Photo by: Jeremy Enlow
Track and Field program signs two throwers for 2015 season
3/7/2014 11:36:00 AM | Track & Field
ABILENE - Eighth-year Abilene Christian assistant throws and multi-events coach Jerrod Cook Friday announced the signings of throwers Morgan Knight and Ryan Simmons to a National Letter of Intent. The high school seniors will begin competing for the Wildcats in 2015.
The 6-2, 260-pound Knight is coming to ACU from Spring Hill High School in Longview, Texas, where he won a 3A state championship (171-01) in the discus in addition to finishing as the state runner-up in the shot put (57-4.5). He also placed first in both events at the district level the past two seasons and has career bests of 178 feet-8 inches (discus) and 57-7 (shot put).
"I am very excited to have Morgan come to ACU next year, and I feel that he is going to be an outstanding leader on our team," said Cook, who was named the NCAA Division II South Central Region Men's Indoor Field Assistant Coach of the Year in 2013. "Morgan has tremendous competitiveness and desire to always be at his best, and I think his presence is going to spread throughout the entire team. I am really excited to work with him and see him reach his potential."
Knight recorded his best shot put throw of 57-7 to win the Texas 3A Area Meet and finish the 2013 outdoor season ranked 13th in Texas. His best discus mark from last season of 176-7 - recorded at the Texas Region 2-3A meet - was the eighth best in the Lone Star State and 99th in the nation.
Knight also won the shot put (56-7) and discus titles (162-1) at last season's Running Rabb Relays, and placed fifth in each event at the Texas Relays.
As an offensive and defensive lineman for Spring Hill, Knight's football accolades include two all-district first team citations. During his senior season of 2013, Knight collected 71 tackles (13 for loss), five sacks, three pass break ups, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.
Simmons, who is the son of former Wildcat all-America and 1985 NCAA D-II discus champion David Simmons, also played high school football and made the 2013 all-district offensive team after having a standout season as the starting running back at Salado.
But with Simmons throwing farther than his father was at this stage in his career, his sole athletic focus at ACU will be on the throwing events. He has been a top-15 discus thrower in the state of Texas the last two seasons with a career best of 179-0, while his best shot put mark of 56-7 ranked him among the state's top-20 performers.
There's also a chance Simmons will throw the javelin and hammer as well.
"Ryan is an amazing competitor and I would already consider him to be a seasoned vet," said Cook. "He is going to be the strong and steady competitor for us, and just a great ambassador for ACU. He has been around throwing all his life and attended all the big meets, so he knows what it takes to perform at the top level. I can't wait to work with Ryan and get him to the top of the NCAA."
Simmons was the state 2A runner-up in both the shot put and discus last spring, recording respective distances of 54-05.25 and 174-05. At the region 2-2A championship, however, he won each event with marks of 55-1.75 and 169-9.
Simmons also won the 2012 shot put title at the Texas 3A Region 4 meet in Corpus Christi with a top effort of 56-5, and was third in the discus that year at the state meet (162-9).
The 6-2, 260-pound Knight is coming to ACU from Spring Hill High School in Longview, Texas, where he won a 3A state championship (171-01) in the discus in addition to finishing as the state runner-up in the shot put (57-4.5). He also placed first in both events at the district level the past two seasons and has career bests of 178 feet-8 inches (discus) and 57-7 (shot put).
"I am very excited to have Morgan come to ACU next year, and I feel that he is going to be an outstanding leader on our team," said Cook, who was named the NCAA Division II South Central Region Men's Indoor Field Assistant Coach of the Year in 2013. "Morgan has tremendous competitiveness and desire to always be at his best, and I think his presence is going to spread throughout the entire team. I am really excited to work with him and see him reach his potential."
Knight recorded his best shot put throw of 57-7 to win the Texas 3A Area Meet and finish the 2013 outdoor season ranked 13th in Texas. His best discus mark from last season of 176-7 - recorded at the Texas Region 2-3A meet - was the eighth best in the Lone Star State and 99th in the nation.
Knight also won the shot put (56-7) and discus titles (162-1) at last season's Running Rabb Relays, and placed fifth in each event at the Texas Relays.
As an offensive and defensive lineman for Spring Hill, Knight's football accolades include two all-district first team citations. During his senior season of 2013, Knight collected 71 tackles (13 for loss), five sacks, three pass break ups, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.
Simmons, who is the son of former Wildcat all-America and 1985 NCAA D-II discus champion David Simmons, also played high school football and made the 2013 all-district offensive team after having a standout season as the starting running back at Salado.
But with Simmons throwing farther than his father was at this stage in his career, his sole athletic focus at ACU will be on the throwing events. He has been a top-15 discus thrower in the state of Texas the last two seasons with a career best of 179-0, while his best shot put mark of 56-7 ranked him among the state's top-20 performers.
There's also a chance Simmons will throw the javelin and hammer as well.
"Ryan is an amazing competitor and I would already consider him to be a seasoned vet," said Cook. "He is going to be the strong and steady competitor for us, and just a great ambassador for ACU. He has been around throwing all his life and attended all the big meets, so he knows what it takes to perform at the top level. I can't wait to work with Ryan and get him to the top of the NCAA."
Simmons was the state 2A runner-up in both the shot put and discus last spring, recording respective distances of 54-05.25 and 174-05. At the region 2-2A championship, however, he won each event with marks of 55-1.75 and 169-9.
Simmons also won the 2012 shot put title at the Texas 3A Region 4 meet in Corpus Christi with a top effort of 56-5, and was third in the discus that year at the state meet (162-9).
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