MONROE, La. – ULM cross country/track and field director
J.D. Malone announced the addition of 21 student-athletes to the Warhawks' roster for 2018-19. Eleven of the newcomers will compete for the men's team while the remaining 10 will compete for the women's squad. The student-athletes will add to the roster in six different areas: throws, distance, sprints, hurdles, jumps, and multis.
"I'm very excited about this class," Malone said. "It includes some top-flight performers in all event areas. My staff and I look forward to getting this group in Brown Stadium and getting to work."
ULM recently reopened Groseclose Track at Brown Stadium, marking the completion of the first phase of a $5 million renovation to the historic facility.
The second phase of the Brown Stadium renovation includes new locker rooms and offices for ULM's women's and men's track and field teams and soccer program as well as the construction of new weight and training rooms. Phase 2 is a 180-day project, scheduled for completion by the end of July 2018. By the conclusion of the second phase, Groseclose Track/Brown Stadium will serve as the primary training, practice and competitive facility for nearly 90 ULM student-athletes.
"Eran Siboni, Sam Healy, Ray Dixon, Jasmine Williams, Jasmine Scott-Kilgo and Jadyn Walden headline the list of newcomers," Malone said.
Siboni comes to ULM from Jerusalem, Israel, where he competed in the 2018 Israel Championships, placing second in the 400m dash and third in the 200m dash. He also stands as the Israel Under 23 record-holder for the 400m dash, with a time of 47.33 seconds. He also set personal records of 21.45 and 10.93 in the 200m and 100m dash, respectively.
Healy, an Ireland native, joins the Warhawks as the Irish junior record-holder in three different events: the long jump, 60m hurdle, and the 110m hurdles. Healy's long-jump skills led him to place fifth in the 2015 European Junior Championships in the event. The Cork University graduate has an already impressive long jump PR at 7.61m. His hurdling PRs are 7.89 seconds in the 60m and 14.11 in the 110m, respectively.
Dixon was a four-year Texas 4A State Championship qualifier at Llano High School in both the discus and the shot put. He produced PRs of 17.46m in the shot put and 51.09m in the discus.
Malone also added multiple top-of-the-line female athletes, including Williams, a four-time state qualifier from West Orange (Fla.) High School, where she posted PRs of 43.45 in the 300m and 14.57 in the 100m hurdles.
Scott-Kilgo, a native of Windsor, Ontario, took home the long jump title and placed third in the 100m hurdles at the OFSAA Championships. Her long-jump talents earned her the title of 2018 Canadian Junior Champion in the event as well. She set PRs of 6.04m in the long jump and 13.93 seconds in the 100m hurdles.
A two-time state qualifier from Conroe, Texas, Walden finished second in the shot in 2017. She recorded a PR of 13.43m in the event.
Three local student-athletes caught Coach Malone's attention and have been added to the roster. "We also have a great group of local and regional standouts who will join us this fall, including Grant Girtman, Langston Powell and Brittney Roberson."
Girtman, a pole vaulter from Ouachita Christian, brings his skills to ULM after placing second in the LHSAA State Championships. Powell comes from West Monroe High School while Roberson travels east from Bossier City down I-20 as an Airline High School graduate.
Also, on the list of Warhawk additions to the men's team are Nolan Smith (James Clemens HS / Madison, Alabama), Bryce Moore (Dutchtown HS / Geismar, Louisiana), and Jhavonte Perry (East Feliciana HS / Jackson, La.) as sprinters, in addition to Cole Burgess (Pearland HS / Pearland, Texas) in pole vault, Darryl Givens (Andover Central HS / Wichita, Kansas) in the multis, and Jakob Fudge (West Feliciana HS / West Feliciana, La) as a thrower.
For the women's team, fans can look forward to seeing Belgium native Fiebe Tengrootenhuysen and Ashlyn Jack (Hahnville HS / Hahnville, La.) in sprints, Sharon Jerono (St Paul's Secondary / Kitale, Kenya) and Jacinta Jemili (Kipkaren River, Kenya) in distance, Jala Richard (Destrehan HS / Destrehan, La.) in jumps, and and Alivia Busch (Spanish Fort HS / Spanish Fort, Ala.) in throws compete at Brown Stadium this fall.
