March 14, 2005

While graduate has hit the Bobcats hard over the past two seasons, Texas State returns a wealth of talent for another championship run.

Former SLC Athlete of the Year and four-time All American Brian Veal will look to lead the Bobcats to their third consecutive indoor title and second consecutive outdoor championship. The `Cats return five former Southland Conference champions this season and will lean on its senior class for leadership.

A strong group of underclassmen, transfers and a large freshman class, coupled with seniors Jonathan Jones, Marques Jackson, Joe Hastings, Scott Wilson, Matt Mireles, Azell Carter, Will Heyward and juniors John Akinloye, James Ortiz and Robert Gill will form one of the most talented teams in the league.

Jumps
Veal returns to lead a veteran group of jumpers this season that could be ranked as one of the best in America. Veal, who was the 2003 and 2004 SLC Indoor Athlete of the Year and High Point Scorer as well as the 2004 SLC Outdoor Outstanding Field Performer, looks to build upon an incredibly successful junior season. After smashing the school record in the triple jump last year with an NCAA and USA Olympic Trials qualifying mark of 54-02 and earning dual All-American honors in the long and triple jump, Veal has his eyes on the long jump school record and a berth on the U.S. National Team.

Senior Chris Demerson returns after finishing second in the long jump and seventh in the triple jump at last years SLC Outdoor Championships. Demerson should compete for top points in both events indoors, but will red-shirt for the outdoor season. The newcomer to the group is senior transfer Javionni Gooden from Towson University in Maryland. Gooden was the 18th-ranked triple jumper in the United States last season with a mark of 51-11. He is the Towson school record holder in both the long jump and triple jump and should make an immediate impact on the SLC.

The Bobcats return only two athletes from last year's pole vault group. Junior Wes Simpson returns after red-shirting the 2004 season because of shoulder surgery. He along with sophomore Robert Zetelski are the veterans on a young pole vault squad. Newcomers Shane Stubblefield, Jared Parker and Mason Findeisen will look to begin a new legacy of pole vault success at Texas State. All three are former state qualifiers and Findeisen was a two-time state champion. Eric Williams, Blake Luther and JP Sonnenburg will also look to contribute to the group this year.

Jackson and multi-event athlete Kevin Galbreath will lead the Bobcat high jumpers this year. Jackson red-shirted last year after finishing second at the SLC Indoors in 2003 and could compete for top honors indoors and outdoors this season. Galbreath is only a redshirt-freshman this season, but has seen his personal best increase by nearly six inches in the past year and should compete for points in both conference meets. Hurdler Clayton Bynum and Gooden will also get a look at the high jump.

Throws
Throws are again one of the deepest areas of this year's Texas State team. Seniors Hastings, Mireles and Wilson return to lead one of the most talented throwing groups in the conference.

Hastings is the top returning discus thrower in the conference after finishing third in 2004 behind former teammates Sam Johnson and Byron Tate. Mireles and Wilson also return to add quality depth to the throws crew and are both a threat to score both indoors and outdoors in the shot put. The discus will be a particularly strong area for the Bobcats this season with Hastings, Wilson, and Mireles all having personal bests that rank them among the top eight in the conference. Freshman Kemuel Morales, a two-time state qualifier in the shot put, is the lone newcomer to the group and will be counted on to contribute immediately, particularly in the shot put.

Hastings is the lone returning javelin thower and will look to add key points at the outdoor meet.

The hammer throw is a new event for the Southland Conference this year and all of the throwers will have an opportunity to throw the hammer.

Multi-Events
Galbreath returns for his red-shirt freshman campaign after earning Verizon Junior All-American honors last summer at the USA Junior Championships. He has shown drastic improvement over the past several months and will be counted on for top points in the Heptathlon and Decathlon. Freshman Daniel Fahlenkamp is the only other multi-event athlete on the roster, but will red-shirt this season in preparation for next year.

Sprints and Relays
Akinloye, Veal, Gill, Jones, Heyward, newcomer Adam Higginbotham as well as football players Morris Brothers and Stan Zwinggi will all be candidates for the sprint relay and expect to break the long-standing school record in the event. The group will compose one of the most talented sprint groups in Bobcat track and field history and all will compete for top points this year.

The 400 meters will be a particularly strong area for the `Cats with Gill, the defending outdoor champion, returning for his junior season. Carter also returns for his senior campaign after battling an injury much of the past year. Both are ranked among the top three in the conference and should contend for All-Conference honors.

The 4x400 meter relay team will look to continue its success after winning both the indoor and outdoor title last year and claiming the 2004 Drake Relays title with a time of 3:07.41. Akinloye, Carter, Gill, Jones, Higginbotham, Jackson, Veal and James Boykin will all be candidates for the relay, which should compete for indoor and outdoor gold.

The Bobcats should also have a formidable 4x200 relay team this year with a chance to break the long-standing school record.

Hurdles
Jackson and Demerson will lead the 60 and 110 hurdles crew and will look to continue their successes in the event. Sophomore Clayton Bynum returns after making huge improvements his freshman year. The group will look to add points in an event that is traditionally strong for the Bobcats. Demerson will compete indoors, but will red-shirt for the outdoor season this year in preparation for 2006. Newcomer Clay Holland, a multiple state champion from Junction High School, will also be counted on to contribute in the short hurdles.

The 400 hurdles will once again be a team strength for the Bobcats as Texas State runners have claimed the last three conference titles in the event. Jackson returns after red-shirting in 2004 and will look to continue to build upon his previous successes that saw him run 52.40 at the Drake Relays and finish 6th in the Southland Conference Outdoor Championships in 2003. Sophomore Chad Menefee, who was seventh last season at the SLC outdoor meet returns as another top threat for the Bobcats. Holland, Bynum and freshman Zac Gomez will all look to contribute in the long hurdles as well.

Distance
Junior Ortiz, one of the top ranked milers in the SLC, returns after a breakthrough sophomore campaign and will be a threat indoors and outdoors in the 1500, mile, 3000, Steeplechase, and 5000. Baylor transfer Sam Bernal will be counted on to contribute experience and leadership to a young, but talented group. Junior Javier Prado has become on of the top-ranked distance runners in the conference after making huge improvements over the past year. Newcomers Paulo Sosa, J.D. Klimczyk, and Jacob Wells will be counted on for depth in all distance events.

Senior James Boykin and newcomer George Herrera will be counted on to add points in the 800 meters. Wells and Klimczyk can also contribute in the 800 meters.