LAFAYETTE-Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns head track and field coach Steve Silvey announced the signing of 13 student-athletes to National Letters of Intent on Tuesday.
The signing class will add five women and eight men to the track and field team. Sierra Chambers (Houston, Texas), Danielle Brock (Waldorf, M.D.), Deanna Alfred (Lake Charles, La.), Allante Bergeron (Houston, Texas), Amber Laurent (Houma, La.), Brandon Tucker (Lewisville, Texas), Marcus Rosenendoll (Arlington, Texas), Nate Sowels (Dallas, Texas), Michael Carter Jr. (Dallas, Texas), Travis Johnson (Houston, Texas), Tyler Guidry (Galliano, La.), Wayne Jacobs (New Orleans, La.) and Brad Stouffiet (Bourg, La.) complete the commitments for the 2008-09 academic year.
Jake Yates High School product Sierra Chambers (Houston, Texas) was one-fourth of the 4x200-meter relay team that placed third at the Texas 5A State Track Meet. Chambers recorded a personal best time of 11.7 seconds in the 100-meter dash, 24.5 seconds in the 200-meter dash and 58.5 seconds in the 400 meter dash. She is also an accomplished basketball player.
Danielle Brock (Waldorf, M.D.), a spinter and jumper from Westlake High School, competed at Harker Heights High School in Killeen, Texas, during her sophomore and junior seasons. She earned three gold medals at the Texas 3A State Track Meet in the 400-meter run, the long jump and the triple jump. Brock also placed second in the 200-meter dash. In her junior campaign, Brock finished third in the 400-meter dash and the long jump at the Texas 3A State Track Meet. She recorded a personal a personal best time of 23.8 seconds in the 200 meter dash, 55.5 seconds in the 400-meter dash, 19 feet, 2.5 inches in the long jump and 38 feet, 2 inches in the triple jump.
Barbe High School product Deanna Alfred (Lake Charles, La.) was named the Louisiana 5A state champion in the 200 meter dash and was state runner-up in the 100 meter dash. In 2007, she was a member of the state championship 4X200-meter and 4X400-meter relay teams. Alfred recorded a personal best 12.11 seconds in the 100 meter dash and 24.96 seconds in the 200 meter dash.
Allante Bergeron (Houston, Texas), a hurdler from Westbury High School, recorded a personal best 1:01.00 in the 400-meter hurdles, which ranked in the top 12 in the country for a high school athlete. She was a state qualifier in the 4x400-meter relay. Bergeron also recorded a personal best time of 57.4 seconds in the 400 meter dash and 45.1 seconds in the 300-meter hurdles. She was a two-year team captain on the track and field AAU Junior Olympics Qualifier.
Amber Laurent (Houma, La.), a pole vaulter from Vandebilt Catholic High School, placed third in the 2007 Louisiana 4A State Track Meet. She recorded a personal best 11 feet, 6 inches in the pole vault.
Lewisville High School product Brandon Tucker (Lewisville, Texas) earned a Texas 5A Regional championship in the 300-meter hurdles and was a runner-up in the 110-meter hurdles. He was one of only two juniors to make the 5A state meet finals in the hurdles. Tucker recorded a personal best time of 13.9 seconds in the 110-meter hurdles and 37.90 seconds in the 300 meter hurdles.
Mansfield Summit High School jumper Marcus Rosenendoll (Arlington, Texas) was a Texas 5A Regional Championship runner-up. He was a state qualifier in the high jump. Rosenendoll posted a personal best mark of 6 feet, 10 inches in the high jump.
Nate Sowels (Dallas, Texas), a sprinter and hurdler from Pinkston High School, was the 2007 Texas 4A State Track Meet champion in the 400-meters. He recorded a personal best time of 47.95 seconds in the 400-meter dash, 37.80 seconds in the 300-meter hurdles and 1:55.60 in the 800-meter run. Sowel was also an excellent cornerback on his high school football team.
Red Oak High School product Michael Carter, Jr. (Dallas, Texas) finished third in the shot put at the 2007 Texas 4A State Track Meet. He recorded a personal best 61 feet, 5 inches in the shot put and 165 feet in the discus. His father, Michael Carter Sr., was the 1984 Olympic silver medalist and is currently the nation high school record holder in the shot put with 81 feet, 3 inches. His father won three Super Bowl rings with the San Francisco 49ers.
Travis Johnson (Houston, Texas), a hurdler from Aldine High School, recorded a personal best time of 14.7 seconds in the 110-meter hurdles, 38.5 seconds in the 300-meter hurdles and 49.6 seconds in the 4x400-meter relay.
South Lafourche High School product Tyler Guidry (Galliano, La.) finished second in the shot put at the Louisiana 5A State Meet. He posted a personal best 57 feet, 3 inches in the shot put, 148 feet in the discus and 163 feet in the javelin.
Wayne Jacobs (New Orleans, La.), a sprinter from O.P. Walker High School, placed second in the 200 meter dash at the Louisiana 5A State Meet. He also placed third in the 100-meter dash. Jacobs recorded a personal best 10.43 seconds in the 100-meter dash and 21.26 seconds in the 200 meter dash.
South Terrebonne High School product Brad Stouffiet (Bourg, La.) will be converted to a decathlete for the UL program. He posted a personal best 14 feet, 6 inches in the pole vault.
“We feel that this recruiting class will be the foundation to rebuilding the championship tradition at UL,” Silvey said. “We hope that this group of athletes will allow us to challenge for a crown in 2010 at the University of Louisiana.”
2008-09 Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns Track and Field Signing Class
Name Event Hometown/Current School
Deanna Alfred Sprints Lake Charles, La./Barbe HS
Allante Bergeron Hurdles Houston, Texas/Westbury HS
Danielle Brock Sprints/Jumps Waldorf, M.D./Westlake HS
Michael Carter, Jr. Throws Dallas, Texas/Red Oak HS
Sierra Chambers Sprints Houston, Texas/Jake Yates HS
Tyler Guidry Throws Galliano, La./South Lafourche HS
Wayne Jacobs Spritnts New Orleans, La./O.P. Walker HS
Travis Johnson Hurdles Houston, Texas/Aldine HS
Amber Laurent Pole Vault Houma, La./Vandebilt Catholic HS
Marcus Rosenendoll Jumps Arlington, Texas/Mansfield Summit HS
Nate Sowels Sprints/Hurdles Dallas, Texas/Pinkston HS
Brad Stouffiet Multi-Events Bourg, La./South Terrebonne HS
Brandon Tucker Hurdles Lewisville, Texas/Lewisville HS
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