I know everyone is focused on football and changes on this site right now, but the diehard track fans may be interested in some of the additions to the track team under the new coaching staff. The online roster is still in the process of being updated, so it took some digging to compile this information.
First, there have been some significant losses with the coaching transition. As previously noted, our 1st and 2nd place finishers in the NCAA long jump have transferred to Arkansas. And it appears our super frosh sprinter Favour Ashe is no longer on the team. It’s possible he plans to return, but it seems more likely he returned to Nigeria and/or turned pro.
Despite the losses, the additions far exceed what was lost. Randolph Ross Jr., the head coach’s son, is a 12-time All-American and 3-time national champion. He has run 20.26 in the 200 and 43.85 in the 400 – the 3rd fastest college time ever. Javonte Harding also transferred from NC A&T, where he was NCAA indoor champion in the 200 and 3rd outdoors in the 100. He has run 10.08 and 19.98. The nation’s top high school sprinter followed Coach Ross to UT. T’Mars McCallum has run 10.13 and 20.71, and he was 1st in the 100 and 2nd in the 200 at the New Balance national meet. The runner who beat him in the 200, Aidan McDuffie, has also joined the Vols. There are at least eight other outstanding sprinters or hurdlers that have enrolled, including Leonard Mustari, the NCAA runner-up indoors in the high hurdles who tied the world junior (19-and-under) record as a freshman this year at NC A&T.
NCAA 10,000 meter champion Dylan Jacobs has transferred from Notre Dame, following his distance coach to UT. Other transfers include the 2-time WAC 1500m champion, the Big 12 indoor 5000m champion, and the 4th-place finisher in the ACC 5000m. Finally, the recent winner of the high jump at the World Junior Championships, Brandon Pottinger, is now a freshman on the team. Pottinger is from Miami with a best of 7-1.
I think it’s clear the Vols should be contenders for the national championship this year.
First, there have been some significant losses with the coaching transition. As previously noted, our 1st and 2nd place finishers in the NCAA long jump have transferred to Arkansas. And it appears our super frosh sprinter Favour Ashe is no longer on the team. It’s possible he plans to return, but it seems more likely he returned to Nigeria and/or turned pro.
Despite the losses, the additions far exceed what was lost. Randolph Ross Jr., the head coach’s son, is a 12-time All-American and 3-time national champion. He has run 20.26 in the 200 and 43.85 in the 400 – the 3rd fastest college time ever. Javonte Harding also transferred from NC A&T, where he was NCAA indoor champion in the 200 and 3rd outdoors in the 100. He has run 10.08 and 19.98. The nation’s top high school sprinter followed Coach Ross to UT. T’Mars McCallum has run 10.13 and 20.71, and he was 1st in the 100 and 2nd in the 200 at the New Balance national meet. The runner who beat him in the 200, Aidan McDuffie, has also joined the Vols. There are at least eight other outstanding sprinters or hurdlers that have enrolled, including Leonard Mustari, the NCAA runner-up indoors in the high hurdles who tied the world junior (19-and-under) record as a freshman this year at NC A&T.
NCAA 10,000 meter champion Dylan Jacobs has transferred from Notre Dame, following his distance coach to UT. Other transfers include the 2-time WAC 1500m champion, the Big 12 indoor 5000m champion, and the 4th-place finisher in the ACC 5000m. Finally, the recent winner of the high jump at the World Junior Championships, Brandon Pottinger, is now a freshman on the team. Pottinger is from Miami with a best of 7-1.
I think it’s clear the Vols should be contenders for the national championship this year.
