The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Thomas Announces 2016 Track & Field Signees
7/28/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Head coach Kurt Thomas announced the addition of 11 Blazers to the track & field team on Thursday.
Joining UAB this fall will be Karri Green, Kyla Horn, Jennifer Sharpe and Keila Robertson, along with distance runners Abigail Davis, Emily Drouin, Jenna Hinds, Marielle Lewis, Serena Martinez, Celestial Moon and Angela Moore.
“We are truly excited about our incoming freshman,” Thomas said. “They all bring some talent and tools to be successful Conference USA and here at UAB. We have a talented team coming back from injuries and from last year, so you add these athletes into that mix and we can see big improvements."
2016 UAB Track & Field Signees
Karri Green – Piedmont, Ala. – Piedmont HS – Hurdles
Green is a five-time indoor state champion and seven-time outdoor state champion from Piedmont, Ala. She has taken gold in the indoor 60 meters, 400 meters and 60m hurdles, as well as championed in the outdoor 200 meters, 400 meters, 100m hurdles and 300m hurdles. Green also excelled in the classroom at Piedmont High School as a member of National Honor Society.
“Karri is a super talented runner who has tons of upside,” Thomas said. “She is a multiple state champion that has run well and can be an immediate contributor.”
Green’s Personal Bests:
100H – 14.80
200m – 24.97
400m – 56.59
Kyla Horn – Hoover, Ala. – Hoover HS – Jumps/Hurdles
Horn is a four-year letter winner from Hoover High School in Hoover, Ala. She placed in the top five in nine events during the 2016 outdoor season and garnered four top five finishes during the 2016 indoor season. She took first place in the triple jump at the Hewitt-Trussville Invitational and first in the 4x55 shuttle hurdles at the New Balance Nationals Indoor Championship.
“Kyla has just scratched the surface with what she can do in the 100m hurdles,” Thomas added. “She comes from a highly successful program at Hoover, so I know she has the right mindset.”
Horn’s Personal Bests:
100H – 14.80
Triple Jump – 37’ 4.25
Jennifer Sharpe – Waycross, Ga. – Ware County HS – Jumps/Hurdles
Sharpe comes to UAB after a successful prep career at Ware County High School in Waycross, Ga. She was a Georgia State Championships qualifier in the ling jump, 100m hurdles and 4x100m relay with the Gators. Along with claiming a win in the 100m, six wins in the 100m hurdles, two victories in the long jump and two wins in the 4x100 relay, she was also a member of National Honor Society.
Sharpe’s Personal Bests:
100H – 15.3
Long Jump – 19’ 1.0
Keila Robertson– Gaithersburg, Md. – Magruder HS – Jumps
Robertson is a four-year letter winner from Col. Zadok Magruder High School in Gaithersburg, Md., where she excelled in the long jump and triple jump. She recorded two first-place finishes in the triple jump and three victories in the long jump during her final season with the Colonels. She was also a top-five finisher in the 100m and 200m at the MPSSAA 3A State Championships and 3A South Regional Championships, respectively.
“Both Keila and Jennifer have lots of upside in the jumps and hurdles,” Thomas said. “With some consistent training, they’ll be able to contribute quickly.”
Robertson’s Personal Bests:
Triple Jump – 38’ 6.0
Long Jump – 17’ 11.0
Abigail Davis – Hartselle, Ala. – Hartselle HS – Distance
Davis, a three year letterwinner from Hartselle, Ala., was named to the all-state cross country team all three years. She garnered all-state indoor track accolades in 2015 and 2016 and earned all-state outdoor track in 2015. Davis holds the Hartselle school records in the 3,200 meters (11:29), 1,600 meters (5:21), 800 meters (2:26) and 5K (19:06). As a junior she placed fourth at state in cross country meet, sixth in the 1,600-meter and fourth in the 3,200-meter race. As a senior, Davis finished third in the state in the 3,200, fifth in the 1,600 and seventh in cross country.
Davis’ Personal Bests:
1600 – 5:21
3200 – 11:29
5K XC – 19:06
Emily Drouin – Verona, Ontario, Canada – UTC – Distance
Drouin, a transfer from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, comes to UAB with two years of eligibility. In 2016, she placed 65th at the NCAA South Regional and also finished seventh at the Southern Conference Cross Country Championships. As a freshman in 2014, she placed second in both the steeplechase and 5,000-meter race at the conference championship for the Mocs.
Drouin’s Personal Bests:
1500 – 4:42*
3000 – 10:08*
Steeplechase – 11:03*
5K XC – 17:44*
6K XC – 21:47*
*at UTC
Jenna Hinds – Sandusky, Ohio – Sandusky Catholic Central – Distance
Hinds, who ran at Sandusky Catholic Central for Ron Leech, holds the school’s 5K record with a time of 18:53. In 2013, she was named to the Milesplit Elite Second Team. The two-time Sandusky Central Catholic MVP placed 26th in the state cross country meet in 2014. In 2015, Hinds finished 11th in the state 3,200-meter race.
Hinds’ Personal Bests:
1600 – 5:24
3200 – 11:28
5K XC – 18:53
Marielle Lewis – Smyrna, Ga. – Campbell HS – Distance
A three year letterwinner from Smyrna, Ga., Lewis placed second at the state 800-meter run back-to-back years as a junior and senior. As a junior in 2014, Lewis placed ninth in the state cross country meet. In 2015, Lewis took home a first place finish in the state mile race. As a senior, she placed ninth in the state mile and finished third in the state 800-meter.
Lewis’ Personal Bests:
400 – 57.00
800 – 2:12.18
Mile – 5:06
5K XC – 19:04
Serena Martinez – Hackensack, N.J. – Hackensack HS – Distance
Martinez ran for Jim Levitzke at Hackensack. She led the Comets to the Brett Taylor Cross Country Championship in 2014. In 2016, she was named to the All-County Second Team in the 1,600 and 800-meter race. Martinez was also named to the All-County Second Cross Country Team in 2015. In the spring medley relay, she helped break the school record running the 800-meter leg.
Martinez’ Personal Bests:
800 – 2:17
Mile – 4:58
5K XC – 19:06
Celestial Moon – Muscle Shoals, Ala. – Wilson HS – Distance
Moon, the state record holder in the 4x800-meter relay, also holds Alabama’s state record in the 800-meter and has earned four state titles in cross country. While at Wilson, Moon helped lead her team to three state titles in the 4x800-meter relay while also earning an individual state championship in 2013. Moon was named Times Daily Athlete of the Year in 2013 and also garnered Tennessee Valley Girls Runner of the Year back-to-back years. Moon led Wilson to the 4A girls title following a second place finish in the state meet with a personal-best 18:23.08 mark in 2014.
Moon’s Personal Bests:
800 – 2:13.45
1600 – 5:12
3200 – 11:23
Angela Moore – Oshkosh, Wis. – Lourdes Academy – Distance
Moore, a three-time cross country state champion, hails from Oshkosh, Wis. She claimed the WIAA Division III championship in 2013 and 2014 for Lourdes Academy. Moore holds the school record in the 4x800 and led the Knights to the 4x800 championship in 2016. She was the state runner up in 2013 before earning a first place finished at state the following year in the 4x800-meter race.
Moore's Personal Bests:
800 - 2:23
1600 - 5:20
For more information on the distance signees and the cross country team, click here.
Players Mentioned
