SAN JOSÉ, Calif. - Nine athletes have signed National Letters of Intent (NLIs) and will join San José State track and field program as a part of the signing Class of 2022, including five early signees that will join the Spartans for the 2022 season. Paul Edward McCants III, Deanna Nowling, Jabriel Smith and Micah Kavin Hairston and Emilia Sjostrand will join Spartans track and field for the 2022 competition season, while Eve Divinity, Alyssa Bean, Cameron Tarver and Jeremiah Walker will arrive on campus in the fall of 2022.
*the California Interscholastic Federation has not held a legitimate state meet since 2019 because of COVID-19
Paul Edward McCants III
Events: Sprints
Hometown: Oakland, Calif.
High School: De La Salle High School
PRs:
100m: 10.66
200m: 21.86
Accolades*:
CIF #14 in 100m (2021 rankings)
CIF #24 in 200m (2021 rankings)
Why I chose SJSU: "I chose SJSU because I have been a fan of the Spartans my whole life."
Director of Track & Field Charles Ryan says: "Paul was one of the best high school sprint talents in the Bay Area, it's vital to our future to keep our top local talents home. He will instantly add depth to our sprint core and we are very excited about his future development."
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Deanna Nowling
Events: Sprints
Hometown: San Diego, Calif.
Previous School: Miami
PRs:
100m: 11.43
200m: 23.64
400m: 55.42
Accolades*:
2019 CIF State Champion in 100m
CIF #1 in 100m (2019 Rankings)
CIF #1 in 200m (2019 Rankings)
Why I chose SJSU: "I chose SJSU due the fresh feel of everything. Just good vibes, good people, good school."
Ryan says: "Deanna is one of the most talented sprinters to come out of California in the last decade. She dominated the CIF in 2019 and has All-American potential at the NCAA level. She is a real game changer for our program, she sees the value in what we are trying to build here and is ready for a fresh start."
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Jabriel Smith
Events: Sprints
Hometown: Moreno Valley, Calif.
Previous School: Riverside City College
PRs:
60m: 6.72
100m: 10.34
200m: 21.32
Accolades*:
#2 in 100m (2019 California Community College rankings)
Why I chose SJSU: "I chose SJSU because of the overall atmosphere. Coach Ryan is a very charismatic coach. The assistant coaches hold pedigree in their respective areas of coaching and also have great personalities outside of track."
Ryan says: "Building relationships in the California Community College and National JUCO space is vital to the future development of this program. Jabriel is a real steal for us. He is exactly the type of athlete we are looking for here: gifted, focused, and properly motivated. He will make an instant impact for us both in the Mountain West and Nationally."
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Micah Kavin Hairston
Events: Hurdles
Hometown: Wilmington, N.C.
Previous School: UNC Charlotte
PRs:
110HH: 13.89
400H: 53.25
Accolades*:
2021 NCAA Qualifier in 110mH
2021 bronze medalist Conference USA 60mH and 110mH
Why I chose SJSU: "I chose SJSU for a new beginning and to get out of my comfort zone."
Ryan says: "Hurdles has always been a passion of mine and we cannot be the team we want to be without a strong Hurdle crew. Micah has already proven he is an NCAA caliber Hurdler. He gives us instant credibility at the Regional level and we look forward to his development into one of the nations best at both disciplines."
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Events: Jumps
Hometown: Stockholm, Sweden
PRs:
TJ: 40'1
Accolades*:
Bronze Medalist SWE U18 Championships 2019
Ryan says: "Emilia is a raw international talent that we expect to make an immediate impact at the Conference level and hopefully beyond. She has worked really hard to get here and she could become a very interesting weapon for our field events crew."
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Events: Sprints
Hometown: Redondo Beach, Calif.
High School: Redondo Union High School
PRs:
100m: 12.16
200m: 24.87
LJ: 18.1
Accolades*:
CIF #6 in Long jump (2021 Rankings)
Why I chose SJSU: "I chose SJSU because of the coaching staff. I really believe they can produce great athletes that will go far based on their training ideology and regimen. In addition, I am also thrilled by the upcoming new track facility and the diverse campus."
Ryan says: "Eve is a very underrated athlete. We believe she can play many roles on our roster moving forward but her jumping prowess is what we believe she can be truly special in. We anticipate her having a breakthrough CIF season and are very proud to have her as a future Spartan."
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Events: Sprints
Hometown: Poway, Calif.
High School: Poway High School
PRs:
200m: 24.15
400m: 55.13
Accolades: (*)
CIF #6 in 200m (2021 rankings)
CIF #7 in 400m (2021 rankings)
Why I chose SJSU: "I chose SJSU for both its great athletic and academic opportunities, and more specifically the amazing coaching staff," said Bean
Ryan says: "Alyssa has flown under the radar and we believe she is going to catch a lot of people in the CIF by surprise this year. She is a grinder, a hard worker, and has a huge upside for our program."
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Cameron Tarver
Events: Sprints
Hometown: Fresno, Calif.
High School: Central East High School
PRs:
100m: 10:53
200m: 21.34
Accolades:
CIF #3 in 200m (2021 rankings)
CIF #6 in 100m (2021 rankings)
Why I chose SJSU: ""San José State is a place where I can excel in both athletics and academics. The coaches believe in me and I believe in them so it's the perfect place for me."
Ryan says: "Cameron is a complete sprint talent. His range, power, body type, and mentality are exactly what we are looking for. He has the ability to be a CIF Champion and we expect him to develop into one of the foundational pieces of the rebirth of Speed City."
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Events: Sprints
Hometown: Fresno, Calif.
High School: Central High School
PRs:
200m: 21.02
400m: 47.43
Accolades: (*)
CIF #1 in 400m (2021 rankings)
CIF #2 in 200m (2021 rankings)
Ryan says: "Jeremiah is the top long sprint talent in the CIF, period. He represents the future of what this program can be. If we can consistently sign and develop athletes of his caliber from our home state then we are going to build something special here very quickly."
Track and Field's 2022 campaign kicks off on January 14-15 when the Spartans travel to Spokane, Wash. for the WSU Cougar Classic.
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