LITTLE ROCK – Little Rock Director of Track and Field
J.P. Behnke continues to build up the Trojan track and field roster, announcing the addition of 15 student-athletes that will begin competing for the Trojan men this fall. Coupled with the 17 incoming female signees, Behnke has helped solidify the largest signing class in Trojan program history.
"I am very excited about this group of 15 gentlemen we will be welcoming to Little Rock," Behnke said. "We had a goal to bring in men who are all-around athletes, and that's exactly how I would describe this class. We will be competitive in all 21 track and field events and many of these athletes are capable of making noise in the Sun Belt right from the start."
The additions for the men's program come from six different states, comprised of Arkansas, Texas, Florida, Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin. 11 of the 15 qualified for their respective state meets with six state champions making their way to Little Rock.
JUMPS
Ryan Curington
Chicago, Ill. / De La Salle Institute
Prior to Little Rock: Four year letterwinner at De La Salle Institute, competing in jumps and sprints … 2019 Illinois 2A state long jump champion with a personal-best mark of 23' 1" … Eight-time all-conference jumper selection … Tabbed the conference's Athlete of the Year … Holds a PR mark of 43' 5.5" in the triple jump … Posted personal-best marks of 10.93 in the 100 meters, 22.05 in the 200 meters and 54.92 in the 400 meters … Also lettered in football as a wide receiver.
Johnathan Jones
Little Rock, Ark. / Little Rock Central H.S.
Prior to Little Rock: Three year letterwinner at Little Rock Central … Four-time Arkansas state champion … 2019 indoor and outdoor state champion in the high jump … Posted a personal-best jump of 6' 9" which is ranked in the top-100 nationally … Holds a PR mark of 19' 8.75" in the long jump … Three-time all-state high jumper … Four-time all-conference selection … Also lettered three times in football, earning all-state honors.
Christian Matamoros
El Paso, Texas / Burges H.S.
Prior to Little Rock: Four year letterwinner at Burges High School, competing in the sprints and jumps … Two-time all-district selection … Placed seventh in the high jump at the UIL 5A state championships … Holds a personal-best mark of 6' 8" in the high jump and 19' 5" in the long jump … Recorded PR times of 10.80 in the 100 meters, 24.45 in the 200 meters and 55.18 in the 400 meters … Also lettered in football and basketball.
Dion Murombe
Dallas, Texas / Plano West H.S.
Prior to Little Rock: Four year letterwinner at Plano West High School, competing in jumps and relays … 2019 district champion in the triple jump at 44' 10.5" … Placed third in the long jump at 21' 11.25" … Two-time region finalist in both the long and triple jumps … Member of both the 4x100 and 4x200 meter relays … Holds PR times of 11.1 in the 100 meters, 23.4 in the 200 meters and 56.1 in the 400 meters … National Honor Society member.
Jared Schneider
Mequon, Wis. / Homestead H.S.
Prior to Little Rock: Four year letterwinner at Homestead High School, competing in a handful of events … Placed in the top-three in both the long and triple jumps at the Wisconsin state championship … Posted a personal-best long jump of 23' 6" at the North Shore Conference indoor meet, ranking 22nd nationally … Jumped a 46' 0" in the triple jump at the state championships … Competed in the sprints as well and was a member of the 4x200 meter relay team that placed fourth at the conference meet … All-region and all-conference selection … Also lettered in football.
Teaondrick Wade
Texarkana, Texas / Hooks H.S.
Prior to Little Rock: Two year letterwinner in the jumps and sprints at Hooks High School … District champion in the 110 meter hurdles as a junior … Regional qualifier in the high jump, 110 meter hurdles and 300 meter hurdles as a senior … Member of 4x200 meter relay team that was a regional qualifier … Ranks sixth in school history in both the 110 meter hurdles (16.02) and the 300 meter hurdles (42.04) … Fifth in school history in the high jump (6' 0") … Two year letterwinner at Texarkana Texas High School as a freshman and sophomore.
SPRINTS
Phillip Anderson
Jonesboro, Ark. / Nettleton H.S.
Prior to Little Rock: Competed for four years at Nettleton High School in the sprints … Captured the 400 meter title at the Arkansas Meet of Champions with a personal-best mark of 49.34 … Arkansas state indoor champion in the 400 meters … State runner-up in the 200 and 400 meters at the state outdoor meet … East conference 200 and 400 meter champion … Holds a personal-best time of 22.45 in the 200 meters … Two-time Junior Olympian as a member of the Arkansas Sonic Boom Track Club … Two-time Region champion in the 400 and 800 meters … Also lettered in football and was an all-conference selection.
Caleb Chevis
Grand Prairie, Texas / Martin H.S.
Prior to Little Rock: Four year letterwinner in the sprints at James Martin High School … Area and regional qualifier and Martin's Athlete of the Year … Notched a personal-best time of 10.69 in the 100 meters during his prep career, ranking among the top-10 in Texas in 2018 … Also posted a PR mark of 21.60 in the 200 meters and 50.14 in the 400 meters … Competed for Hallmark Track Club and ran a PR mark of 10.61 100 meters at the USATF Southwestern Association Junior Olympic Championships … Member of the 4x100 meter relay team that placed second at the Junior Olympics.
Troy McKnight
Irving, Texas / Carrollton Ranchview H.S.
Prior to Little Rock: Four year letterwinner at Carrollton Ranchview High School, competing in the sprints and jumps … Set a personal-best mark of 10.64 in the 100 meters, capturing the area championship … District champion in both the 100 and 200 meters and is a two-time regional qualifier … Set a personal-best time of 21.88 in the 200 meters at the UIL regional meet, finishing third … Member of the district champion 4x100 meter relay team … Set PR marks of 20' 5" in the long jump and 40' 5" in the triple jump … Also lettered in football and power lifting.
Elijah Wright
Naples, Fla. / Naples H.S.
Prior to Little Rock: Three year letterwinner in the sprints at Naples High School … Three-time state qualifier in the 400 meters, running a PR time of 48.26 and finishing sixth in 2018 … Logged a PR mark of 22.28 in the 200 meters, finishing second at the district meet … Three-time district and regional champion … Holds a 100 meter PR time of 11.04 … Member of Naples Suns Track team and is a Junior Olympic qualifier … Also lettered in basketball.
THROWS
Garrett Standifird
Van Buren, Ark. / Van Buren H.S.
Prior to Little Rock: Competed for Van Buren High School for four seasons in throws … Two-time Arkansas 6A state meet qualifier in both the shot put and discus … Placed third in the state meet in the shot put in 2019 with a personal-best throw of 50' 0.75" … Finished fourth in the discus at the 2019 state meet, posting a season-best mark of 139' 6" … Personal-best in the discus is 141' 1", set at the 2017 regional meet … Placed third in the shot put at the 2019 Arkansas Meet of Champions … Also lettered three years in football.
DISTANCE
Colby Swecker
Hot Springs, Ark. / Lake Hamilton H.S.
Prior to Little Rock: Four year letterwinner at Lake Hamilton High School … 2018 and 2019 Arkansas 6A state champion in the 1600 meters with a season-best time of 4:24.49 in 2019 … Placed fourth at the state meet in the 800 meters … Finished third at the Arkansas Meet of Champions in the 800 with a time of 1:57.36 … 2019 Arkansas state indoor champion in the 800 meters with a PR mark of 1:57.37 … Member of the 4x400 meter relay team that captured the state title in 2018 (outdoor) and 2019 (indoor) … Set a PR of 1:55.12 in the 800 meters at the New Balance Nationals, finishing ninth overall.
Jose Vivanco
Holly, Mich. / Holly H.S.
Prior to Little Rock: Four year letterwinner in both track and field and cross country at Holly High School … Placed fourth at the MITS Distance Festival in the 800 meters with a PR mark of 2:00.12 … Regional qualifier in the 800 meters in 2018 and 2019 … Ran a personal-best time of 4:37.67 in the 1600 miles in 2019 … Member of both the 4x400 and 4x800 meter relay teams … Named a Holly scholar-athlete seven times during his prep career.
Cody Weldon
Hot Springs, Ark. / Lake Hamilton H.S. / Arkansas State
Prior to Little Rock: Spent his freshman season at Arkansas State … Competed in both the 800 and 1600 meters for the Red Wolves with collegiate-best times of 2:00.4 and 4:44.6 … Four year letterwinner at Lake Hamilton High School … Placed sixth in the 2018 Arkansas 6A state championships in the 800 meters … Posted a high school PR of 2:00.87 at the Coca Cola Relays … Placed third at the Arkansas 6A state meet in the 800 in 2016 and eighth in 2017 … Member of the Arkansas state champion 4x400 and 4x800 meter relay teams in 2018.
Skylar Weldon
Hot Springs, Ark. / Lake Hamilton H.S.
Prior to Little Rock: Four year letterwinner at Lake Hamilton High School … Two-time Arkansas 6A state qualifier in the 800 meters and 1600 meters … State champion in the 800 meters in 2018 running a PR of 1:59.28 while finishing third in the 1600 meters … Also placed third at the state meet in 2019 with a personal-best time of 4:26.87 … Finished sixth in the 800 meters … Member of the 4x800 meter relay team that placed first at the state meet in 2018 and second in 2019 … Placed second at the 5A South Conference Championship in the 800 meters in 2019.
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