Alabama Cross Country/Track & Field’s 2021 Signing Class Grows to 16
11/24/2020 3:44:00 PM | Track & Field, Cross Country
Head Coach Dan Waters and staff welcome the newest Crimson Tide signing class to Tuscaloosa
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Head coach Dan Waters announced the addition of 16 student-athletes to the University of Alabama men's and women's cross country and track and field programs following National Signing Day.
The 16-incoming student-athletes come from nine states and two international countries, with nine female student-athletes and seven from the men’s squad. The group includes 10 distance runners, five sprinters and one jumper.
Alabama's class consists of Flomena Asekol, Na’Taja Ballard, Brady Barton, Carson Burian, Julian Collins, Kaylie Crews, Milan Fields, Collin Jones, Keaton Morrison, Campbell Petersen, Jekovan Rhetta, Gavin Saacke, Macy Schelp, Randy Smith, Chanice Spicer and Ayla Stanisclaus.
I am extremely excited about our 2021 class. We are adding some additional key pieces to an already talented roster and I am certain this group of newcomers will have incredible careers as Alabama student-athletes.Head Coach Dan Waters
Listed Below - Alabama Recruiting Class Roster in Alphabetical Order:
Flomena Asekol
Eldoret, Kenya | New Mexico JC | Distance
- Led New Mexico JC as the 2020 NJCAA Indoor Champions, scoring 40 points total
- Won three individual events (800m, 1000m and mile) and anchored the winning DMR
- Guided the Lady Thunderbirds to a runner-up finish at the 2019 NJCAA Cross Country Championships, where she placed sixth overall
Na’Taja Ballard
Chesapeake, Va. | Western Branch HS | Sprints
- Brings national top-10 marks to three different event areas from a single season
- Ranks ninth in the nation in the indoor 300m and 55m
- Holds the second best indoor 55m hurdle time in the country (7.74)
- As a sophomore, led her team and won the national title in the 100m hurdles with a time of 13.78
Brady Barton
Helena, Ala. | Helena HS | Distance
- Named a three-time Alabama Cross Country All-State honoree
- Garnered silver in the 3200m at both the indoor and outdoor 2019 state championship
- A two-time Alabama 6A-3 Cross Country Champion
- Led the Helena men’s squad to the Shelby County Champion title in 2019
Carson Burian
Salt Lake City, Utah | Rowland Hall | Distance
- A three-time individual state champion
- Led Rowland Hall to the Utah 2A Boys Cross Country Championship title
- Tabbed eight-time all-state in Utah’s high-altitude mountain terrain
- Earned academic all-state accolades in the beehive state
Julian Collins
Trussville, Ala. | Hewitt-Trussville HS | Jumps
- As a sophomore, finished as an Alabama Individual State Champion in the long jump
- Holds a top-10 mark in long jump in the yellowhammer state (23-5)
Kaylie Crews
Papillion, Neb. | Papillion La Vista South HS | Distance
- Tabbed the most decorated female cross country runner in school history, holding multiple records
- Named to the Nebraska All-State Class A Girls Super-State selection team (2020)
- Placed first at the 2020 A1 District Cross Country Championships
- Led her team to 2019 Metro Conference Champions with gold in the 3200m
Milan Fields
Huntersville, N.C. | William Amos Hough HS | Sprints
- A two-time MVP sprinter all-conference honoree
- Holds the school record in the 100m and 200m
- Collected six first place finishes in the 100m and the 200m during the 2020 outdoor season
- A state runner-up, conference champion and two-time region champion in the 100m
- Earned Freshman Sprinter of the Year at William Amos Hough
Collin Jones
Carrollton, Ga. | Carrollton High School | Distance
- Named to the 2020 All-Metro High School Cross Country Team by the Atlanta Track Club
- Collected gold at the Georgia Region 5-A Cross Country Championships in the 5000m with a time of 15:30.15
- Ranks eighth in the state of Georgia in the men’s outdoor 1600m and 3200m
Keaton Morrison
Lewisville, Texas | Hebron HS | Distance
- Captured bronze in a time of 18:13.44 at the 2020 6-6A Texas Cross Country meet
- Placed fifth in the 800m at 2018 6-6A Texas State meet
- Led the team to a runner-up finish and 14th individual finish at 2017 6-6A State Cross Country Meet
- Holds the Hebron school record in the 800m
Campbell Petersen
Naperville, Ill. | Naperville North HS | Distance
- Ranks fourth in the state of Illinois in the 1600m with a best time of 4:54
- Accounted for four state championship teams for two different powerhouse programs in the Prairie State.
- As a freshman at Dunlap, helped the Eagles capture Class 2A state titles in cross country and track
- Finished second in the 2A state meet in cross country, in track won the 1,600m and finished runner-up in the 3,200m
- Named 2018 Nike Cross Nationals Team runner-up
Jekovan Rhetta
Birmingham, Ala. | A.H. Parker HS | Sprints
- Crowned champion at the 2020 AHSAA State Indoor 1A-7A Championship with a sprint of 6.84 in the 60m
- Finished first in every 60m race during the 2020 indoor season, collecting six gold honors
- Holds the No. 1 spot in Alabama men’s indoor rankings for the 60m with a best of 6.81
Gavin Saacke
Katy, Texas | Katy Tompkins | Distance
- As team captain, won the District 19-6A championship individual district title
- Led Tompkins men at the Texas state meet three consecutive years
- Holds the school and district 5000m record
- Named to the Texas All-State Cross Country First Team in 2019
- A four-time USATF Junior Olympic National Championship qualifier and three-time Junior Olympic All-American
Macy Schelp
Kirkwood, Mo. | Lutheran South HS | Distance
- Earned the 2020 Missouri State Girls Cross Country Championships title with a time of 18:54.3 in the 5000m
- A four-time Missouri All-State Cross Country honoree
- Named Metro League Runner of the Year (2019)
- Older sister and Alabama teammate Riley Schelp
Randy Smith
Cypress, Texas | Bridgeland | Distance
- Led Bridgeland with gold at the Texas District 16-6A Cross Country Championships with a time of 16:26.9
- Ranks third in the men’s outdoor mile and fifth in the 5000m in the lone star state
Chanice Spicer
Montgomery, Ala. | Brewbaker Technology Magnet High School HS | Sprints
- The top women’s sprinter in the state of Alabama
- Earned Gatorade Athlete of the Year for Alabama (2020)
- Holds nine individual state titles, while breaking three state records and six school records
- Named Milesplit’s Girls’ National Runner of the week
- Alabama native is a two-time All-State and All-County honoree
Ayla Stanisclaus
Scarborough, Trinidad and Tobago | New Mexico JC | Sprints
- Led New Mexico JC to a national champion finish at the 2020 NJCAA Indoor Champions
- Won the 200m with a time of 23.52 seconds and placed fourth in the 60m (7.48)
For all the latest information on the team, follow AlabamaTrack on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. General athletic news can be found @UA_Athletics on Twitter and Instagram and Alabama Athletics on Facebook.
SEC Cross Country Championships:
Friday, November 01
Harvey Glance Tide and Tigers Dual Meet: Coach Waters
Friday, January 12
SEC Cross Country Championships Recap: Coach Waters
Saturday, October 28
Southern Showcase Recap: Coach Waters
Friday, September 15
