Texas A&M Welcomes 17 in 2013 Signing Class

The Texas A&M track and field program signed 17 student-athletes to national letters of intent on Wednesday. Click here for more.


Courtesy: Texas A&M Athletics

Release: 02/06/2013
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COLLEGE STATION - Texas A&M added a talented and versatile group of athletes on national signing day as 17 individuals (10 men, seven women) signed a national letter of intent to join the Aggie track and field program for the 2013-2014 season.

"This first signing group we've had for this season, I'm very pleased with," said Texas A&M head coach Pat Henry. "We addressed some needs and areas that we will be losing some talent in after this season. We gain some great talent with this group that signed with us today. It's a typical class for us. I think we've done well, but we can always do better." More...

2013 Texas A&M Track Signing Class
Athlete Event Hometown High School/JC
MEN
Austin Cook throws New London, Texas Overton
Shavez Hart sprints Freeport, Bahamas St. George/South Plains JC
Xavier Jimenez distance Clute, Texas Brazoswood
Jeffrey Protho jumps Union City, Calif. James Logan
Alex Riba distance O'Fallon, Ill. O'Fallon
Dallas Rushing distance Waco, Texas Axtell
Bralon Taplin sprints Round Rock, Texas Stony Point/South Plains JC
Ryan Teel distance Friendswood, Texas Friendswood
Cameron Villarreal distance Arlington, Texas Martin
Austin Wells distance San Antonio, Texas Clark
WOMEN
Lauren Bedrich multi-event Rogers, Texas Rogers
Aaliyah Brown sprints Frankfort, Ill. Lincoln-Way East
Karis Jochen distance College Station, Texas A&M Consolidated
Lyric Lawrence hurdles Fort Worth, Texas Saginaw
Shelby Leppin sprints Cedar Park, Texas Cedar Park
Shamier Little sprints/hurdles Chicago, Ill. Lindblom College Prep
Katie Willard middle distance The Woodlands, Texas The Woodlands


Austin Cook
throws New London, Texas Overton


Won discus State 1A title in 2012 with a 178-7 and in 2011 with a 176-5 … 2012 State 1A silver medalist in shot put, 55-9 ½, placed 4th (52-2) at State in 2011 … Placed 5th at Texas Relays discus in 2012, and 6th in 2011 … Placed 7th at Texas Relays shot put as a junior, finished 5th as a sophomore.



Shavez Hart
sprints Freeport, Bahamas St. George/South Plains JC


Double NJCAA champion in 2012, winning the 100 in 10.28 and 200 in 21.02 … Also part of NJCAA silver medal effort in 4 x 100 relay (39.94) at South Plains … Ran on Bahamas 4 x 100 relay that set a national junior record of 40.26 in claiming bronze medal at 2011 Pan Am Junior Championships … Basketball player who just started competing in track and field during 2010 season.



Xavier Jimenez
distance Clute, Texas Brazoswood


Finished 13th in 2012 State 5A cross country meet … Placed 12th in Nike South Regional … Has run a best of 15:35 over 5,000m in cross country … Top time of 9:28.42 over 3,200m.



Jeffrey Protho
jumps Union City, Calif. James Logan


Placed 4th in triple jump at 2012 California State meet with a best of 48-10 ¼ … Junior season included runner-up at Arcadia (48-1 ¼) before winning three consecutive meets – Sacramento (48-0 ½), NCS Bayshore (48-3) and NCS Meet of Champions (47-10 ¾ w) … Quarterback at James Logan HS, who went 12-2 this past fall and averaged over 44 points per game in reaching the North Coast Section Division I championship game … Threw 24 TD passes with only a pair of interceptions in 2012.



Alex Riba
distance O'Fallon, Ill. O'Fallon


2012 St. Louis Post-Dispatch Cross Country Athlete of the Year … 2012 Nike Midwest Region champion … 2011 Illinois 3A State runner-up, placed fourth in 2012 State meet.



Dallas Rushing
distance Waco, Texas Axtell


Won 2012 Texas State 2A title in 1,600m with a time of 4:21.55 …. Claimed the 2012 State 1A cross country title in the fall with a 16:40.14, which topped the field by nearly 16 seconds.



Bralon Taplin
sprints Round Rock, Texas Stony Point/South Plains JC


Won NJCAA 400 title in 2012 with a time of 46.00 … Recorded a career best of 45.36 in Lubbock for third place in Red Raider Invitational … Freshman year at South Plains, finished as NJCAA runner-up in 400 indoors (47.00) and outdoors (46.79) … Member of four NJCAA 4x400 relay champion teams in 2011 and 2012, indoors and outdoors … Senior year in high school, won State 5A 400 title in 47.03 after placing third as a junior with a 47.28.



Ryan Teel
distance Friendswood, Texas Friendswood


2012 Houston Chronicle Cross Country Athlete of the Year … 2011 and 2012 Texas 4A State champion in cross country … Won State double in track in 2012 with titles in 1,600m (4:15.69) and 3,200m (9:14.82) … Two-time Nike Nationals qualifier in cross country.



Cameron Villarreal
distance Arlington, Texas Martin


Finished sixth in 2012 Nike South Regional … Set a career best of 4:17.85 in 1,600m and 9:31.37 in 3,200m … Won district title in 1,600 and placed eighth in Region I-5A meet.



Austin Wells
distance San Antonio, Texas Clark


2012 San Antonio Express-News cross country Runner of the Year… Finished 11th in State 5A cross country meet after placing second at Region IV-5A meet … Placed ninth at Nike South Regional meet and went on to finish 51st at Nike national meet in Portland … As a junior in spring of 2012, finished fourth in 3,200m at State 5A meet with a career best 9:18.17 … In 2011, won AAU Junior Olympics title in 3,000m … Has set school records in 1,600m, 3,200m and 5,000m.



Lauren Bedrich
multi-event Rogers, Texas Rogers


2012 State 2A runner-up in 100 hurdles (14.35w) and 300 hurdles (43.07) … Also placed seventh in long jump and eighth in triple jump at State meet along with a leg on sixth-place 4 x 400 relay … As a sophomore in 2011, placed second in 300 hurdles (43.79) at State 2A meet while finishing fourth in 100 hurdles and ran leg on bronze medal 4 x 400 at State.



Aaliyah Brown
sprints Frankfort, Ill. Lincoln-Way East


2012 Illinois Gatorade State Girls Track & Field Athlete of the Year … Won 2012 Illinois State title in 200 (24.18) and finished second in the 100 (11.67), added a pair of runner-up finishes in 4x100 and 4x400 relays … Swept sprint titles at Arcadia last season in 100 (11.48) and 200 (23.96) with career best times … Has won 60 and 200 meters indoors at Texas A&M High School Classic the past two years … Won Illinois State 3A 100m title as a freshman in 2009 with a time of 11.57 and was part of 4x100 and 4x400 relays which each placed sixth.



Karis Jochen
distance College Station, Texas A&M Consolidated


Named the 2012-2013 Gatorade Texas Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year … Defended her State 5A cross country individual title this past fall with a time of 17:18.1 over 5,000 meters … Won 2011 State 5A cross country title with a time of 11:12.44 on a 3,200m course … Placed fifth nationally at both the Nike Nationals and Foot Locker meets … Won Nike South Regional in a time of 17:17.3 and placed second at Foot Locker South Regional.



Lyric Lawrence
hurdles Fort Worth, Texas Saginaw


Qualified for 2012 State 5A final in both 100 and 300 hurdles … Won pair of 2012 Region I-5A titles in both hurdle events with times of 14.42 and 43.57 … Finished sixth in 100 hurdles (14.41) at USATF Youth Championships.



Shelby Leppin
sprints Cedar Park, Texas Cedar Park


Recorded a best of 7.87 in 60m during prelims of Texas A&M High School Classic, placed fifth in consolation final … Won 2012 District 25-4A title in 100 and finished third in Region IV-4A final … Runner-up in district pole vault as a junior.



Shamier Little
sprints/hurdles Chicago, Ill. Lindblom College Prep


Three-event Illinois State 2A Champion in 2012 … Claimed State titles in 400 meters (54.19), 100 hurdles (14.02) and 300 hurdles (42.80) while finishing as runner-up in 200 (24.48) … Personal best times include 53.46 in 400, 13.79 in 100 hurdles and 57.44 in 400 hurdles … Ran 53.46 as runner-up at 2012 AAU Junior Olympics … Placed third at USATF Junior Olympics with her 13.79 … Recorded 57.44 as 2012 US Junior champion, and posted a 57.46 in semifinals of World Junior Championships, but did not finish final … Won 2012 Arcadia 400 title in then career best 53.79 … Placed third at Arcadia in 300 hurdles (42.95) and fifth in 100 hurdles (14.14) … As a sophomore in 2011, won Illinois State 2A title in 100 hurdles (14.16) and 400 meters (54.85) while placing third in 200 (24.53).



Katie Willard
middle distance The Woodlands, Texas The Woodlands


Won 2012 State 5A title in 800 meters in a time of 2:10.31 … Posted a career best of 2:10.01 to claim Region II-5A title with a meet record as a junior … Reached 2011 State final in 800m after winning region title in 2:11.66, but was disqualified … Also finished second in 1,600m at region meet and placed ninth in State final as a sophomore … Posted a best of 4:58.91 in 1,600m at 2011 regional qualifiers meet.