FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – The 2017 indoor season gets underway this Friday for the Sun Devil track & field squad, as they travel north for the Northern Arizona Friday Night Duels. Events begin at 3 p.m. MST with the men's 4x400 relay beginning at 8 p.m. to end the night.
Fresh faces and key pieces from a year ago plaster the 70-plus athlete roster, which also features two new assistant coaches in women's sprints coach Tamara Ards and throws coach Brian Blutreich.
"When I interviewed coach Ards, it wasn't about training theory, it was about culture," said head coach Greg Kraft. "It only made sense for us to make that change, and I think to the women's credit, they were trusting in the process and they've been pleased with the outcome. Coach Ards has a national reputation and very direct but tone sensitive delivery that the women responded to.
"Everybody in the throws group respected coach (David) Dumble's resume, but I think the coaching change that we've had --- even though they're a veteran group – couldn't have happened at a better time. We needed a new voice and a new sense of urgency to what we do. When you look at coach Blutreich's resume – or even coach Dumble's – they're both extremely accomplished. They both do things differently."
Coach Ards joined the staff from North Carolina State, after recently a finalist for the NCAA Southeast Region Men's Assistant Coach of the Year. Blutreich came over after serving nine seasons at the University of Oklahoma, where he was a two-time National Assistant Coach of the Year.
As far as the indoor season goes, coach Kraft refers to it as the preparation for the real season outdoors. That doesn't take away from the importance of the three months leading up to the outdoor season, as he has expectations for his squad. This includes the yearly Territorial Cup point up for grabs at the MPSF Championships.
"On the track, it's going to start with Drelan Bramwell, who is a new recruit and unique talent who can run from the 60 to the 400-meter events," said Kraft. "We also need to have the maturation of Brandon Hasson, Herb Polk and Jeremy Wright.
"CJ Albertson continues to blossom on a conference scale and into a national contender.
"In the field, Tim White is going to focus on his pro day in football – at least through the indoor season – so the outdoor season remains to be seen. Joey Bryant from Mt. San Antonio College, who was the California junior college state champion in the high jump and quality long jumper, joins us along with Elijah Hughes, who is a bright prospect in the high jump."
Here's new faces to watch for this indoor season:
Drelan Bramwell:
The men's group will look to returning sprinters Brandon Hasson, Ronny Hall, Herb Polk and Jeremy Wright to balance the sprints group after losing Jamol James, Reggie Lewis and Isaiah Underwood, who finished 1-2-3 at the MPSF Championships and were three of the four 4x100 members who made the NCAA Outdoor Championship final.
In the throws, Tom Anderson and Kyle Long enter their final season in the maroon & gold, while Michael Titherington expects to make an impact after redshirting a season ago. Hudson Keffer and Quaid Vuncannon will join the group in the outdoor season.
Mason Ford and Reed Bussey will be contributing factors with Hughes and Bryant in the high jump, returning for ASU in year two.
In the distance events, CJ Albertson expects to continue his rise while redshirt sophomores John Reniewicki and Brandon Boys, along with Bernie Montoya and Cody Brazeal, back him up.
Matt Eckles, Nathan Hiett and Dillon Groener will aim to contribute in the pole vault alongside veteran Garrett Starkey.
On the women's side, the additions of Shaunie Morrison, Sha'Maya Flanagan will bolster the women's sprint group with La Troya Franklin, Sierra Irvin and Kendra Purifoye.
Second-team All-American Keyasia Tibbs returns for her senior season after breaking both indoor and outdoor triple jump school records a season ago. She will be joined by sophomore Jessica Barreira, who is coming into her own as a potential multi-athlete.
In the throws, two-time, first-team All-American Maggie Ewen enters her junior season with big goals in mind, while returner Ashley Weber enters her final year. Redshirt freshmen Kaylee Antill and Courtney McCartney also compete in their first seasons in the maroon & gold, expecting to be contributing factors after successful high school careers.
Fresh faces and key pieces from a year ago plaster the 70-plus athlete roster, which also features two new assistant coaches in women's sprints coach Tamara Ards and throws coach Brian Blutreich.
"When I interviewed coach Ards, it wasn't about training theory, it was about culture," said head coach Greg Kraft. "It only made sense for us to make that change, and I think to the women's credit, they were trusting in the process and they've been pleased with the outcome. Coach Ards has a national reputation and very direct but tone sensitive delivery that the women responded to.
"Everybody in the throws group respected coach (David) Dumble's resume, but I think the coaching change that we've had --- even though they're a veteran group – couldn't have happened at a better time. We needed a new voice and a new sense of urgency to what we do. When you look at coach Blutreich's resume – or even coach Dumble's – they're both extremely accomplished. They both do things differently."
Coach Ards joined the staff from North Carolina State, after recently a finalist for the NCAA Southeast Region Men's Assistant Coach of the Year. Blutreich came over after serving nine seasons at the University of Oklahoma, where he was a two-time National Assistant Coach of the Year.
As far as the indoor season goes, coach Kraft refers to it as the preparation for the real season outdoors. That doesn't take away from the importance of the three months leading up to the outdoor season, as he has expectations for his squad. This includes the yearly Territorial Cup point up for grabs at the MPSF Championships.
"On the track, it's going to start with Drelan Bramwell, who is a new recruit and unique talent who can run from the 60 to the 400-meter events," said Kraft. "We also need to have the maturation of Brandon Hasson, Herb Polk and Jeremy Wright.
"CJ Albertson continues to blossom on a conference scale and into a national contender.
"In the field, Tim White is going to focus on his pro day in football – at least through the indoor season – so the outdoor season remains to be seen. Joey Bryant from Mt. San Antonio College, who was the California junior college state champion in the high jump and quality long jumper, joins us along with Elijah Hughes, who is a bright prospect in the high jump."
Here's new faces to watch for this indoor season:
Drelan Bramwell:
- Transfer from College of the Sequioas
- California Junior College State Champion in the 100 & 200-meter dash
- Earned bronze medal in the 4x100 relay with Team Canada at the North America, Central America & Caribbean Under 23 Championships in 2014
- Considered one of the most decorated sprinters in the Ontario Federation of Schools Athletic Associations & one of the fastest 20-year-olds in Canada at the time
- Transfer from Oregon
- Will compete in the decathlon for the Devils
- Finished 5th in the decathlon at the USA Junior Championships with a personal best of 6,998
- 5x Oregon 5A State Champion in high school
- Finished 4th at the California State Outdoor Championships in 2016
- Broke his high school record each year, eventually leaping 7'-1" in 2015-16
- Expected to make an immediate impact in the high jump
- Placed 1st in the high jump and 6th in the long jump at the 2016 California Junior College State Championships
- Transfer from Stanford
- Holds the 4th-best indoor and 5th-best outdoor marks all-time in Stanford history
- Placed 3rd in the pole vault at the 2016 MPSF Indoor Championships
- From Queen Creek, Az, where he won back-to-back Division I titles in 2011 & 2012
- California Junior College State Champion in the 110m hurdles with time of 13.53
- Also won the 400m hurdles with a time of 62.75, while running the third leg on the CA JuCo champion 4x100 relay team
- Placed 2nd in the long jump at the California JuCo State Championships
- Won Bronze at the 2012 Common Wealth Games
- Attended the 2014 Pan American Games in Medellin, Colombia
- Youngest competitor at the World Juniors in 2013
- Division I champ in Southern Section her junior & senior year
- Took fourth in California High School state championships in the 400m and 4x400m
- Named Track Athlete of the Year by the Antelope Valley Press
- Returns to competition after redshirting her freshman year in 2016
- New Balance Nationals Outdoor Discus Champion in 2015 (4th best mark all-time)
- 2x High School All-American
- 2015 Midwest Meet of Champions discus champion
- USATF State hammer throw champion in 2014 & 2015
- 4x district discus champion & 3x district shot put champion
- Also returns to compete after redshirting her freshman season
- 5x State Champion & All-American in Pennsylvania
The men's group will look to returning sprinters Brandon Hasson, Ronny Hall, Herb Polk and Jeremy Wright to balance the sprints group after losing Jamol James, Reggie Lewis and Isaiah Underwood, who finished 1-2-3 at the MPSF Championships and were three of the four 4x100 members who made the NCAA Outdoor Championship final.
In the throws, Tom Anderson and Kyle Long enter their final season in the maroon & gold, while Michael Titherington expects to make an impact after redshirting a season ago. Hudson Keffer and Quaid Vuncannon will join the group in the outdoor season.
Mason Ford and Reed Bussey will be contributing factors with Hughes and Bryant in the high jump, returning for ASU in year two.
In the distance events, CJ Albertson expects to continue his rise while redshirt sophomores John Reniewicki and Brandon Boys, along with Bernie Montoya and Cody Brazeal, back him up.
Matt Eckles, Nathan Hiett and Dillon Groener will aim to contribute in the pole vault alongside veteran Garrett Starkey.
On the women's side, the additions of Shaunie Morrison, Sha'Maya Flanagan will bolster the women's sprint group with La Troya Franklin, Sierra Irvin and Kendra Purifoye.
Second-team All-American Keyasia Tibbs returns for her senior season after breaking both indoor and outdoor triple jump school records a season ago. She will be joined by sophomore Jessica Barreira, who is coming into her own as a potential multi-athlete.
In the throws, two-time, first-team All-American Maggie Ewen enters her junior season with big goals in mind, while returner Ashley Weber enters her final year. Redshirt freshmen Kaylee Antill and Courtney McCartney also compete in their first seasons in the maroon & gold, expecting to be contributing factors after successful high school careers.