LAS CRUCES, N.M. – New Mexico State track and field head coach
Doug Reynolds assembled an impressive incoming class for the upcoming seasons. Joining a talented Aggie squad are 24 total newcomers looking to make their mark in the NM State record books.
"We are really pleased with our first signing class. We have a great group that we believe includes immediate impact athletes at both the WAC and NCAA levels." Reynolds said. "I believe this group, along with the returning athletes, have the ability to contend for NM State's first WAC titles in indoor and outdoor track, and continue to challenge for the WAC Cross Country title. We want to write a new chapter in the New Mexico State history books, and achieve at a level that hasn't been accomplished before. This group represents the first steps toward those goals under our coaching staff's era."
Telecia Briscoe
Sprints / Jumps
Clarendon, Jamaica | Edwin Allen HS
Prior to NM State: Named the 100 meter hurdles 2017 NAIA Outdoor National Champion… Won the 60 meter hurdles at the 2017 NAIA Indoor National Championship… Placed third in the long jump at the 2017 NAIA National Outdoor Championship… Ran a personal record of 8.83 in the 60m hurdles… Set a personal record in the 100m hurdles at 13.53… Jumped 6.26m (20-6) in the long jump for a personal best…
Personal: Daughter of Lloyd Briscoe and Petrona Pennant… One sibling, Naffene… Previously attended Wayland Baptist University…
Iley Bruce
Distance
Mayo, Trinidad and Tobago | St. Benedicts College
Prior to NM State: Posted a personal best 8k time of 26:29.7 at the Fort Hays State Tiger Open in 2016... Recorded a time of 16:39.4 for a personal record in the 5k race at the Sand Plum Invite...
Personal: Son of Karen Griffith... Transfer from Colby Community College...
Anisa Burciaga
Distance
El Paso Texas | Canutillo HS
Prior to NM State: Attended Furman University where she competed in track and field and cross country… Competed at the state cross country championships three times, placing among the top-10 twice... A two-time all-state selection for cross country...Won the cross country district championship twice... Named to the Nike Cross Country Regionals third team... Was a member of the all-city cross country team... Chosen as the El Paso Times Runner of the Year... Finished among the top three at cross country regionals...Qualified for the track state championship...Was a four-time track regional qualifier and three-time track district champion...Named team MVP four times for cross country and four times for track... Honored as the 2017 Athlete of the Year by the El Paso Athletic Hall of Fame... During the cross country season, recorded a time of 18:16 for a personal best in the 5k….Posted a personal best time of 5:12 in the 1600m…
Personal: Daughter of Rogelio and Christina Burciaga… Has one brother Josiah… Transferred from Furman…
Moselle De Los Santos
Sprints
El Paso, Texas | Eastwood HS
Prior to NM State: Helped Eastwood to three consecutive district titles… Was a 2016-2017 District 6A Regional Qualifier… Was a 2017-2018 District 6A Regional Qualifier… Set a personal best time of 58.53 in the 400m…
Personal: Daughter of Moselle and Rolando De Los Santos… One sibling, Sebastian…
Pedro Espinoza
Distance
El Paso, Texas | Cathedral HS
Prior to NM State: Won a TAPPS state championship in 2014 and 2016... Led his team to a runner-up finish at the state championship in 2015 and 2017... Qualified for the state championship in 3200m in 2016...
Personal: Son of Pedro and Cindy Espinoza... Has one brother Diego... Father played soccer at St. Mary's University...
Doniven Gallegos
Distance
Belen N.M. | Belen HS
Personal: District champion for cross country in 2017... District champion in the 1600m during the 2018 track season...
Personal: Son of Nicholas and Harmoni Gallegos...
Andi Harrelson
Throws
Ruidoso N.M. | Ruidoso HS
Prior to NM State: All-RMAC Second Team (Javelin) ... RMAC All-Academic Honor Roll… Won the 2014, 2015, and 2016 4A State Championship in the long jump… Won the javelin at the 2015 and 2016 state championships… Member of the 4x100m relay team that took first at the state championships… Placed second at state in the shot put… Member of the second place 4x400m relay team… Set a personal best in the javelin when she threw 41.60m (136-5)…
Personal: Daughter of Colt and Debbie Harrelson… one sibling, Jake played football for Highlands University… Transfer from University of Colorado at Colorado Springs…
Francis Hernandez
Distance
El Paso, Texas | Eastwood HS
Prior to NM State: Finished in eighth place at Nike Cross Nationals South Regional… Posted a time of 19:16 in a 5k race for a personal record…
Personal: Daughter of Alejandro Hernandez and Diana Ronquillo... Has two brothers Brandon and Nathan...
Elizabeth Hinojosa
Sprints
El Paso Texas | El Dorado HS
Prior to NM State: Placed second at the Great Southwest Indoor Championships in 60m… Placed 2
nd in 400m at USATF Region10 Championships…
Personal: Daughter of Luis and Argelia Hinojosa… One sibling, Armando…
Emily Hernandez
Throws
Coeur D'Alene, Idaho | Lake City HS
Prior to NM State: Won the shot put at the 2017 IHSAA 5A State Championships… Finished in first place in 2018 Sandpoint EIL Discus Competition… Placed third in 2017 Strandberg Invitational Hammer Competition… Posted a mark of 13.16m (43-2) in the shot put…
Personal: Daughter of Jose and Michele Hernandez…
Takiyah Johnson
Sprints
Pompano, Fla. | Northeast HS
Prior to NM State: State finalist for the Florida High School Athletic Association for Northeast High School… Set a personal record in the 200m with a time of 25.26… Ran 56.18 for a personal record in the 400m…
Personal: Daughter of Tanisha Carter… Has two siblings Trinity and Tayden…
Elizabeth Mendoza
Sprints/Hurdles
El Paso, Texas | Eastwood HS
Prior to NM State: Led her team to three district championships (2015, 2017, 2018)… Was an area qualifier four times… District champion in the 100m hurdles at the 2018 UIL 6A District I Championships… Set personal record in 300m hurdles with time of 45.67 at the Willie Williams Classic in 2018…
Personal: Daughter of Jorge and Rosa Mendoza… Has two brothers, Kevin and Steven…
Anthony Molina
Distance
El Paso, Texas | Eastwood HS
Prior to NM State: Received all-state honors... Was named the track Most Valuable Player and his team's athlete of the year... Ranked second all-time at Eastwood High School in the 3200m...
Personal: Son of Lorena Molina... Has a twin brother named Jacob…
Sergio Morales
Distance
Albuquerque N.M. | Rio Grande HS
Prior to NM State: Received all-state honors in cross country his senior year at Rio Grande High School... Finished 10th at the state championships is 2017 when he ran 16:58.40 in the 5k race... Was the first medalist in cross country in over 30 years for Rio Grande High School...
Personal: Son of Sergio and Nicolasa Morales... Has one brother Alexis...
Bristol O'Connor
Throws
Clarendon, Jamaica | Edwin Allen HS
Prior to NM State: Attended New Mexico Junior College… Holds program record for in the hammer throw… Posted a personal-record mark of 13.26m (43-6) in the shot put… Recorded a personal-best mark of 45.00m (147-7.5) in the discus and 45.72m (150-0) in the hammer throw…
Personal: Daughter of Briscoe O'Connor and Gloria Brown…
Sam Ponds
Throws
Chandler, Ariz. | Chandler HS
Prior to NM State: Won 2018 Arizona Meet of Champions Discus… 2018 AIA State Champion in Discus… Finished 2nd in 2018 AIA Division I State Championships in the shot put… Posted a personal-record mark of 13.32m (43-8) in the shot put and 44.78m (146-11) in the discus…
Personal: Daughter of Charlyn Ponds...
Kylie Pollard
Throws
Buckeye. Ariz. | Verrado HS
Prior to NM State: Redshirted at Northern Arizona University in 2018… Won the discus at the 2017 Desert West Region Championships… Won the 2016 Phoenix Christian Invitational discus event… Held high school records in both the discus and pole vault at the program…
Personal: Daughter of Allan and Debra Pollard… Two siblings, Austin and Tyler… Previously attended Northern Arizona…
Keosha Sanders
Sprints
Cocoa Beach, Fla. | Barton CC
Prior to NM State: Four-time NJCAA All-American for Barton Community College… Clocked in at 7.49 for a personal record in the 60m… Posted a personal best time of 11.67 in the 100m and 24.48 in the 200m…
Personal: Daughter of Lashanda Middleton… Previously attended Barton Community College…
Richelle Sandin
Distance
Tucson, Ariz. | Catalina Foothills HS
Prior to NM State: While competing for Catalina Foothills High School, finished as the runner-up at the Arizona Division 2 state meet… Posts a personal best 5k time of 17:46…
Personal: Daughter of David and Liz Sandin... Has one sibling Chantelle…
Ashley Thomas
Distance
Gallup, N.M. | Hiroshi Miyamura HS
Prior to NM State: State champion in the 1600m in 2018... Placed second in the 3200m at the state championships… Placed seventh in at the state cross country meet in 2017 and 10th in 2016... Recorded a time of 5:19 for a personal best in the 1600m
Personal: Daughter of Arick Thomas and Laura Ortega... Has three siblings Niles, Chanel and Payton...
Asjah Wallace
Hurdles
Fort Lauderdale, Fla. | Barton CC
Prior to NM State: Three-time NJCAA All-American for Barton Community College… Competes in both the sprints and hurdles… Posts a personal best time of 8.75 in the 60m hurdles and 1:01.14 in the 400m hurdles… Recorded a best time of 24.71 in the 200m and 57.75 in the 400m
Personal: Daughter of Keith and LaKesha Adams… Has two siblings Ashlee and Alisha…
Brooke Wallace
Sprints
Baltimore, Md. | Digital Harbor HS
Prior to NM State: Placed third in the 400 meter dash at the MEAC Indoor Track & Field Championship in 2018…Was the 3A 400 meter Regional Champion in 2015… Set personal records for the 200m (24.62) and the 400m (54.59) during the indoor season…
Personal: Daughter of Erie Wallace and Sheree Dyer… Two siblings, Suejae and Phillip…Previously attended Coppin State University…
Noah Ward
Distance
El Paso, Texas | Eastwood HS
Prior to NM State: Helped his team post a first-place finish in 2017 during league competition...Ran a 15:59 5k during his senior season...
Personal: Son of Donald and Susana... Has two siblings Trey and Bethany...
Alyssa Watkins
Throws
Camp Verde, Ariz. | Camp Verde HS
Prior to NM State: Finished ninth in the hammer throw at the 2018 NJCAA Nationals… Placed seventh in the discus at the 2018 NJCAA Region I Championships… Finished second in the hammer throw at the 2018 Mesa T-Bird Invitational… Placed second in the 2016 AIA Division III State Championships in the discus… Finished third in the javelin at the 2016 Arizona State Championship… Recorded a mark of 48.66m (159-7) for a personal record…
Personal: Daughter of Rick Watkins and Pam Edgerton… Mother was a Thrower at Arizona State… has two siblings, Reece and Damien… Previously attended Pima CC…
