Track & Field

Texas A&M University-Commerce head track and field/cross country coach Rich Lawrence announced today the signing of 11 new additions for the upcoming season. With the new members, the Lions have added depth to its cross country team in the fall as well as to the middle distance and distance corps for the track and field teams in the spring. In addition, the Lions have signed three sprinters and a hurdler.
 
Savannah Brookins – Distance – Lone Oak, Texas/Lone Oak HS
Prior to A&M-Commerce: Sixth as a junior at the regional meet and district champion in the 800-meter run as a junior…earned TABC Academic All-State honors in basketball…also participated on the softball team as well as track and field and basketball teams at Lone Oak.
 
Meagan Hlavenka – Distance – Van Alstyne, Texas/Van Alstyne HS
Prior to A&M-Commerce: A four-year member of the track and field and cross country team at Van Alstyne High School…17th as a freshman in the district cross country meet.
 
Stephanie Hodge – Middle Distance – Paris, Texas/North Lamar HS
Prior to A&M-Commerce: member of the winning mile relay at the district meet…recipient of the Sprinter Award as a senior…member of the regional-qualifying cross country team as a senior.
 
Demetrius Holmes – Hurdles - Little Elm, Texas/Little Elm HS
Prep: As a senior, he finished third in the district in the 100-meter hurdles (15.62)…holds the school record in the 110-meter hurdles (14.90)…as a junior, he was fifth in the district in the 300-meter hurdles (42.62) and member of the fourth-place 4x400-meter relay team…earned all-district honors as a senior on the football team. Personal: Born July 28, 1990…son of Terrence and Myrna Holmes…plans to major in marketing.

Cody Hughes – Distance – Anna, Texas/Anna HS
Prep: A four-year letterwinner in both cross country and in track and field…a three-time state champion – as a junior, he was the 2A individual champion in cross country and as a senior, in the 1,600-meter and 3,200-meter run in track and field…following his junior season, he finished 12th at the Foot Locker South Regional in a personal-best time of 15:18…in cross country, he was a four-time district champion, three-time regional champion and two-time state runner up…in track and field, he won the district title on three occasions in the 1,600-meter and 3,200-meter run, he was a regional champion and finished second twice and on the state level, he was a runner up in the 3,200-mter run as a sophomore. Personal: Born March 6, 1990…son of Mickel and Wendy Hughes…high school teammate of current A&M-Commerce runner Logan Kelly.
 
Brittanni McCoy – Sprints, Jumps – Texarkana, Texas/Texas HS
Prep: As a senior, she qualified for the regional meet in the long jump and triple jump...also ran on the relays and in the 100 and 200-meter dash throughout her high school career…competed at the 2007 AAU Junior Olympics in the long jump.
 
Justin McGuffey – Sprints – Argyle, Texas/Argyle HS
Prep: Won district titles in the 200-meter run and as a member of the 4x100-meter and 4x400-meter relay as a senior…anchor of seventh place 4x400-meter relay team at the state meet…also played on the football team for three years, where he was an all-district selection as a senior…named to the Academic All-State team for football as a senior…joins high school teammate Colby Oberle at A&M-Commerce. Personal: Born February 28, 1990…son of Randy and Janis McGuffey.
 
Colby Oberle – Sprints, Jumps – Argyle, Texas/Argyle HS
Prep: A three-year letterwinner on the track and field and two-year member of the football team at Argyle High School…sixth in the state and regional champion in the triple jump…a three-time regional qualifier in the 400-meter dash and as a member of the 4x400-meter relay…team won regional title and finished fourth at the state meet as a senior…received multiple honors as a cornerback on the football team. Personal: Born May 23, 1990…son of Clark and Stephanie Oberle…sister, Alyssa is a junior on the A&M-Commerce volleyball team.
 
Desmon Randle – Sprints – Rockwall, Texas/Rockwall Heath HS
Prep: A three-year letterwinner in track and field and two-year letterwinner in football at Rockwall Heath High School…member of the district champion 4x400-meter relay as a senior…district runner-up as a junior in the 400-meter run, where he set the school record. Personal: Born May 14, 1990…son of Donald and Annette Randle.
 
Desiree Spencer – Jumps – Frisco, Texas/Frisco HS
Prep: Third as a senior in the triple jump and fifth in the long jump at the district meet…selected to the Texas All-Star Team as a senior…member of four-straight district titles in track and field. Personal: Born March 14, 1990…daughter of Jesse Spencer and Debra Campbell…plans to major in accounting.
 
Porsha Young – Sprints – Linden, Texas/Linden Kildare HS
Prep: A four-sport letterwinner at Linden Kildare High School, earning four letters in track and field, three in basketball and two in cross country and volleyball…a two-time team MVP selection in track and field...finished second in the 400-meter run, third in the triple jump and fourth in the long jump at the district meet as a senior. Personal: Born September 5, 1989…daughter of Ricky Hurndon and Vanessa DeFreese.

Complete list of signees
Savannah Brookins – Distance – Lone Oak, Texas/Lone Oak HS
Meagan Hlavenka – Distance – Van Alstyne, Texas/Van Alstyne HS
Stephanie Hodge – Middle Distance – Paris, Texas/North Lamar HS
Demetrius Holmes – Hurdles - Little Elm, Texas/Little Elm HS
Cody Hughes – Distance – Anna, Texas/Anna HS
Justin McGuffey – Sprints – Argyle, Texas/Argyle HS
Brittanni McCoy – Sprints, Jumps – Texarkana, Texas/Texas HS
Colby Oberle – Sprints, Jumps – Argyle, Texas/Argyle HS
Desmon Randle – Sprints – Rockwall, Texas/Rockwall Heath HS
Desiree Spencer – Jumps – Frisco, Texas/Frisco HS
Porsha Young – Sprints – Linden, Texas/Linden Kildare HS