The Eastern New Mexico Cross Country and Track & Field programs have officially signed 23 student-athletes to compete during the 2019-20 seasons.
The Hounds add 16 women and seven men to a deep and experienced Eastern New Mexico roster. Of the 23 signees, 12 will compete in both cross country and track & field. The signing class consists of 17 incoming freshman as well as six transfers.
“I am excited to be having this group join the Greyhound family,” said ENMU cross country and track & field head coach Jeff Kavalunas. “We have a great mix of experience and success with the junior college transfers and some great raw talent with the freshmen. I believe that they can come in and be competitive in the Lone Star Conference right away.”
On the women’s side, the Hounds are adding four experienced transfers, including a pair of athletes that have competed at the national level in Aminata Kenyawani and Neri Gestraide. Kenyawani comes to Eastern after a strong two-year career at Pratt Community College, where she competed at the NJCAA Championships in both cross country and indoor track & field. The Tucson, Ariz. native came away with a 10th place finish at the NJCAA Cross Country Championships, garnering Second Team All-American honors. On the track, Kenyawana was the NJCAA Region VI Champion in the 3000-meter event and finished sixth in the 5000-meter at the NJCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships.
Gestraide joins the Hounds after a solid two-year career at Iowa Western, a strong program that has produced top level talent, including former ENMU cross country and track & field great, Isaiah Samoei. Much like Kenyawani, Gestraide has also competed at the national level in cross country and track and field, placing 33rd at the 2017 NJCAA Cross Country National Championships and 14th in the 800-meter event at the 2019 indoor championship meet.
The Hounds are also adding some phenomenal high school talent on the women’s side that should make a huge impact immediately. Destiny Lawrence will join the Hounds after a brilliant career at Goddard High School in Roswell, N.M. In her career with the Rockets, the sprinter won seven NMAA state track & field championship events. Lawrence was a three-time champ in the 200-meter event while also winning a pair of championships in the 100-meter and 400-meter.
Eastern will also be adding another top-level multi-events competitor in Kaylee Caldwell. The Rio Rancho, N.M. native comes to Portales after attending V. Sue Cleveland High School, where she completed in three events at the 2019 NMAA State Championships. Caldwell scored a fourth place finish in the long jump, sixth place in the 100-meter hurdles, and seventh place in the triple jump.
On the men’s side, the Hounds will be adding some strong talent from both the collegiate and high school level.
A transfer from South Plains College, Jessie Madrid brings a well spring of talent and experience to the men’s signing class. The distance runner from Hobbs, N.M. had a strong two-year career with the Texans, which included a pair of appearances at the NJCAA Cross Country championships, turning in a 26th place finish at the 2017 championship meet. Madrid has also competed at both the NJCAA Indoor and Outdoor Championships, turning in a 19th place finish in the 3000-meter steeplechase as well as 12th in the 5000-meter and 16th in the mile events. Madrid is also experienced facing Lone Star Conference competition after winning the 3000-meter steeplechase with a career-best time of 9:41.09 at the 2019 Angelo State Relays.
Eastern is also adding a pair of strong local products from Clovis, N.M. in Burgin Foster and John Fuentes. Foster is transferring to Eastern from Franklin Pierce, where he redshirted during the 2018-19 season. The pole vaulter put together a highly decorated high school career at Clovis, where he was a three-time state champion in the pole vault event from 2016-2018.
Fuentes will be joining his former teammate in the Green and Silver after putting together a stellar career with the Wildcats in his own right. The middle distance runner placed second at the NMAA State Championship meet in the 1600-meter as well as a fourth place finish in the 3200-meter event. Fuentes was also a competitor at the 2018 NMAA State Championships, turning in a seventh place finish in the 800-meters.
The Hounds will also be adding an outstanding distance running talent from the state of Texas in Alejandro Chavez. The Hartley, Texas native won the 2018 UIL 1A Cross Country State Championship with a time of 15:53.74, while also finishing fourth in the 2017 and second in the 2016 state meets. Chavez also competed in two events at the 2019 UIL State Track & Field Championships, placing second in the 1600-meter and fifth in the 3200-meter events.
Another strong high school product the Hounds will be adding to their men’s roster is Seth Martinez. Coming to Eastern from Tucumcari, N.M., Martinez is an elite level sprinter and jumper that won a pair of NMAA State Championships in the 100-meter and 300-meter hurdles in 2019 as well as a 300-meter hurdles championship in 2018 while placing second in the 100-meter hurdles.
The Greyhounds will officially open the 2019 cross country season on Friday, Sept. 6 at the Buffalo Stampede in Canyon, Texas.
