PORTALES, N.M. – Eastern New Mexico Cross Country and Track & Field Head Coach
Josh Harden has announced his first signings as the head coach of both programs. The first signings of the Harden era will all compete in track & field.
"I'm extremely excited about where we are with this 2022 class, I believe we have some talented athletes in this class that still have a lot of development left, and will come in and have a major impact within our program right away," said Harden. "We still have a few athletes we would like to bring in to complete this class, but I believe this group has us headed in the right direction".
Alex Bettag, Kennedy Ulmer, Meghan Rodriguez, Mahault Lebrun, and Ashlynn Evans were signed to join the Greyhounds and compete in the 2023 track and field season. Bettag and Lebrun will compete in the hurdles, while Rodriguez will take part in the sprints. Ulmer and Evans will take part in the field events, with Ulmer competing in the throws, while Evans will join the jumps team.
Bettag comes to Portales after a successful career at Canyon Randall H.S. in Amarillo, Texas, where they finished as a Texas State qualifier in the 100-meter hurdles in the last two years. Bettag posts a career best time of 14.77 in the 100mh, along with a personal record of 46.81 in the 300m hurdles. Lebrun will join the Bettag in the hurdles, coming to New Mexico from Montbrison, France. In the 400m hurdles, Leburn holds a personal best of 1:04, along with a mark of 59.13 in the 400m dash, and 2:23 in the 800m.
In the field events, Ulmer is a two-time state qualifier in the discus while at Sue Cleveland H.S., finishing 2
nd this past season with a personal best of 127' 11". Additionally, Ulmer finish 5
th at the state championship in the javelin with a personal best of 123' 6". Ulmer also holds a personal best in the shot put of 37' 4". Ashlynn Evans finished as a 4A region qualifier at Andrews H.S. in Andrews, Texas. Evans has posted a career best in the long jump (17' 9") and the triple jump (37' 2"). Additionally, has clocked a 12.55 mark in the 100-meter dash as a personal best.
Finally, Rodriguez joins ENMU from Hope Christian Academy and competes in several different events. The Albuquerque, N.M. native is a two-time state finalist in the 400 meters, recording a personal best of 59.18, and taking 2
nd place at the state meet. Rodriguez also took fifth place in the high jump, and also holds a career best 26.24 seconds in the 200 meters.
Eastern New Mexico Track & Field finished the 2022 Outdoor Season at the 2022 LSC Track & Field Championship in Kingsville, Texas.
Aminata Kenyawani,
Malethabo Seema, and
Kelvin Kipkemboi each earned All-Conferece honors. Kenyawani took home third in the 10,000 meters and scored points in the 5,000 meters, Seema snagged third place in the 800 meters, while Kipkemboi scored points in the 5,000 and 10,000 meters.
