New York's Elzie Coleman Signs With Mississippi State Track Team
STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Mississippi State University associate head track and field coach Steve Dudley announced Monday the signing of Newburgh Free Academy's Elzie Coleman to a national letter-of-intent to compete for the Bulldogs this fall.
"Signing Elzie Coleman caps off an unbelievable recruiting class for this year's Mississippi State men's track and field team," said Dudley. "Elzie is the US record holder in the indoor 400m, making him the top long sprinter in the country. But the biggest thing that we get from Elzie is his leadership, attitude and his willingness to be the best."
Coleman is the current National High School Indoor Record holder in the 400m dash with a time of 45.92 in the event. He ran the time at the 2004 Simplot Games in February in Pocatello, Idaho, breaking his own senior record, the meet record and the U.S. record that he set earlier in the season. Not only is he ranked first in the nation in the 400m, Coleman is also the top athlete in the 300m (33.28) and 600m (1:20.03) and ranked 22nd in the 200m (22.11). In outdoors, he is ranked second in the 400m with a 46.52 and 17th in the 200m with a time of 21.49.
"My goals at Mississippi State are to break the NCAA 400m dash record and to go 2:59 as a team in the 4x400m relay," said Coleman. "I just really want to go after some national records. I decided to come to MSU because of my visit and the program because it is building. I knew that I needed to pick a college with some young guys, so that we could be together for the next four years. And the big reason was Coach Dudley. He is a great guy, and I coming to MSU because of him."
Coleman has finished first in all races during his senior campaign except for the outdoor 400m at the Mobile Meet of Champions in early April to the individual that is ranked first in the nation. Undefeated in his final indoor season, he recorded his 300m time of 33.28 in his only race of the season, moving him to third on the national all-time list. All three races he ran in the indoor 400m dash were faster that the National Record prior to the start of the season and his 600m time of 1:20.03 moved him to eighth on the national all-time list.
The three-year letterwinner was honored as the 2004 High School Indoor Track Athlete of the Year by Track and Field News. In addition to track, Coleman was a running back and wide receiver on the football team.