UTC Cross Country And Track Signs Runners For 2012-13

Three local runners, Iman Isang, Matthew Marshall and Austin Ethridge join the ranks along with nine other Tennessee runners. Also joining the program are two runners from Canada. The newcomers include state champions as well as national and international competitors. The highly decorated crew of student-athletes will look to fill the holes left through graduation.The Mocs lost three-time Southern Conference cross country champion Emmanuel Kirwa (Kapsabet, Kenya) and one of Chattanooga's most decorated runners, both athletically and academically, in Chris Berry (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) to graduation following the 2011-12 season.

 

The Running Mocs open the season Friday, September 7 with the annual UTC PowerAde Invitational at the Moccasin Bend Race Course. That will follow with the Commodore Classic hosted by Vanderbilt University in Nashville on Saturday, September 15.

 

UTC will travel to Louisville, Ky., on Saturday, September 29 for the prestigious Greater Louisville Classic and then return home to close out the regular season with the UTC Front Runner Invitational on Saturday, October 20 at the Mocs home course. Chattanooga will travel to Charleston, S.C., for the Southern Conference Championships on Saturday, November 30 with the NCAA South Region taking place Friday, November 9 hosted by Florida State in Tallahassee, Fla.

 

In 2009, Iman advanced to the AAU Jr. Olympic Games, participating in the 110 meter hurdles and posted a time of 15.32 seconds. In 2010 he was the Metro 8 region champion in the event and a TSSAA DI AAA region champion, advancing to the State Championships as well. He participating in the New Balance Nationals Emerging Elite and was the AAU Jr. Olympics Area champ in the 110 hurdles, posting a time of 14.83 in the race. In 2011 he posted a fifth place finish at the Volunteer Track Classic with a PR time of 14.73 and was the 2011 DII TSSAA region champ in both the 110m hurdles and the 300 meter hurdles. He advanced to the state championships and finished runner-up in the 110m hurdles. In 2012 Isang ran in the Florida Relays and was the 110m hurdles champ at both the Region and State Championships. He was also the region champion in the 300m hurdles that same year. Isang was named a Chattanooga Times Free Press Best of Preps First Team member in both his junior and senior years.

 

Outside of track and field, Isang was the 2010 Fifth Chair for the All East Tennessee Orchestra for the Double Bass. He was a 2011 All East Tennessee Blues Band Participant and was a McCallie School Honors Musician. He received the NSOA Orchestral Award and a member of the All-East Tennessee Orchestra.

 

Marshall placed ninth in the Tennessee State Cross Country Championships in 2011 with a time of 16:56, a personal record. He was the 2011 cross country region champion with a time of 17:15. Marshall is a three-time Chattanooga Times Free Press Best of Preps First Team member for cross country and a two-time All-State honoree. He began his career with the Eagles when the school opened its doors for his freshman year and has led Signal Mountain High School to the state championships in each of his four years picking up two region team titles along the way.

 

Paul is the younger brother of former UTC runner Emmie and current runner Kathryn. He was a Cross Country AAA All-State performer in 2010 and 2011 and named the team MVP both seasons. He placed second in the Tennessee State Cross Country Championships in 2011 and was the 2010 and 2011 region champion. Stuart captained the Brentwood cross country team and led the Bruins to the school’s first-ever AAA state championship and 17^th place finish at the Nike Cross Nationals in 2011. He is a three-time track and field All-State honoree (2009, 2010, 2011) in the 3200 and was named all-state for the 1600 meter his senior year. He was the 2011 region champion for the 1600m and captained the Brentwood High School track team that claimed three straight AAA Team State Championships. Stuart received the 2011 Most Outstanding Track Athlete Award and the 2012 Coaches Award. He is the son of Tracie and Hank Stuart. He is an AP Scholar and recognized as a John Maher Scholar Athlete in 2011 and 2012. He graduated from Brentwood High School with Honors.

 

Nelson was named to the All-Midstate First Team his senior year. He claimed the title in the 400 meter dash at the Sub-Sectionals during his 2011 senior campaign at Ravenwood. He followed that with a second place finish at the Sectionals advancing to the state tournament. He was the 400 meter champion at the State Championships with a time of 48.77, just hundredths of a second off his PR of 48.46. His 4x400 meter relay team took sixth at the State Tournament. Nelson earned an invitation to compete in the Great Eight Invitational in 2011 for the 400m and the high jump where he claimed the 400m title. He is the current record holder for the 400m at Ravenwood as well as a member of the school-record 4x400m relay team. He was named Most Valuable male sprinter at Ravenwood in both his junior and senior years and was twice named Athlete of the Week for Raptors.

 

Martin is a four-year letterwinner in both cross country and track at Independence High School as well as a four-year track and field state qualifier. He was a member of the 4x400m state champion relay team his sophomore year and received the award for “Most Improved” that same year. In 2011, the 4x400m relay team took second and his 4x800m relay team was sixth. He was received the “Most Outstanding Sprinter Award” as a junior. The 4x800m team claimed the state title his senior year. Martin recorded PR’s in the 400m (50.02) and 1:55.93 in the 800m. He was a four-year member of the Honor Roll all four years at Independence. Martin was born March 21 in St. Charles, Mo., and grew up in Spring Hill, Tenn. He is the son of Jeff and Dena Martin and has one sibling, Spencer. He plans to major in Exercise Science.

 

Carter ran a Top 80 time among all male track runners nation-wide in the 800 meter run with a time of 1:52.88. He was the 2012 Memphis City Champion in the 3200m, 1600m, 800m and 4x400m relay and was named the 2012 city-wide Most Valuable Runner. Carter claimed the region title in the 800m as well as the 4x400m and 4x800m relays. He was runner-up in the 800m at the Tennessee State Championships and third in the 4x800m relay. In 2011 he was the Memphis City champion in the 800m as well as region champion and state runner-up. Carter placed fifth in at the USATF National Junior Olympic Outdoor Track and Field Championships. In 2010, he placed fifth in the 800m at the State Championships and was runner-up at the Memphis City and Region Championships. Carter was named the Memphis Central High School Most Outstanding Runner in both is junior and senior years and received the Warrior Spirit Award for the 2012 track season.

 

Carter ran a Top 80 time among all male track runners nation-wide in the 800 meter run with a time of 1:52.88. He was the 2012 Memphis City Champion in the 3200m, 1600m, 800m and 4x400m relay and was named the 2012 city-wide Most Valuable Runner. Carter claimed the region title in the 800m as well as the 4x400m and 4x800m relays. He was runner-up in the 800m at the Tennessee State Championships and third in the 4x800m relay. In 2011 he was the Memphis City champion in the 800m as well as region champion and state runner-up. Carter placed fifth in at the USATF National Junior Olympic Outdoor Track and Field Championships. In 2010, he placed fifth in the 800m at the State Championships and was runner-up at the Memphis City and Region Championships. Carter was named the Memphis Central High School Most Outstanding Runner in both is junior and senior years and received the Warrior Spirit Award for the 2012 track season.

 

Janssen was named the MVP of the cross country team for Eden High School as well as the MVP of the track and field team. He placed 20^th at the OFSAA Championships in Canada and placed 36^th at the Junior National Cross Country Championships. In the 1500 meter, he placed second at the Region Championships and placed ninth in the event at the OFSAA Championships with a time of 3:59.6, just missing his PR of 3:59.1. He is a two-time Junior National Track and Field Championship qualifier.

 

Ethridge is a four-time TSSAA State Cross Country competitor and was named a Chattanooga Times Free Press Best of Preps honoree in 2011. He is a three-time sectional track and field competitor and two-time sub-sectional champion.

 

He received Academic Honors at Signal Mountain High School and is a member of the Beta Club and National Honor Society. He participated in Mock Trial, FCA, Young Life and the Youth Leadership Committee focusing on gang prevention. He was born in Starkville, Miss., and is the son of Christopher and Jill Ethridge. He has two younger sisters, McKenzie and Kennedy.

 

Hawk was a member of the 2011 and 2012 Track and Field All-Section I AAA Team. He was a sixth place medalist at the 2011 AAU Junior Olympics.

 

He graduated from Cocke County High School with a 3.968 GPA and was the Salutatorian of high class. He was a Physical Science and Biological Science Letterman and received the U.S. Army Scholar Athlete Award.

 

Darby was a four-year letterwinner in cross country at Farragut High School and made two cross country state appearances. He helped lead  his team to a regional championship in 2009 and in his junior year placed 16^th at both the KIL Championships and region race. He was a two-time Coach’s Award winner and served as team captain in both his junior and senior years. He was a member of the All-State 4x800m team his junior season. In track and field, Darby was a four-year letterwinner and a two-time state qualifier for the 4x800m relay team. He was the captain of the Farragut High School track and field team in both his junior and senior years.

 

Darby was a member of the National Honor Society and Student Government. He served his community through many projects including such projects as Relay for Life and feeding the homeless.

 

Sandifer was awarded the Coach’s Award in 2009 and was the Metro Freshman City Champion in the 400 meter. He was a member of the eighth place 4x200m relay team at the Tennessee State AA championships and placed fourth in the 400m at sectionals. He was a member of the Metro Freshman second place Mile relay team. In 2010 his 4x800 meter relay team placed fourth in the 4x800m relay team and was on the fourth place 4x400m relay team. Sandifer was seventh at the state meet in the 400 meter dash and fifth in the event at the sub-sectional. In 2011 he was named team MVP and was on the fifth place 4x400m relay team and on the sixth place 4x800m relay team at the state championships. The 4x800m team was third at sectionals and the 4x200m team was fifth at the city championships. In 2012 he was on the sixth place 4x800m relay team at the Junior Olympics and helped lead the 4x800m team to the title at the AAU Region meet.

 

At East Literature Magnet School he held the position of treasurer for the school’s Honor Society and was a two-time Class President. He was a leader of the track and field team and graduated in the top 10 percent of his class of 174 students.

 

Henderson was named the cross country and track and field MVP in 2011-12 for Dunbarton High School. In 2010 she placed 10^th in the 3000m at the OFSAA (Provincials) for track and field and followed the next year with a top place finish at LOSSA (Regionals) in the same event. She was fourth at the OFSAA Central Regionals in both the 3000m and 1500m in 2011 and was 15^th in the 3000m at OFSAA. In 2011 she was the LOSSA cross country champion and was the 2011 Dwyer Invitational champion. At the OFSAA she placed 18^th overall. In 2012, Henderson claimed the 1500m title at the Sacred Heart Track and Field Championships. She graduated from Dunbarton with Honors through all four years and received the 2012 certificate of business achievement. Henderson received the 2011 and 2012 Dunbarton High School Fitness Award. She is the daughter of Randy and Lesagh Henderson of Pickering, Ontario and is the younger sister of Zach.

 

Howard began competing with the high school varsity team as an eighth grader and is a four-time TSSAA State track and field competitor. She helped lead Martin Luther King, Jr., to three consecutive TSSAA State Championship (2012, 2011, 2012) and a state runner-up title in 2009. In 2011 Howard finished third in the 800 meter run with a PR of 2:20.29 at the state championships and competed in four running events at the 2012 championships to help lead her team to another state title. At the championships her 4x200 meter and 4x400 meter relay teams each claimed the title while the 4x800m relay team was third and she was fifth in the 800m event. She was selected to the All-Midstate Track team in 2011 and 2012 and was a member of the 4x800m team that finished Runner-Up at the 2009 National USATF Junior Olympic Track meet in Greensboro, N.C.

 

Howard was a four-year member of the varsity cheerleading squad and served as captain in both her junior and senior years. She was in the National Beta Club and the MNPS High School Honors Orchestra in 2011-12. She is the daughter of Lisa Stewart and George Howard, III and has two younger siblings, George, IV and J’Nae.