COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – This is more than the story of another collegiate signing class. This is deeper than a list of the names of 15 young women who will be joining the Tennessee Tech cross country and track & field programs.
Head coach Wayne Angel and his staff have discovered the building blocks who will provide the fundamental bedrock of the Tech programs for the coming years as the Golden Eagles look to surface as conference title challengers and regional contenders.
Beyond the names are their individual credentials, unequalled in school history and littered with All-America honors, state championships and performances that will immediately threaten the school and conference record books.
"We are very excited about our first signing class," Angel said. "As a staff we have worked hard in identifying and recruiting to the needs of the program.
"We have signed and assembled what we believe to be one of the top track and field classes in Tennessee Tech history," he added. "These student-athletes are academically strong and athletically talented."
Among the newest Golden Eagles are five individual state champions who have captured a combined eight state titles, plus three Junior College All-Americans.
"They will help us become more balanced in our areas of weakness," Angel said. "I am looking forward to being more competitive in the OVC with this group."
The second-year Tech coach pointed to six names among the signees.
"This class is led by Sarah Brandt, N'Aasha Robinson, D'Airrien Jackson, Purity Murray, Antonia Susnjar and Sharnique Leounce," he said. "They are all coming in off successful seasons. They have performed at a consistently high level during their careers. I am confident that they will do the same at this level."
Added to that half dozen headliners, Angel said the entire incoming class will have an impact on the Golden Eagle fortunes.
"We have also added some athletes who will develop into impact performers over time," he said. "All of these youngsters are hungry and they have great attitudes. I believe that we have taken a huge step in the right direction."
In all, the 15 new faces include nine who are rising out of the high school ranks, four junior college products, one transfer and one distance runner who joined the track & field program last January and embarks upon her first year on Tech's cross country team.
Their hometowns range from around the nation, coming from seven different states (Tennessee, California, Oregon, Alabama, Texas, South Carolina and Nevada), and around the world, hailing from Kenya, South Africa, Croatia, Grenada and St. Lucia.
In alphabetical order, Tech's newest signees (with name, event, upcoming year in school, previous school and hometown):
Sonel Bezuidenhout / Distance / Freshman
Centurion High School, Pretoria, South Africa
Sonel joined the Golden Eagle track & field team when she enrolled in classes in January, but this fall will be her first season of cross country at Tech, so she is included with the team's newcomers. She placed eighth in the South Afrida National Cross Country Championships, and won a pair of bronze medals at the Gauteng North Championships, one in the 3K Youth race and one in the 5K Junior event. She owns career-best times of 18:26 at 5,000 meters, 10:30 at 3,000 meters and 4:58.34 at 1,500 meters. She also competed at 800m last spring and narrowly missed the school record with a best-time of 2:21.
Coach Angel on Bezuidenhout: Sonel will be a huge asset to our cross country program. Her strength is cross country. She was one of the top juniors in her native South Africa. I look for Sonel to contribute in our scoring efforts in track as well.
Sarah Brandt / Middle Distance / Junior
Butte Community College, Oraville, Calif.
A junior college All-American who posted some of the fastest times in the county last year, Sarah was the California Community College state champion at 800m last year with a time of 2:11.45, good for the second-fastest time in California and sixth-best time in the nation. She also posted a 1,500m time of 4:34.53, which was second-best in the state and third-fastest in the USA. She has also recorded career-best times of 18:35 at 5,000m and 38:58 at 10K.
Coach Angel on Brandt: Sarah is a tenacious competitor. She brings to our program leadership and a strong desire to win. She has the skills and ability to be an OVC champion as well as to qualify for the NCAA championships. I expect her to be an impact player that will score in both cross country and track.
Purity Chepkoech Murray / Distance / Junior
New Mexico Junior College, Eldoret Kenya
A distance runner from Kenya, Purity is a combined eight-time junior college All-American in cross country and track & field at New Mexico Junior College. She has also received All-Region V honors and all-conference recognition for her efforts in cross country. Her career-best at 3,000m is 10:36.85, with a 3,000m steeplechase best of 11:33.77. She has also posted personal best times of 18:02.10 at 5K and 38:58.07 at 10K.
Coach Angel on Murray: Purity brings loads of experience and depth to our cross country and track & field programs. She has great range and is an impact player who will help us as we strive for excellence in the OVC.
NaScottisha Drummond / Jumps / Freshman
James F. Byrnes HS, Duncan, S.C.
An extremely versatile athlete with loads of athletics skills, NaScottisha was a four-year letterwinner in both track & field and volleyball who excelled in both sports. Not only was she named all-region in both sports, she captured the 2014 South Carolina high school state championship in the high jump when she cleared the bar at 5-feet, 8-inches. She was also chosen as a member of the 2014 North/South All-Star volleyball team.
Coach Angel on Drummond: NaScottisha will bring needed help in the field events. She will certainly make an impact and score valuable points in the high jump. NaScottisha was also one of the top triple jumpers in South Carolina. I look for her to score in the triple jump as well.
Molly Griffin / Middle Distance / Freshman
Hardin Valley High School, Knoxville, Tenn.
Molly is one of those student-athletes who gets the job done, no matter what her assignment. During his high school career, she was a standout on the Hardin Valley High School track & field team in every distance from 800m up to 5K. She posted a personal best 800m time of 2:26.15, and owns a career-best 5,000-meter effort of 20:10. While she can compete at several distances, she will concentrate on the middle distances for the Golden Eagles.
Coach Angel on Griffin: Molly is a dedicated and committed young lady that has a hunger and thrust to make a difference. She will add depth to our cross country and middle distance corp.
D'Airrien Jackson / 400-800 / Freshman
Wilcox High School, Santa Clara, Calif.
An exceptional runner in the sprints all the way up to the 800m, D'Airrien was among not only the best in her state but her times put her on the national charts. She ran a PR of 12.42 in the 100m and has a 25.18 in the 200m during her high school career. In the 400m, her personal best of 54.90 was the 11th best in California this year, it was also ranked No. 65 in the USA.
Coach Angel on Jackson: D'Airrien is a blue chipper from Santa Clara California. She has untapped potential and the talent to be a dominant force in the 400m as well as the 800. With hard work, maturity and experience. D'Airrien will be a force to be reckoned with in the OVC.
Jaydean Joseph / Sprints / Junior
Monroe Community College (Bronx, N.Y.), Grand Mall, Grenada
A sprinter with international experience and success, Jaydean will provide the Golden Eagles with a threat at events ranging from the 100m to the 400m. She placed eighth at the IAAF World Youth Championships in 2013, and was a 2015 National Junior College qualifier both indoors and outdoors. Hailing from Grenada, she attended junior college in the Bronx. She owns PR times of 12.1 second in the 100m, 25.0 at 200m and 56.9 at 400m, and can lend a combination of experience and leadership in the sprints.
Coach Angel on Jaydean: Jaydean is a versatile athlete with range from the 100m up to the 400m. She will be a key asset on the track. Her impact on the program will be felt immediately. I look for Jaydean to score in multiple events in the OVC.
Sharnique Leonce / Heptathlon / Junior
Iowa Western College, St. Lucia
A junior college athlete who adds a new dimension to the Golden Eagle track & field program with her international and juco experience and her versatile skills, Sharnique was sixth in the 2009 IAAF World Youth Championships and a three-time All-America during her career at Iowa Western. She placed fourth in the pentathlon at the NCJCAA Championships, as well as fourth in the 100-meter hurdles and eighth in the high jump. Her career-best efforts include 3,487 points in the pentathlon and 4.416 in the heptathlon. She has also gone 5 feet, 6 inches in the high jump, and clocked times of 14.14 in the 100-meter hurdles and 25.19 at 200m.
Coach Angel on Leonce: Sharinque is a tenacious competitor who will bring a scoring ability that we have never experienced before. She is a blue chip athlete that has the ability to score in a variety of events and score well. In a word, she is dangerous. Her maturity and leadership will help us to establish a culture of accountability and responsibility here at Tech.
Morgan O'Neal / Sprints / Freshman
Sierra Vista High School, Las Vegas, Nev.
A Nevada high school sprinter who brings a world of potential to the Golden Eagle program, Morgan helped capture the 2015 Nevada State High School championship in the 4x100 relay. She ranked eighth in the state at 100m with a time of 12.2 seconds, and 13th in the Silver State at 200m with a PR of 25.92.
Coach Angel on O'Neal: Morgan is a very motivated and determined athlete. She knows that she has the ability to be a great sprinter. We will do our best to tap her potential and make it a reality here at Tennessee Tech.
Andrea Retano / Middle Distance / Freshman
Culver High School, Culver Ore.
A middle distance specialist from a state that churns out exceptional runners, Andrea is a middle distance specialist from Oregon who enjoyed a highly successful prep career at Culver High School. She was the 2014 Oregon High School Class 2A state champion at 800 meters, and was the 2015 bronze medalist in the same event with a time of 2:18.42.
Coach Angel on Retano: Andrea is a gutsy athlete with untapped potential. She brings a strong work ethic and is a highly competitive runner. She will be an impact runner who will make a difference in both cross country and track.
Eshe Robinson / Heptathlon / Freshman
St. Cecilia Academy, Nashville Tenn.
A versatile student-athlete who will compete in the heptathlon, Eshe takes the short jaunt up I-40 from Nashville where she attended St. Cecilia Academy and enjoyed a standout prep career in track & field. She was a three-time USTAF Youth Outdoor Track & Field Championships competitor. In the high school ranks, she placed nine in the Division II regional pentathlon, and was a TSSAA Class A bronze medalist in the high jump.
Coach Angel on Robinson: Eshe is a multi-faceted athlete with maximum potential. Possessing talent in every facet of the sport, she is sure to blossom during her time at Tennessee tech. Eshe has a rare and determined work ethic that ensures she will rise up in the ranks of the OVC.
Na'Asha Robinson / Sprints / Freshman
Butler Senior High School, Huntsville, Ala.
An amazing runner who will impact Tech immediately in the sprints and relays, Na'Asha single-handedly led her Butler Senior High School team to eighth place at the Alabama state high school meet; single-handedly in that she was the only member of the team and won three individual state championships to pile up enough team points for that lofty finish. She claimed the 100m dash in 12.29, and ran a time of 24.24 in the 200m for her second title. She capped off her trio of titles in the 400m with a winning time of 55.94.
Coach Angel on Robinson: N'aAsha is one of the most talented combination sprinters to grace Tech's campus. Her times in the 200 and 400 would break the current school records held at TTU. She is a blue chipper who will make an immediate impact on the conference level. Na'Asha, along with D'Airrien, Jaydean, and Currin will make formidable 4 x 100 and 4 x 400 relays in the OVC.
Jenna Storms / Distance / Freshman
West Valley High School, Cottonwood, Calif.
Jenna is a two-time National Junior Olympics cross country All-American, as well as a West Valley High School Scholar-Athlete. She is the third-ranked 1,500-meter runner in California who won the Northern Section CIF cross country championship. She was also the Division V section champion. She has posted outstanding times at distances ranging from 800m (2:23) all the way up to 5,000m (18:41). In between, she has clocked times of 4:42 at 1,500m and 10:15 at 3,000.
Coach Angel on Storms: Jenna comes to Tech ranked as the number three 1,500-meter runner in California. She also ranks among the top 100 in the US in the 1500m. Jenna has the ability to help us in many areas. She is an impact runner who will help Tech realize immediate results in cross country and track.
Antonia Susnjar / Javelin / Junior
Western Kentucky (transfer), Split, Croatia
Antonia is a strong and talented javelin thrower who hails from Croatia, and is a transfer to Tennessee Tech after throwing her first two collegiate years at Western Kentucky University. With collegiate and international experience, she can immediately challenge for both school and conference records. She was a bronze medalist in the javelin at the Conference USA Championships in 2015, and owns a personal-best throw of 139 feet (42.36m).
Coach Angel on Antonia: Antonia brings a wealth of international experience. She is a veteran in the javelin who has competed internationally as well as in the Sun Belt and Conference USA. She will provide immediate scoring for Tech in the javelin at the OVC championships.
Currin Washington / Sprints / Freshman
Bowie High School, Arlington, Tex.
A raw talent from Texas, Currin is a sprinter who the Tech coaching staff feels has unlimited potential. She ran a 100m time of 12.13 seconds for her Bowie High School team, and has a 200m PR of 25:04. In the the 400m, she posted an open time of 56.33.
Coach Angel on Washington: Currin is a sleeping giant. She has so much talent that it's scary. I have no doubt that she will be battling for OVC titles in the future. She will be a great asset to our relays.
