The Longhorns’ Future is Bright With Depth – MileSplit

By Garrett Zatlin – MileSplit Recruiting Correspondent

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One of the top track and field programs in the nation back in 2018 was the University of Kentucky. Highlighted by superstar hurdle phenom Sydney McLaughlin, the Wildcats were able to assemble a loaded roster with some of the best sprinters, hurdlers and jumpers in the country.

And the maestro who crafted this competitive program was Edrick Floreal, a coach who was reaching the height of his coaching powers. But Floreal would end up making a shock move after that season, leaving the University of Kentucky for the eyes of Texas. 

The University of Texas had always been a competitive program, but what Floreal saw in the Longhorns was a chance to build a power in Austin, Texas. Since then, he has seemingly revived the men and women in burnt orange, as both programs were ranked in the top 10 nationally heading into the NCAA Championships — before it was cancelled, along with the NCAA spring season, on Thursday. 

When we look at past recruiting classes for Texas, it’s clear that the Longhorn athletic department has been willing to seriously invest in the future of their program. On just the middle and long distance sides alone, the Texas men brought in nine different men’s recruits last summer, with that recruiting work helmed largely in part by cross country coach Pete Watson, who was brought into the program in 2018 from the University of Virginia.

That’s an absurd number of recruits for a set of events that rarely generate a ton of points at the NCAA National Championships.

But as we evaluate Texas’ current recruiting group, it’s hard to not like what we see. At first glance, it’s clear the Longhorns haven’t grabbed have the same firepower as other programs like USC, Texas A&M or LSU have been able to obtain. However, with incredible depth and a handful of fulfilled roster needs, and a few overlooked stars, these future Longhorns could be one of the most underrated groups in the country.

Let’s start with the distance runners, specifically the Morris twins, Graydon and Gracie. The timing couldn’t have been better for the signatures of these Aledo High School seniors, who chose to stay in-state.

On the men’s side, the distance crew is growing increasingly younger as NCAA All-American Sam Worley nears the end of his collegiate career — although his efforts to recover from a recent injury may extend his timeline.

Graydon Morris will now enter a program with encouraging young pieces around him, such as sub-four minute miler Crayton Carrozza and top-five regional cross country finisher Haftu Knight. By adding Morris, a 14:27 5K runner who has finished inside the top five at the Foot Locker National Championships on three separate occasions, the Longhorns could continue to stay competitive in the distance events while having enduring success for the next few years.

As for Gracie Morris, her entry into the program will be key, too, especially with 4:34 miler Kathryn Gillespie about to graduate and Destiny Collins nearing the latter portion of her eligibility. Morris, a 16:51 5K runner, won’t be able to compensate for all of Texas’ scoring losses, but she will be vital in helping distance coach PattieSue Plumer usher in a new era of scorers.

Let’s transition to the hurdles, an area where Floreal has built his reputation of greatness.

* Aasia Laurencin won her third straight Michigan State Indoor 60mH Championship in 2020

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Starting next fall, the Longhorns will be bringing in Oak Park (MI) senior Aasia Laurencin and St. Thomas Aquinas (FL) athlete Emelia Chatfield, without question two of the best hurdlers in the United States.

With a 60 meter hurdle PR of 8.25 seconds and a 100 meter hurdle PR of 13.43 seconds, Laurencin has the opportunity to make an immediate impact on a championship-caliber team. In fact, she would have the fastest 60 meter hurdle PR on Texas’ team this year … a program that was currently ranked ninth in the national coaches poll.

As for Chatfield, she doesn’t have the 60 meter hurdles accolades that Laurencin sports, but what she has done on the outdoor oval is signficant. With personal bests of 13.52 seconds (100mH) and 41.15 seconds (300mH), she owns a versatility that can help build up a hurdle crew that lost numerous seniors to graduation last year.

Pairing Laurencin and Chatfield with current sophomore Tara Davis — sixth-all-time in high school history in the 100mH — gives coach Floreal an exciting future where he has more than just one year of hurdle excellence. Together, the Davis-Chatfield-Laurencin trio could replicate Floreal’s hurdle coaching success that we saw at Kentucky.

If you keep going down the list, you’ll see Klein Cain’s (TX) Kiana Lowery (a 46-5.5 shot putter) on Texas’ list of recruits. The Houston, Texas native was a top talent nationally in both the discus (US No. 52) and shot put (US No. 34) last spring. With personal bests already on her resume, before a possible stoppage of the outdoor track and field season, Lowery is looking like a steal for a Texas team that is phasing in a new group of throws recruits.

Overall, this recruiting class doesn’t necessarily jump off the page. However, what this entire group does offer is depth and tons of it. In total, there are 18 incoming high school recruits listed on MileSplit’s recruiting page for Texas (and one transfer).

Whether it’s the triple jump prowess of Michelle Graham, the elite high jumping skills of 6-10 leaper Riley Forman or the extensive distance depth from a handful of recruits — including the top-level caliber emergence of Abraham Avila-Martinez — coach Floreal has found a way to put together one of the most well-rounded recruiting classes in the NCAA.

Watch out for Texas. 

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University of Texas’s 2020 Recruits