March 24, 2011
COLLEGE STATION - Since the national signing day during the first week of February, the Aggies have received six more national letters of intent, bringing their 2011 signing class total to 35 athletes (21 men, 14 women).
The group of athletes joining Texas A&M during the 2011 fall semester are Babatunde Amosu (London, England), Kanika Beckles (St. David's, Grenada), Alexander Gilreath (Sugar Land, Texas / Ft. Bend Elkins), Deon Lendore (Arima, Trinidad & Tobago / Queen's Royal College), Isaac Spencer (El Paso, Texas / Austin), and Heather Sterling (Canton, Texas).
Amosu is a triple jumper who has a best of 51-7.75 (15.74) from last summer when he claimed the under-19 title at the English Schools Championships. He also won indoor titles at the English Schools Championships for under-16 (2008) and under-19 (2009). During the 2011 indoor season Amosu produced a best of 51-5.25 (15.69), which ranked third best among all British jumpers.
Beckles was a recent NJCAA runner-up in the 400 meters for Essex Junior College as she posted a 55.37 in Lubbock and the Junior College Championships. An outdoor best of 53.77 was recorded in the prelims of the Carifta Games in the summer of 2010. At the NJCAA Outdoor meet in 2010 Beckles finished second in the 400 with a 54.33 and placed fifth in the 200 (24.31).
Lendore sports a career best of 46.59 in the 400, which placed second in the 2010 Carifta Games. At the 2010 CAC Games Lendore finished third in 47.16. Lendore advanced to the semifinals of the 400 at last summer's World Juniors and also ran on the 4 x 400 relay for Trinidad.
This indoor season Gilreath has focused on the 400 where he finished third with a 48.66 at the Texas A&M Open and then ran at the Nike Indoor Nationals, clocking 48.62 for sixth place. Gilreath ran a season best of 1:55.64 in the 800 in 2010, winning the District 23-5A title with that effort. He then placed sixth in the Region III-5A meet.
Spencer, twice named All-City MVP in cross country, has claimed five district titles between cross country and track along with four region titles and a pair of state medals. This past fall Spencer finished fourth in the State 4A cross country meet while his team placed third. Spencer's time of 15:28.89 on the 5,000-meter course was the fastest ever recorded by a runner from El Paso in the state meet.
Sterling sports a personal best of 11:11 in the 3,200 meters from the State meet in her sophomore year and she posted an 11:14 at the Texas Relays last season. She finished second in the 2010 Region II-3A cross country race with a time of 11:50.10 over a two-mile course and then placed 38th in the State meet.