ITHACA, N.Y. —
Adrian Durant, The George Heekin '29 Head Coach of Men's Track and Field and Cross Country has announced the 20 newcomers who will join the Big Red men's program for the 2015-16 academic year. The Cornell men have had continued success both in the Ivy League and on the national stage in recent years, and the class of 2019 is certain to add to the team's talent. The class hails from 10 different states and includes a national champion, an All-American and six state champions. Each member brings an impressive list of accolades both on and off the track. In addition,
Richard Buchanan,
Tyler Fisher,
Roc Johnson,
Matthew McGowen,
Patrick Murphy,
Brandon Phillips and Tomãs Reimer will be competing as members of Cornell's men's cross country team.
Incoming Player Biographies Jonathan AveryDurham, N.C./Cary Academy/College of Arts and SciencesAvery was stellar in the sprints in high school, winning a USATF Hershey National Youth Indoor Championship in the 200 meters in 2015. He finished runner-up in the 55 meters at the same event. A two-time state champion in the 100 meters, he earned a third state title in the 200 in 2014. He also finished fifth in the 100 at the 2014 New Balance National Emerging Elite Finals and third at the North Carolina Junior Olympic State Finals the same year. The Cary Academy record holder in the 100 and 200, Avery was named the team's MVP in 2012-13 and 2013-14. He was also captain of the Junior Varsity basketball team and a three-time co-chair of the North Carolina Youth Legislative Assembly Appoint Committee.
Andrew Barlow Louisville, Colo./Monarch HS/College of Arts and SciencesBarlow was a two-time Colorado 5A State Champion in the pole vault, adding to three Front Range League titles. A four-time letter winner, he was captain of the Monarch High School team in 2015. Barlow also played basketball and football and was a member of the National Honors Society.
Alex BeckOceanside, Calif./Tri-City Christian School/College of Agriculture and Life Sciences As a sprinter for the Tri-City Christian School track team, Beck helped his team to three Pacific League Championships, including two while he was captain. In 2014, he was the Pacific League Athlete of the Year, Coastal Conference Athlete of the Meet and First Team All-League, an honor he earned again in 2015. As a senior, he was named the UT San Diego All-Academic Team Captain and was his school's Student Athlete of the Year for the second consecutive time and Athlete of the Year. Beck was also a member of the National Honors Society and the California Scholarship Federation.
Christian BelardiNew York, N.Y./ The Lawrenceville School/College of Agriculture and Life SciencesBelardi comes to Cornell from Hamilton College, where he competed primarily in the hurdles. He placed third in the 110 meter hurdles at NYSCTC Outdoor Championships last season as a freshman. He holds personal bests of 15.77 in the 110 hurdles and 23.70 in the 200 meters. In high school at The Lawrenceville School, Belardi was a New Balance Nationals All-American in the shuttle hurdle relay in 2014, when he was also named First Team New Jersey All-Prep. He was also the recipient of the McClellan Society Highest Award for Community Service and the Oval Society Award for Community Service.
Kevin BensonToms River, N.J./Toms River HS North/College of Engineering A two-time State Sectional shot put champion and State Group 4 discus Champion, Benson earned First Team All-Shore honors in 2015. He captained the Toms River High School North team for three years and was named second team All-State in 2014. He holds personal bests of 180 feet, 2 inches in the discus and 58 feet, 8 inches in the shot put. Benson also played three years of high school football, was a member of the National Honors Society and was first chair cello in the school orchestra.
Richard BuchananBinghamton, N.Y./Susquehanna Valley HS/College of Human EcologyBuchanan was a six-time sectional champion at Susquehanna Valley and finished second in the New York state championship in the 1600 meters with a time of 4:12.64. A four-time letter winner in track and cross country, Buchanan was also a member of the National Technical Honor Society.
Matthew CarterChicago, Ill./Stephen Tyng Mather HS/College of Arts and SciencesCarter primarily competed in the hurdles at Mather High School, earning personal best of 16.19 seconds in the 110 meter hurdles and 41.52 in the 300 hurdles. He placed first in the 110 hurdles at the Luther North Invitational his senior year. As three-year captain of track and field and cross country, Carter was also named to the All-City team in track as a junior and senior. He was also president of the Mather High School National Honor Society.
Maxwell ComerStillwater, N.Y./Schuylerville Central/College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Comer, a four-year letter winner in indoor and outdoor track, was a New York State finalist in the 110 meter hurdles and 400 hurdles. He also finished third in the 400 hurdles at the 2014 New Balance Outdoor Emerging Elite Nationals. Comer also played varsity soccer for two years and was a member of the National Honors Society.
Nick ComlyLafayette, Calif./Acalanes HS/College of Engineering As captain of the Acalanes High School track and field team in 2014-15, Comly was awarded the team's Dedication and Leadership Award. With Comly as a sprinter and a key contributor in the relays, the team was league champions in 2013-14. Comly was also a scholar athlete and an Eagle Scout.
Edgar Eason IIIConshohocken, Penn./La Salle College HS/College of Engineering Eason was a dominant pole vaulter in the Philadelphia area, winning the Pennsylvania District XII title twice. He was also a four-time Philadelphia Catholic League champion, two-time Pennsylvania State medalist and eight-time PCL All-Catholic selection. He holds the pole vault record at La Salle College High School, where he was also a member of the National Honors Society and Ski and Snowboarding Club. Eason is also a second degree black belt in martial arts.
Tyler FisherPort Charlotte, Fla./Port Charlotte HSA gritty cross country runner, Fisher also ran distance on the track. He was the Florida Relays 3200 meters champion in 2015 and holds a 3200 personal best of 9:16.
Chudi IloguBelle Mead, N.J./The Lawrenceville School/School of Industrial and Labor RelationsA New Balance Nationals All-American in the shuttle hurdle relay, Ilogu was an accomplished high school athlete in a variety of events. He helped The Lawrenceville School track and field team to four Mid-Atlantic Prep Indoor and Outdoor and NJISSA Prep A Outdoor Championships. A captain his senior year, Ilogu was named First Team New Jersey All-Prep for the third consecutive season and First Team New Jersey All-Area. He holds personal bests of 6.83 seconds in the 55 meters, 11.07 in the meters and 22.04 in the 200. In the hurdles, he ran for 7.90 in the 55 hurdles and 56.3 in the 400 hurdles. He also competed as a jumper, with bests of 22 feet, 1 inch in the long jump and 43-8 in the triple jump. In addition, Ilogu was a member of the National Society of High School Scholars and a National Merit Scholarship Semi-Finalist.
Roc JohnsonWalnut Creek, Calif./De la Salle HS/College of Arts and Sciences A North Coast Section champion in the 1600 meters as a senior, Johnson holds personal bests of 1:56.71 in the 800, 4:17.53 in the 1600 and 9:27.35 in the 3200. He helped the De la Salle High School cross country team to North Coast Section titles in 2013 and 2014 with individual finishes of seventh and 10
th, respectively. He holds a 5k personal best of 15:56.
Edmond LuNewtown, Penn./Council Rock HS North/College of Arts and Sciences Lu was a jumper and track team captain at Council Rock High School North, finishing 13
th in the 2015 Pennsylvania State meet, after placing fourth in the district meet. He has a pole vault personal best of 13 feet, 6 inches.
Austin LeJuan LyonsLawrenceville, Ga./Archer HS/College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Competing primarily in the sprints and hurdles, Lyons was the state runner-up in the 110 meter hurdles as a senior, when he also finished ninth in Georgia in the 300 hurdles after winning the Gwinnett County title in both events, earning him First Team All-County honors. He was also named First Team All-Region after finishing first in the region in the 110 hurdles and runner-up in the 300 hurdles. He captained the track and field team to a runner-up finish at regionals his senior year. A University of Georgia Merit Scholar Recipient, Lyons was president of Future Business Leaders of America, vice president of the National Honors Society and a member of the BETA Club, Gwinnett Student Leadership Team and two academic honor societies.
Matthew McGowen Corvallis, Ore./Crescent Valley HS/College of Arts and Sciences As a senior at Crescent Valley High School, McGowen was state champion in the 1500 meters and third in the state in the 800 after becoming district champion in both for the second consecutive year and being named Second Team All-League. He earned the Dairy Farmers of Oregon Academic All-State Award as a sophomore and was a finalist in the Wendy's High School Heisman award, which recognizes a high school student-athlete with a GPA of 3.0 or better who has proven to be a role model within their school and community. McGowen also played high school soccer for four years.
Zachariah MenchacaThe Colony, Texas/The Colony HS/College of Arts and Sciences As a sprinter for The Colony High School's track team, Menchaca was a two-time Texas 4A District 9 champion in the 200 meters and added a district title in the 100 in 2014. As a senior, he finished fourth in Texas 5A Region 2 in the 100 meters and fourth in Area 9-10 in the 200 meters.
Patrick Murphy Duanesburg, N.Y./Duanesburg HS/College of Arts and SciencesMurphy was a four-time letter winner as a distance runner for the Duanesburg High School track team and earned three letters in cross country. In 2014, he was the NYSPHSAA cross country individual state champion in Class D. He was also a member of the National Honors Society and senior class co-president at Duanesburg.
Brandon PhillipsCleveland, Ohio/Gilmour Academy/College of EngineeringA captain and four-time letter winner in track and cross country, Phillips was an Ohio state champion in the 4x800 relay and was named to the Plain Dealer All Star Team. He was also a four-time Academic All-Ohioan and a member of the National Honor Society and Cum Laude Society.
Eason RectoChantilly, Va./Chantilly HS/College of EngineeringRecto comes to the track and field team as a sophomore after playing baseball for the Big Red his freshman year. A three-time letter winner in track and field, Recto captained the Chantilly High School team to district and regional championships, earned All-State honors and broke a school record. He was also an All-State, All-Region baseball player for Chantilly, which won its first regional championship and made its first state championship appearance under Recto's captaincy. Recto was named the District Pitcher of the Year.
Tomãs ReimerNew York, N.Y./Fiorello H. LaGuardia HS for Music & Art and Performing Arts/Architecture, Art and PlanningAn accomplished distance runner, Reimer was the New York City cross country champion, finishing the 5k course in 16:40. He also earned city championships in the indoor and outdoor 3200 meters. He was an individual state qualifier in cross country in 2013 and 2014 and was cross country, indoor and outdoor track MVP his senior year. He holds personal bests of 4:27 in the 1600, 9:36 in the 3200 and 16:40 in the 5K. In addition, he was the recipient of LaGuardia High School's Alumni and Friends Class of Music and Art '45 Award.
James SeatonCoram, N.Y./Poly Prep Country Day School/College of Arts and SciencesA two-time Poly Prep Country Day track and field MVP, Seaton was named the All-Ivy Preparatory School League Long and Triple Jumper from 2013-15. He was captain of the team his senior year and earned the team's Outstanding First Year Award as a freshman. In addition, he was a member of the Oasis Society and Cum Laude Society and was the recipient of the School Spirit Award.
