Does anyone know if we have tried to sign Steve Magness from Klein Oak HS or Kyle Miller from Cinco Ranch in the distance events? These guys are incredible:

Magness: 1600m= 4:08; 3200m=9:04

Miller: 800m=1:52; 1600m=4:14

That is by mid-March, too. track only started for the high school kids about 5 weeks ago. Miller could drop 1:50 in the 800 and Magness is looking like a sure bet to go under 9:00 for 3200m.

Trackboy...I figured you would know about this. I couldn't find anything on Dyestat about them commiting yet.

I'm haven't heard on those guys. I know A&M signed Duplichan from Kingwood during the early signing period and he's a big-time middle distance guy also.

from Aggieathletics.com: Joining the Aggies next year will be: U.S. Junior Champion high jumper Ashley Robbins of McMullen County High School in Tilden, Texas, state champion pole vaulter Jennifer Matthews of Luling High School, state champion distance runner Lauren Mewhinney of Salado High School, prep All-America thrower Tyler Custis of Custer High School in Custer, South Dakota, all-state distance runner Brian Duplechain of Kingwood High School, and sub-14 second high hurdler Brian Bell of Lewisville High School.

Duplechain is a good runner, but he was only the 7th best in the 800 in the Houston area last year:

http://www.txrunning.com/Usrunning.com%20elite%202002.htm

Miller has duplicated last year's 1:52 according to the Chronicle and he should be able to lower that given the amount of time he has until the big meets.

Honestly, guys of that sort of distance caliber are more likely to go to Stanford or Arkansas or somewhere on the east coast like Villanova or Georgetown. I was just kind of hoping because it has been awhile since A&M landed a real distance badass on the men's side. I guess Bonn would count in that category, but there haven't been many in the last 5 years. Lengefeld turned out to be a great deal because he wasn't on everyone's radar.

The kid from Klein Oak is amazing, though. I would love to see him drop Eric Henry's 8:52 record in the 3,200 meters. That has been hanging around for 16 years now.

interesting list...

from the list, I noted that Duplechain was faster as a junior in the 800, 1,500, 1600 and 3200 than Brian McKinstry as a senior.

McKinstry has already run top five for the A&M cross country team that qualified for nationals last fall, so that puts Duplechain in pretty good company.

I'm anxious for both McKinstry and Meredith Crane to hit the track this spring. Both redshirted during the indoor season after strong cross country seasons last fall.

After looking at Duplechain again I see that he is a pretty good talent...He may just get lost in the abundance of national-caliber middle distance recruits coming out of Houston this year. There is actually a guy who looks better than all of them who is graduating in 2004. Maybe Hartman will get a jump on him.

Anyway, Crane looks like she is going to be a real badass.

I'm just waiting for the distance crew to strike big as a team...Where they actually have people looking out for "the A&M runners" at meets and such the way people are with Stanford. I think they're still a few years off, though.

Finally, I'd like to see improvement in the 4 x 400 meter relay. Our depth needs to improve in the long sprints.

Oh...On a sidenote, doesn't that website kick the **** out of dyestat? I can't believe I never found it before.

www.txrunning.com

You can check out the national scene on a link from there.

I just received my copy of Texas Track and Field News and Duplechain is running well this spring. He ranks in the top five in Class 5A in most of the distance races.

by the way, Kyle Miller is a only a junior, but the coaching staff is well aware of him and Magness.

according to TTFN: in class 5A, Duplichain is No. 2 in the 800 (1:56.40), No. 4 in the 1,600 (4:15.75) and No. 3 in the 3,200 (9:16.70).

also, Jennifer Matthews, sister of Jason and Jarrad, ranks No. 1 in 3A in the pole vault with a clearance of 11'.

in class 2A, Lauren Mewhinney ranks No. 1 in the 3,200 (11:48.10 and No. 2 in the 1,600 (5:23.78)

and in class 1A, Ashley Robbins ranks No. 1 in the high jump with a 5-10 clearance.

I've also heard that Tyler Custis was very impressive at the U.S. high school championships. Don't know his place or mark but I know he did well despite dislocating a finger during warmups. Sounds like the type of guy A&M needs...

[This message has been edited by trackboy (edited 3/18/2003 10:31p).]

I think the 1,600 and 3,200 rankings are correct, but I'm pretty sure that there was a rash of fast 800 meter times in the last 10 days that made him drop on the list.

Anyway, I was under the impression that Miller was a junior, too, but I've seen several lists saying he graduates in 2003. Looking on the "where they're going" lists shows him as uncommitted, though, so he may be graduating in 04. I know a sport psychologist who did some work with the Cinco Ranch XC team, so I'll ask him.

I noticed we have a good female pole vaulter joining next year.

There's a junior, Medeline Bowles, at T.K. Gorman in Tyler who recently cleared 12'0". Previous best was 11'7". How do we get this name to the coaching staff to start watching?

She is tied for 2nd in the state right now, so they ought to have a clue.

If you'd rather make sure of it, though, you can always e-mail them.