8/10/2021 | Cross Country

PORTALES, N.M. – Cross Country and Track & Field head coach Jeff Kavalunas recently announced the addition of eight members to his signing class in preparation for the Greyhounds’ 2021-22 seasons.

Joining the Hounds’ roster are six college transfers in Devis Cheruiyot (Elboret, Kenya), Silvestre Kibara (Elodoret, Kenya), Kaylyn DeLaRosa (Rio Grande City, Texas), Tatiana Hall (Glendale, Ariz.), Arianna Hayde (Tortala, British Virgin Islands), and Dorcas Kosgei (Eldoret, Kenya), and two first-year student-athletes in Christian Griego (Los Lunas, N.M.), and Kiara Cox (Clovis, N.M.). Cheruiyot, Kibara, DeLaRosa, and Kosgei will run on both the cross country and track & field teams, while Hall, Hayde, Griego, and Cox will only compete with track & field.

“I am excited to welcome this group to the Greyhound family,” said Kavalunas, “We have a nice mixture of experience from the junior college level and high school level that includes junior college National Champions, All-Americans, and high school All-State performers.”

The women’s program welcomes five new members with decorated careers at the high school and junior college level. Cox will compete in sprints and comes from Clovis High School in Clovis, N.M. where she earned Division 5A All-State honors in the 200 meters with a time of 26.25. Hall joins as part of the throws team coming from Glendale Junior College in Glendale, Ariz. Hall boasted personal best 113′-4″ in the discus throw and 126′-1″ in the hammer throw. Hayde comes to Portales after a decorated stint at Barton County Junior College. The Tortola, British Virgin Islands native was crowned the 2020 NJCAA Indoor National Champion in the pentathlon, and earned All-American honors in the long jump. Hayde hit personal bests while at Barton in the long jump (19′-0.5″), 100-meter hurdles (15.26), 60-meter hurdles (9.05), javelin (123′-1″), and high jump (5′-3.25″).

Two other members of the women’s program will serve dual roles with cross country and track & field. DeLaRosa comes from Ranger Junior College after helping her team to a 2020 NJCAA Cross Country National Championship, posting a 5k time of 19:48, and earning 2021 NJCAA All-American honors as a part of the 4×800 relay team. Finally, Kosgei joins the Hounds from Wayland Baptist, where she ran cross country and track & field, with a PR (personal record) time of 17:38 in the 5000-meter.

Joining the men’s program are three student-athletes, with two running both cross country and track & field, while one student-athlete will compete only for track & field. Griego joins the Hounds as a thrower and was the 2021 Division 5A State Champion in the shot put after a throw of 50′-10″ at Los Lunas High School in Los Lunas, N.M. Griego also posted a personal best of 137′-2″ in the discus.

The remaining two new members will run for both the cross country and track & field programs. Cheruiyot comes from New Mexico Junior College after competing in the 800-meter final at the 2021 NJCAA Outdoor National Track & Field Championship with a time of 1:55.01. Kibara arrives from the University of North Dakota, after competing at Hutchinson Junior College the year prior. While at Hutchinson, Kibara earned All-American cross-country honors with an 8K time of 24:28. For track & field, Kibara posted top marks in the 3000m (8:37.36) and 5000m (14:51.74).

“We have a great group of student-athletes that have been successful and have the ability to step in and be competitive at the Lone Star Conference and NCAA National Championship levels,” said Kavalunas. 

The Greyhound track & field program competed in a successful 2021 outdoor season, highlighted by women’s track & field finishing 5th at the LSC Outdoor Track & Field Championship in May. The Eastern New Mexico cross country team returns to action after missing the 2020 season due to COVID-19 restrictions. The Hounds line up for their first cross country meet of the season at the Texas Tech Open on Sept. 4.