Bulldog Track Adds Three High School All-Americans From Illinois
Clyde Young, Martavis Hines and Jerdo Williams each signed national-letter-of-intent to begin competing at MState in the spring of 2008. The trio is coached by former MSU track athlete LeRoy Millsap, who is the track coach at Cahokia High School. Millsap was a four-year letterwinner from 1981-84 at State.
Young was recently named a 2007 all-American after posting the nation's top mark in the long jump. He had a mark of 24 feet, eight and a half inches during the indoor season. Young also competes in 110-meter hurdles and the apart of the CHS 4x100 and 4x200-meter relay teams. He ranks in the top 10 in the country in those two events. In the hurdles, he registered a time of 13.08 in 2006, which is fifth-best in the nation. As a member of the 4x200-meter relay team, Young and teammates clocked a time of 1:26 in the event.
"Clyde (Young) finished the indoor season as the No.1 long jumper in the country, said Steve Dudley. I think that stat alone can tell you how excited we are to have Clyde join our team."
Hines, is a three-sport athlete for Comanches of CHS. He led the football team in scoring and rushing in 2006. He scored 13 touchdowns and rushed for over 1,600 yards on 233 attempts last season. Hines concluded his senior season with 1,775 combined total yards on the season. He was also named an all-State performer in wrestling. On the track, Hines carded a time of 37.07 in the 300-meter hurdles.
"Martavis (Hines) will add depth in our short and long relays along with being a top caliber hurdler, said Dudley.
Williams turned in a time of 10.50 in the 100-meter dash, which was tops on the team in that category during 2006 and listed in the top 20 in the nation. In the 200-meter dash, Williams had the second-best time in the region with a mark of 21.54. He recently competed in the 15th Mobile (Ala.) Challenge of Champions in early April. At that event, Williams finished with a 21.57 mark in the 200-meter dash. He is also runs a leg on the relays teams at CHS.
"Jerdo (Williams) is another great sprint athlete that joins two of his fellow teammates to Mississippi State, added Dudley. They all were part of a Illinois State Track and Field Championship."