University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Track & Field and Cross Country Announces Recruiting Class
6/14/2015 12:00:00 AM | Track & Field/Cross Country
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Southern Miss Head track and field coach Jon Stuart announced 19 additions joining the track and field and cross country programs for the 2015-16 academic year. The Golden Eagles added Kelloni Alexis, Davonta Brassell, Lorenzen Burton, Emron Gibbs, Annette Gaskins, Octavia Gonzalez, Victoria Hoppe, Danisha Jones, Vincent Karger, Modesty Lorick, Vallerie Norgaisse, Thomas Peters, Mateja Pokrivac, Valentine Ramon, Jada Rich, Chloe Tedder, Rachel Tedder, Kadarida Thompson and Curtis Walker.
"I'm very excited to welcome these young men and women to our track and field family," Stuart said. "We wanted to bring serious students, as well as great athletes into our program; and I think we accomplished that. This group is an excellent mix of experience, talent, and character that will move us forwarded in Conference USA and NCAA competition."
Alexis of St. Georges, Grenada was a two-year letterwinner at Neosho County Community College where he garnered NJCAA All-American honors in the dis and hammer. He was runner in the discus at the National Junior College Championship. He recorded a personal-best mark of 177'11" in the hammer, 53'2" in the shot and 55'11" in the weight throw. Alexis also competed on the 2014 NACAC team and the 2008 and 2011 Carifta Teams.
Brassell of Sardis, Miss., was a three-event Mississippi high school state champion. He placed first in the 300m hurdles with a personal-best time of 40.09 while winning the long jump with a personal-best jump of 22'2" and triple jump with a personal-best mark of 47'6.5". He also took third in the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 15.35. During his senior campaign, Brassell went undefeated in the triple jump. He was a three-year letterwinner for Coach Derek King at North Panola High School.
Burton of Olive Branch, Miss., is a multi-sport athlete at Olive Branch High School where earned letters in football and track and field. He won four events at the 2015 Mississippi 6A state championship in the 200 with a time of 22.23 and 400 meters with a time of 48.48. He ran a leg on the 4x100 and 4x200 meter relays that finished first in helping Olive Branch win the Class 6A state championship. He received the 6A High Point Scorer Award.
Gibbs of St. Andrews, Grenada, comes to Southern Miss after a two-year career at Neosho County Community College. He won the silver medal in the javelin at the 2014 National Junior College Championship. He posted a personal-best throw of 227'6" in the event. Gibbs also competed in the 2008 and 2011 Carifta games and was a member of the CAC Senior Team in 2013.
Gaskins of Orange Park, Fla., is a two-time junior college long jump All-American. She placed fourth at the Indoor Championship and was the runner up at the Outdoor Championship. Gaskins has a personal-best jump of 19'6.25" in the jump. She was a two-year letterwinner at Iowa Western for Coach Emmett Statzer.
Gonzalez of St. Cloud, Fla., was a four-year letterwinner at St. Cloud High School for Coach Kevin Harkema. She was the 2015 Orange Belt Conference champion in the 1,600 meters and was runner up in the district meet. Gonzalez placed ninth at the 2015 Florida Class 4A state championship in the 1,600 meters with a time of 5:13.61.
Hoppe of Homestead, Fla., competed in cross country and track and field at Westminster Christian for Coach Jose Garcia. She was named first team All-Dade County after winning the district and region championship individual title while placing seventh at the state championship. She was the 2014 district and region cross country champion while placing 11th at the Florida state cross country championship. Gonzalez ran a persona-best time of 5:17.54 in the 1,600 meters and 19:39 in the 5K.
Jones of Thomasville, Ga., won a pair of gold medals in the each of the shot and discus. She won the 2015 gold medal in both the shot and discus, posting personal bests of 44'11" in the shot and 138'1" in the discus. She holds the Georgia AA state record in both the shot and discus.
Karger of Bertrange, Luxemborg competed in the 200 and 400 meters. He recorded personal-best times of 22.45 in the 200 meters and 48.91 in the 400 meters. He placed eighth at the IAAF World Youth Championships in 2013 in the 200 and 400 meters. Karger ran a personal-best time of 48.37 in the indoor 400 meters.
Lorick of Upper Marlboro, Md., comes to Southern Miss following a two-year career at Coffeeville Community College for Coach Craig Perry. She was a 2015 NJCAA All-American in the 100 and 400-meter hurdles and also the 4x400m relay. She owns the school records for the indoor pentathlon and heptathlon. She recorded personal-best times of 14.20 in the 100 meter hurdles, 1:02.14 in the 400 meter hurdles and scored 4,449 points in the heptathlon.
Norgaisse of Kissimmee, Fla., spent the last two seasons at Coffeeville Community College with Coach Craig Perry. She played fourth in the 400-meter hurdles at the National Junior College Championships while running a leg of the 4x400 relay that placed seventh. She is a three-time NJCAA All-American. She also holds the Coffeeville CC record in the 400-meter hurdles and 4x4 relay. She is a member of the Phi Theta Kappa and graduated with honors.
Peters of Metairie, La., competed in throws at Brother Martin High school where he graduated on the Alpha Honor Roll. He recorded a personal-best 192'6" in the javelin. He placed fifth at the Louisiana State track and field championship during his senior season. Peters picked up three first place finishes on the season, Louisiana 5A Region 3, Louisiana 5A district 9 and the Sugar Bowl Track
Pokrivac of Slovenia competed in the 400, 800 and 1,500 meters. She recorded personal-best times of 59.47 in the 400, 2:11.74 in the 800 and 4:26.16 in the 1,500.
Rich of Ripley, Miss., competed in the shot and discus at Ripley High School. She was a time-time Mississippi State 3A state champion in the shot up while qualifying three times in the discus. Rich was also an all-state basketball player.
Chloe Tedder of Lucas, Texas was a four-year letterwinner in cross country and track and field at Lucas Lovejoy High School for Coach Greg Christensen. She recorded a personal-best time of 18:54.8 in the 5K. She was a top 10 finisher a at the 2014 district cross country championship. She advanced to the region and state championships, placing in the top 35 in the Texas state cross country championship. She placed fourth in the region championship in the 3,200 meters. She recorded a season-best time of 11:36 in the 3,200 and 18:50 in the 5K. She was a first team academic all-state and ranked fourth in her class.
Rachel Tedder of Lucas, Texas was a four-year letterwinner in cross country and track and field at Lucas Lovejoy High School for Coach Greg Christensen. She was a top 10 finisher in the 2014 district cross country championship and a top 25 finisher in the region championship. Tedder placed fourth in the 1,600 meters at the district championship. She recorded a time of 11:33 in the 3,200 meters while running a time of 19:03 in the 5K Tedder was first team academic all-state while ranking third in the class.
Thompson of Jackson, Miss., competed in sprints at Lanier High School for Coach Jonas James. She was the 5A state champion in the 200 meters in 2014 and the runner-up in the 100 meters. In 2015, she was the runner-up in both the 100 and 200 meters. She posted personal-best times of 12.04 in the 100 meters and 24.28 in the 200 meters.
Valentine of Toulouse, France has recorded personal-best times of 2:08.51 in the 800 meters and 4:28.90 in the 1,500 meters. She ran a season-best time of 2:13.44 in the 800 meters and a time of 4:33.17 in the 1,500 meters. She was the Under-23 1,500 meter French National Champion.
Walker of Lexington, S.C., was a two-year letterwinner at Hinds Community College for Coach Reggie Dillon. Walker was tabbed a 2015 NJCAA All-American in the 4x400 meter relay. He recorded a persona-best time of 47.30 in the 400 meters outdoor and 48.40 in indoor. He earned All-American honors at the 2014 National Indoor Championship. Walker placed seventh in the 400 meters at the 2014 NJCAA Indoor Nationals and also garnered NJCAA All-American honors in the 400 meters and 4x4 relay. Walker was the South Carolina state champion in the 200 (21.56) and 400 meters (47.75) as a senior and was the Class 4A Runner of the Year in 2013.
