Texas A&M-Corpus Christi cross country and track & field
programs announced the signings of 15 new members who'll join the
Islanders for the 2010-11 academic year. Director of Track and
Field/Cross Country head coach Shawn Flanagan and track and field
head coach Randy Bungard signed 10 women and five men to come to
the Island in the fall.
On the women's side Julia Sambu, Sarah Kimaiyo, Brenna Pelzel,
Ana-Cecilia Gonzales, Felicia Salinas, Ashley Rosebrough, Ernistine
Cray, Ke-Kenya Clayton, Brianeka Harris, and Gabriella Mota.
The first two signees for the women's team are a pair of runners
from Kenya via Rend Lake Junior College. Sambu is the reigning
indoor national champion in the 5000-meters at the NJCCA and was
second in the mile run indoors. Her teammate Kimaiyo finished third
in the mile at the NJCCA outdoor championships helping Rend Lake to
a fifth-place team finish.
Pelzel was a state qualifier in the 3200-meter run at Blooming
Grove High School. Gonzales is a local product from Carroll also
was a regional qualifier in the 3200.
Salinas, who comes to the Island University from nearby Alice
High School, was named the Corpus Christi Caller-Times
2010 track athlete of the year in hurdles. She also finished sixth
in the 300 hurdles at the 4A state championships.
Rosebrough, who is from Warren High School in San Antonio, will
compete in sprints. She finished seventh in the 200-meter run at 5A
state championship and was a member on the 400-meter relay team who
finished fifth. Cray, who is also from San Antonio and competed for
Sam Houston High School, will compete in sprints/jumps. She
finished third in the long jump and fifth in the triple jump at the
3A state championships.
Clayton, who attended Gregory-Portland, is a sprinter who was a
regional qualifier in high school on three relay units. Harris a
teammate of Cray at Gregory Portland will sprint and jump for
A&M-Corpus Christi. She was named Caller-Times first
team All-South Texas in sprints and jumps. At the 4A state
championships, she finished eighth in the long jump.
Mota was an 800m state qualifier at West Oso High School and was
named 2010 Caller Times first team All-South Texas in
middle distance.
New signees on the men's side are Onesmus Serum, Adrian Marquez,
Brandon Steed, Justin Adame, and Eric Garza.
Serum, who hails from Kenya, will compete in distance events.
Marquez, who is a transfer from Johnson County Junior College and
graduated from Hutchinson High School in Kansas, will also compete
in distance events.
Two additional distance runners have also signed. Steed is from
Justin Northwest High School . Adame is a local distance runner
from Carroll and qualified for state in cross country.
The final member of the class will compete in the throws. Garza
will be the first thrower for the Islander program since Hickel
Woolery was an All-American in the discus.
"We are excited with the talent that we have signed," said
Flanagan. "Anytime you get a JUCO national champion and three
Caller Time athletes of the year in a class is great," said
Flanagan "We're not done recruiting yet, but the athletes we've
brought in will continue to move our program forward."
