men’s preview
SEASON PREVIEW
The KU men enter the 2012 campaign with one of the most talented and ver- Clemons is joined by fellow upperclassman, Bruce Tyner who has been a mainsatile teams in recent memory. The Jayhawks return over 70 percent of the let- stay in the sprints throughout his first three years. Tyner will be looked upon to terwinners from last year’s sqaud, including all but a combined four who added help fill the spot of Toussaint in the relay events. to the Jayhawks’ scoring efforts at the Big Conference meets a season ago. The other returning member of the sprints group is Paola, Kan., native Alex While the men have many key pieces returning, they will also be joined by Hermes. The sophomore specializes in the shorter distance sprints and gained a host of talented and hungry newcomers. Ninteen men will suit up in the valuable experience his freshman season that he is sure to benefit from in Crimson and the Blue for the first time, hoping to start their KU careers off 2012. on a high note. Sophomore Shawn Smith joins the sprints group as an already proven winner KU returns all four NCAA Championship qualifiers from last, first-team All- at the junior college level. As a freshman at Johnson County Community ColAmericans in Mason Finley and Johann Swanepoel, second-team All-American lege, Smith was an indoor national qualifier in the 60 meters and 200 meters as Kyle Clemons and honorable mention All-American Donny Wasinger. Finley well as an outdoor qualifier in the 100 meters and 200 meters. His personal best also returns as the Jayhawks’ lone Big 12 Champion, which he has garnered in times were mainstays on the junior college leaderboard in 2011 and make him a welcome addition to the men’s squad. the outdoor shot put the past two seasons. Men’s Sprints/Hurdles This young, but deep group is loaded with potential and will look to have a break out year after coaches Stanley Redwine and Elisha Brewer reeled in some of the top sprinters from across the Midwest. Even with the loss of two-time NCAA Preliminary qualifier Keron Toussaint, things are looking promising as second-team All-American Kyle Clemons will join forces with returners Bruce Tyner and Alex Hermes as well as a speedy group of newcomers to try and earn KU’s first conference champion in the sprints or hurdles since 2004. The junior, Clemons, is primed for a record-setting year. After a solid freshman season, one in which he ran the fourth-fastest 400 meter time in program history, Clemons broke through to the NCAA Championships as a sophomore, becoming an All-American in the 400 meters, making him the first KU male to do so in over 30 years in the event.
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Michael Hester and Daniel Prioleau each arrive in Lawrence as high school state champions. Hester claimed Missouri state titles in both the 200 meters and 400 meters, while Prioleau was a Kansas state champion in the 4x100-meter relay. Both freshmen will both add depth to the individual sprint events and don’t surprised if both are key contributors in the relay events as well. The team will hope to get much-needed production from its hurdlers as a dynamic duo, of senior Isaac Bradshaw and heralded frosh Michael Stigler, will make up the men’s hurdling squad. Bradshaw is ready for a breakout year as a senior, while Stigler comes in having proven himself among the elite at the Texas state high school championship level. With Bradshaw in the longer distance hurdles and Stigler specializing in the shorter distances, each add a new dynamic the men’s team as not seen in some time.
2012 UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS TRACK & FIELD MEDIA GUIDE