The recruiting class this year seems descent.
014 Aggie Track and Field Signing Class
WOMEN
Athlete Event Hometown High School
Matilde Alvarez Sierra sprints San Pedro Cholula, Puebla, Mexico
Shaina Burns multi-event Prior Lake, Minn. Lakeville South HS
Ebony Crear hurdles Long Beach, Calif. Poly HS
Briyahna Desrosiers sprints Alsip, Ill. North Lawndale College Prep
Melanie Enriquez distance Round Rock, Texas Stony Point HS
Audrey Malone multi-event Bryan, Texas Bryan HS
Devin Norton distance Lantana, Texas Denton Guyer HS
Bailey Simmons throws Montgomery, Ala. Alabama Christian
Makenzie Smajstrla high jump Rosharon, Texas Manvel HS
Sara Kathryn Stevens pole vault New Braunfels, Texas New Braunfels HS
Ashtin Zamzow multi-event Goliad, Texas Goliad HS
MEN
Athlete Event Hometown High School
O'Jay Ferguson sprints Bahamas Essex County CC
Carl Johnasson pole vault Newport Beach, Calif. Orange Lutheran HS
Ioannis Kyriazis throws Athens, Greece
Jacob Perry distance Sanger, Texas Sanger HS
Just'N Thymes sprints Walnut, Calif.

Just thought I would take a quick look at the recruiting this year. I notice this year that more than half of the recruits are outside the state of Texas.
Most of the top recruits in Texas and in the country did not come to Texas A&M which I though was very strange. Many of athletes were recruited by Texas A&M. I thought Texas A&M was the most sought after Track school in Texas and in the nation. Maybe not so after looking after looking at the commitments and signings this year. It seems like everyone was boycotting A&M this year. For those who argue we are not a field events school and therefore field events athletes would not come here. Look what Brea Garrett just done over the weekend. She is now the top weight thrower in the nation. We have a top notch jumps and field events coach who has done very well locally and internationally with his athletes. Kris Grimes who came from Nebraska in August 2013
Oregon was traditionally a distance running school but now has recruited some of the top female sprinters and hurdlers in the nation over A&M in the last two years and would be very competitive all round. Their sprinters are no 2 and no 3 in the nation in the 60m in the indoor season and no. 3 in the 60m hurdles so far. Look out for Oregon who are desperately looking for an Outdoor title
Below are some for the top recruits and most sought after recruits in Texas and in the nation and where they went
Women
Name School of Choice
Ariana Washington Long Beach, Ca Sprints World Junior Runner for US Oregon
Ky Westbrook Chandler Sprints World Junior Champion USC
Olivia Baker Maplewood, NJ Sprints World Junior Champion (Relay) Stanford
Alaysh Johnson Spring, Tx Hurdles, Sprint State Champion Just Committed to Oregon
Ariel Jones Humble, Tx Hurdles Texas
Kymber Payne Long Beach, Ca Hurdles State Champion LSU
Dior Hall Denver, Co Hurdles World Juniors USC
Desiree Freier Justin, Tx Pole Vault World Juniors Arkansas
Keturah Orji Flanders, NJ Long and Triple Jump World Juniors Georgia
Alexa Hammon-Thomas Lawrence, Kansas High Jump, Multi Texas
Raevyn Rogers Houston, Tx Sprint, Middle Distance World Juniors Not committed

The only other big name yet to commit is Raevyn Rogers from Houston who is no. 2 in nation in 800m behind Mary Cain and no 7 in the nation in 400m. Let see if the aggies finally get one of the prize recruits this year.
Men
Name School of Choice
Kendal Williams Jacksonville, Fl Sprints State Champion Florida State
Mustaq’een Williams Woodbrige, Va Sprints Junior Olympics Florida
Tony Brown Beaumont, Tx Hurdles, Sprint World Juniors Alabama/ Football
Marlon Humphreys Hoover, Al Hurdles, Sprint World Juniors Alabama/Football
Natron Gipson Arlington, Tx High Jump Junior Olympics Kansas State
Randall Cummingham Las Vegas, Nevada High Jump World Juniors USC/Football
Noah Gilfillan Corsiana, Tx Pole Vault No 1 US indoors Committed to A&M but signed with Arkansas
Adoree Jackson Gardena, Ca Sprints/ Long Jump State Champion USC

Notice we had to go to Junior College to get two sprint recruits this year.
I know we didn’t get many or probably none of the top recruits this year but I know our coach Pat Henry and his coaching staff will continue to bring out the best in these athletes and bring them from average to top in the nation. Just look at what Brea Garrett over the weekend. I look forward to seeing much more like this during the rest of the track season.

Does not having a outdoor track & field facility hurt us in recruiting?

You are right, The outdoor facility has to be one of the factors. Look at the schools they have gone too. Oregon, USC, Stanford, Texas. All with great outdoor program.
But traditionally we have done very well at sprint and hurdles and still many top sprint and hurdles recruits didn't choose A&M. That's says a lot.
We have the men's 110 hurdles world record holder trained in College Station. Aries Merritt tweeted " A place I will never forget, Grade A training

http://instagram.com/p/jzjZLXsV4M/#

This should have inspired hurdles recruits to College station. I guess not.
Also a couple of years ago we some of the top long and triple jumpers in the country Julian Reid, Tyrone Stewart etc which scored big points at NCAA.
We haven't had a top recruiting long and triple jumper in last three years or so. Florida, Florida State and Arkansas have taken over in this department.

So basically people may be looking for top outdoor training facilities especially when the next Olympic games is in two years time.
Everyone wants to make the Olympic team

Raevyn Rogers, Houston, Texas top 400m and 800m runner in the country signed with the Oregon Duck. A&M got absolutely none of the top recruits in the country this year. It is amazing that Oregon got two top recruits out of Texas especially with A&M having done so well outdoors over the last fives seasons ist, ist, ist, 3rd, 2nd at NCAA Outdoor championship. The boycott of A&M continues. Oregon is bent on taking over in the sprint and hurdle as well since they are already strong in distance events.

Excellent summary. Thanks.

quote:

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A&M got absolutely none of the top recruits in the country this year.

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Unanimous rejection is too dismal to be random.

Caleb eagans ? Supposedly signed with atm

Caleb signed a week and half ago so he wouldn't be on the official release from NSD. For track, it seems like there are 3 times when kids sign LOIs - on NSD, a week after NSD, and in May.

Thanks, I knew he signed but didn't see his name

I think we picked up a world class triple jumper today from a junior college. Latario Minns tweeted

"saltar lejos @latariosmall · 8h ago
I have finally decided to commit to Texas a&m university".

He is the Junior College indoor 2014 triple jump champion with a 16.80 m jump for Iowa Western CC.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3DG9ICD7cY

He was a former World Junior Triple champion for Bahamas in 2011

He has a twin brother who also triple jump for Iowa Western Community College and was a bronze medalist at the world junior championship

Great recruit

There is a lot of speculation here about facilities. But no real evidence that is why the athletes chose other schools. How did we get any athletes before with the same facilities we have today? Our indoor facility is excellent.

I think there is something else wrong. Our recruiting approach, our scholarship allocation, not properly selling B/CS, etc. could all be part of the story.

You have a very good point Spice.
I was even thinking also about the quality of education here compared to other track schools. This is another good selling point. Life after track is important.So we need to appeal to educational aspect of recruiting because we have a very good academic university.
I was reading about one of the basketball recruit on her visit to Aggieland. Gary Blair first took her the engineering labs and she was sold because her love for engineering. This was before she saw any of our basketball facilities.

[This message has been edited by triniaggie (edited 3/26/2014 9:49a).]

I am not a track guy. But I am a swimmer and had two children compete in Div 1. For my diver, lack of a 10M platform would be deal breaker. But otherwise my kids, and their friends and teammates in a similar situation, chose schools for many reasons. Facilities, as long as they are "adequate" are rarely that high on the list. For many the facilities they care about have nothing to do with their sport - it is the general student-athlete life they would have.

I think track athletes spend a lot of time in the weight room. Our weight room is one of the best.

Elite athletes in Olympic sports want to get to Olympic trials for a chance at Olympic glory. The #1 thing that affects that is coaching. One thing that could kill us in recruiting is indifference by the coaches and recruiting staff. Schools that consistently recruit well do so because they are good at it. They know know how to sell EVERYTHING about the school to the 18 year old kid.

[This message has been edited by SpicewoodAg (edited 3/26/2014 10:10a).]

I'd be careful not to overreact about one "down" year, particularly when our down year includes World Youth qualifiers, and a US Juniors champion, among a few other superlatives.

Its interesting to see the diversity in the class. Johannsoon is a top top US prep-level pole vaulter. I think Kathryn-Stevens is coming along well in the same event on the ladies side of things. That thrower from Greece- kid can throw a little bit.

Definitely some projects, we'll see. I think O'Jay Ferguson is really teetering on the edge and is in danger of becoming a legitimate 400m runner and point contributor at least at the conference meet level.

I think the outdoor facility is a legitimate concern, and has been for some time.

Collie-Minns is a big addition- guy with a long history of good performances at big time meets- and Coach has stated he expects we'll see more additions.

[This message has been edited by TXAggie2011 (edited 3/26/2014 10:07p).]

Even though some of the top Texas athletes have gone to other schools in other states, recently we are picking some good out of state athletes.

Just reporting that we picked up another very good recruit earlier this month. Marcquita Stalbert out of New Orleans, LA. She chose the Aggies over LSU, Tennessee, USC, Oregon, UCLA, UCF, San Diego State and Alabama
Some details on her:

During her prep career, she’s won 12 outdoor and indoor state titles.

"Coupled with even more improvements during summer track, Stalbert accomplished more than enough to impress Texas A&M coach Pat Henry."

“We’ve been able to keep track of her over the last couple of years, said Henry, a former coaching at LSU. “She’s a tall, physically-imposing young lady on the track. We can’t wait to start working with her. We have some great athletes here, and we think she will be another one.”

See article below
http://highschoolsports.nola.com/news/article/-5508905573127550998/mcdonogh-35-sprinter-marcquita-stalbert-set-to-sign-with-texas-am/

If we can sign a very good women's 800m runner would also be nice. This would also help us with sprint and medley relays

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http://fishduck.com/2015/06/recruiting-landscape-has-changed/