SAN ANTONIO -- The University of the Incarnate Word men's and women's track and field team have added 16 new faces to next year's squad, head coach Derek Riedel announced today. While coach Riedel plans to add more incoming student-athletes in the coming months, he is proud to welcome eight new women and eight men to next year's roster.
 
The incoming freshman will be looked upon to continue to build the UIW program that has quickly established itself as one of the top in the Southland Conference. This year alone the men's cross country team earned its best-ever score at the conference championships to finish third, while the women's indoor track and field team also secured third, marking the best conference finish in program history. Additionally, UIW celebrated its first-ever DI All-American when senior Sarea Alexander finished seventh in the nation in indoor long jump.
 
With the new standard set, UIW Track and Field is proud to welcome the following 16 student-athletes to the UIW family.
 
NEW TO THE NEST
 
Women
Rhea Miles – Temple, Texas (Temple HS) 56.90 PR (400) as a junior. Miles is a District and Area champion and 3rd in the region. She will focus on the 200-800m distances as well as relays at UIW.
 
Chloe Pena – Kerrville, Texas (Kerrville HS) – Pena is a 2017 state qualifier in the 800m. 2:14 PR in the 800 and PR of 5:23 in the 1600m. She is a district and regional champion and finished 8th at state in 2017. She will focus on 800 and 1500m races at UIW as well as cross country.
 
Lauren Martinez – Cibolo, Texas (Steele HS) – Martinez has posted 5:21 and 11:34 PRs in the 1600 and 3200 respectively. She is a 6A Cross Country state qualifier in 2017 and will be a major contributor in cross country while focusing on the 5K and 10K in track.
 
Alexis Quintero – San Antonio, Texas (Holmes HS) – 5:19 and 11:10 PRs in the 1600 and 3200 respectively. Quintero is a 6A Cross Country state qualifier in 2018, District 28-6A runner-up. She placed 5th at regionals and 24th at state. She will be a major contributor immediately in cross country and focus on the 5k in track.
 
Maryn DeMaio – Georgetown, Texas (Georgetown HS) – 2:15 and 55.5 PRs in the 800 and 400 respectively. DeMaio is a two-time 5A state qualifier in the 800. She will be a dynamic middle-distance runner with range from the 400 to the 1500 as well as the 4x400m and DMR relays.
 
Afiah Brathwaite – League City, Texas (Clear Falls HS) – 5'6 high jump PR, 25.34 PR in the 200m and 58.10 PR in the 400, Brathwaite matched her junior outdoor PR during the indoor season this year – priming herself for a big PR campaign in the outdoor season. She will be a jumper/sprinter with great range from the 100-400 and an immediate contributor in the high jump for the Cardinals.
 
Sabrina Goains – San Antonio, Texas (Johnson HS) – 5:16 and 11:22 PRs in the 1600 and 3200 respectively. She was an individual 6A state qualifier in cross country. A versatile runner with strong range from cross country to the 5K in track, Goains will be leaned on for steeple chase in addition to the 5K in track and will be an immediate contributor in cross country.
 
Brianna Alex – Los Fresnos, Texas (Los Fresnos HS) – 14.66 PR in the 100m hurdles. Alex has already run .3 seconds faster than her PR from last season. She will do both hurdles at UIW in addition to being a strong relay option.
 
Men
Nathan Perez – San Antonio, Texas (Warren HS) – 1:56, 4:18 and 9:18 PRs respectively in the 800, 1600 and 3200m. Perez placed 13th at the 6A state cross country meet this past fall. He will focus on the 1500 and steeple chase at UIW as well as be a major contributor in cross country.
 
Ryan Garza – San Antonio, Texas (Reagan HS) - He missed his junior track season with an injury but came back to qualify for the 6A state cross country meet as an individual this fall. His best performances on the track are ahead of him. He'll contribute immediately in cross country as well as focus on the steeple and 5K/10K distances in track.
 
Jeremiah Gilliam – Spring Branch, Texas (Smithson Valley HS) – 6'7" PR in the High Jump. Jeremiah is a multi-event prospect with a focus on the high jump. He fills an immediate need for the Cardinals in the high jump. He has already surpassed his 2018 season best early this 2019 season. A multi-sport athlete, he was also an all-area punter for the Smithson Valley football team.
 
Evan Shannon – Sonora, Texas (Sonora HS) – Shannon's times in track may not stand out but most don't know that he also plays football, basketball and golf all during cross country and track seasons. He is a multi-sport athlete who is well-rounded and has big race experience with multiple trips to the state meet. He will contribute immediately in cross country and focus on the 1500 and steeple chase in track. He boasts a PR of 4:23 in the 1600m, set last year at the state meet when he finished 3rd in the 3A final.
 
Steven Quintanilla – Sundown, Texas (Sundown HS) - Quintanilla is another small school athlete who has had success in many different sports. He played football and basketball all the way through high school along with his primary sports of cross country and track and field. He also lettered two years in baseball. He has won 8 state individual and team state championships in cross country and track and field combined along with deep playoff runs in football as the starting strong safety and wide receiver and to the regional finals in basketball as a starting shooting guard. He won the 2A state cross country championship three years in a row (sophomore-senior) becoming one of only a handful of athletes in Texas state history to win 3 or more state titles. His time in 2018 would have been top 15 in the 6A division and top 20 overall in the entire state meet (6 classifications).
 
Garrett Stokes – El Paso, Texas (Burges HS) - Stokes continues a long line of student-athletes graduating from El Paso Burges and continuing their careers at UIW. He is a shot put specialist with a PR of 55'. He smashed his junior year PR in this year's indoor season and will look to do the same outdoors. A multi-sport athlete, he also had a successful football career for Burges.
 
Tanner Hodgkins – Strawn, Texas (Strawn HS) - Hodgkins is a multiple sport state champion. He won the 1A state discus championship with a PR of 171' and also won the 2017 and 2018 state 6-man football championships and was the state player of the year in 2018. He is an accomplished multi-sport athlete with a high ceiling for improvement once he focuses solely on track and field and adds the hammer event to his repertoire.
 
Ronnie Habbeshaw – Georgetown, Texas (Georgetown HS) - Habbeshaw continues our long relationship with outstanding central Texas track and field club coach Charles Bragner and Xtreme Force. Habbeshaw will focus on the 400 and 4x400 and potentially the 800m as well due to his great range and great potential to improve at the college level.
 
HEAR FROM COACH RIEDEL
"I'm very pleased with the fantastic start our program has had to our incoming freshman recruiting class! The coaching staff has worked diligently to identify UIW caliber people and I believe we've done exactly that with this group. We have big shoes to fill as we graduate our most accomplished senior class in program history (22) many of whom will graduate with multiple school records and conference championships to their name. This fantastic senior class has laid the foundation for us to be able to sign such an accomplished incoming freshman class. We aren't done yet though. I expect this group to signify the first half our incoming class. We are looking for some more depth in the sprints along with vertical jumps for both genders and the horizontal jumps for the men and throwers on the men's side. Hats off to recruiting coordinator Blair Sohl for his efforts in coordinating these efforts and the rest of the coaching staff for their hard work in building these lasting relationships and finally to our current student-athletes who gave of their time to host these men and women and helped promote the program."
 
FOLLOW ALONG
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