he can ever get that first decathlon under his belt.
There are some other interesting kids who could see some improvement in 2009, although I don't see them as conference contenders:
-Distance runners David Boston, from Belton; Aaron Greer, from Cedar Park; Jeremy Kight, from Flower Mound and Jake Szot, from Cy-Fair.
-Jumpers Bernard Hammonds, from Keller Central and Travon Hill-Chadwick, from McDonough HS in Marylan
-Halfmiler Kurtis Limmer, from Lubbock Cooper, a former 3A two-time state finalist in the 800, who lost a lot of ground in two years at UH before transferring to Tech.
If you see several of these kids "break out" in 2009, then it will be a banner year for Tech. There is certainly the capacity on the part of virtually every one of these kids listed above to compete at conference. I would definitely love to see it on the home track in May!!!
