TEMPE, Ariz. – Both local and international talent make up the incoming class heading to Sun Devil Cross Country.
Less than a month away from the season opener in Flagstaff, head coach Ryan Ray has finalized an impressive group of nine newcomers that will join the team this fall.
"Our goal this year was to continue to recruit the top talent from Arizona, California, and the southwest," Ray said. "We accomplished that by successfully recruiting several state champions and top-ranked athletes. Something new was recruiting internationally. It took a long time and a lot of relationship-building, but I couldn't be happier signing four outstanding athletes from Kenya."
Coming to Tempe this fall ?? pic.twitter.com/qChz76AiMp
— Sun Devil Track and Field/XC (@SunDevilTFXC) August 5, 2024
MEET THE NEWCOMERS
Zach Albanese | Chandler, Arizona
As a senior at Chandler's Seton Catholic High, Albanese won the Division III boys' title by finishing the 5-kilometer course in 16:14.9 at the AIA's state meet at the Cave Creek Golf Course in Phoenix. In March, he was nominated as one of the top Boys Cross Country runners in the state as part of The Arizona Republic's Arizona High School Sports Award.
Evaline Chepkoech | Kenya
She represented Kenya at the 2022 U20 World Championships in 800 and has a personal best of 2:04.90 & competed at the U20 African Games XC Championships
Judy Chepkoech | Kenya
She qualified for the 2024 U20 World Championships and 2024 U20 African Games XC Championships with PBs of 15:21.22 in the 5000m, 9:51.65 in the 3000m steeplechase, and 2:03.96 in the 800m
Ryan Denhof | Peoria, Arizona
Denhof was named the 2023-24 Gatorade Arizona Boys Cross Country Player of the Year in his senior season at Liberty High School. At the 2023 AIA Cross Country Championships, Denhof won the Division I state title in 15:46.30.
From the Arizona Republic: "It's been quite the rise for Denhof, who finished 42nd, 8th and 8th before finally winning it his senior year. When he first began running as a young kid, that was the ultimate endgame for Denhof — a state title.
Now, his name is etched into state history among some of the best to ever do it."
Jordan Lee | Mission Viejo, California
As a junior at Trabuco Hills High, Lee won the Division I junior girls 3-mile race in 18:47.7 at the 48th Dana Hills Nike Invitational at Dana Hills High in Dana Point. A three-sport athlete in high school, Lee comes to Tempe owning a PB of 2:18.13 in the 800m.
Lemarion Lemashon | Kenya
Owning personal-best times of 1:46.86 in the 800m and 3:44.23 in the 1500m, he comes with experiences competing on the national stage for Kenya, racing in both the 2022 U-20 Kenyan Trials for the World Championships and the 2022 Kenyan Championships.
Dennis Rono | Kenya
Rono placed 5th at the 2024 Kenyan XC Championships (2K distance) and was 7th at the 2024 African Games Trials 1500.
Ashley Tarasenko | Phoenix, Arizona
She was the runner-up at the Division IV state championships this past year, while also helping the Northwest Christian Crusaders win the team title for the second time in three years with a 60-81 victory against Valley Christian.
Glenn Thomas | Phoenix, Arizona
A teammate of Tarasenko's at Northwest Christian, Thomas was third in the Division IV boys final with a time of 16:18.6 in the 5k race. A state champion a season ago, Thomas helped the Crusaders place fourth as a team with 187 points.
FULL 2024 SCHEDULE
8/31 | George Kyte Invite | Northern Arizona University
9/21 | UCR Invite | University of California, Riverside
9/28 | Dave Murray Invite | University of Arizona
10/18 | Arturo Barrios Invite | Texas A&M
11/1 | Big 12 Championships | Baylor University
11/15 | West Regionals | Colfax, Washington
11/23 | NCAA Championships | Madison, Wisconsin
In piecing together this class, Ray compared the #ActivateTheValley movement from Sun Devil Football's Kenny Dillingham to the approach he'd taken. Keeping the state's top talent home was key, but he also noted the passion and excitement from these local athletes to remain in-state and help the Sun Devils achieve sustained success.
Ray, now entering his third season at the helm of the Sun Devils, is also recruiting international talent at a high-level, as evidenced by the signings of Judy and Evaline Chepkoech, Lemerian Lemashon and Dennis Rono.
Recruiting top local talent while also bringing in elite international student-athletes has Ray's Sun Devils on the cusp of a thrilling fall campaign.
FOLLOW ALONG
The Sun Devils are just weeks away from the start of their 2024 season, beginning August 31 at Northern Arizona University. Don't miss any of the action and follow the team's social media, @SunDevilTFXC.