University of Tennessee Athletics
Sean Carlson Announces Cross Country/Distance Signing Class
November 16, 2022 | Cross Country
On Wednesday, Tennessee Head Coach and Director of Cross Country/Distance Sean Carlson announced the program's signees for its 2023 class. The Vols and Lady Vols will welcome state champions from around the country to Rocky Top as the distance squad looks to build upon an impressive first year under Carlson.
"On the women's side, this will undoubtedly be one of the deepest recruiting classes in all of the NCAA," Carlson said. "With nine state champions in the group, this is the class that will set the foundation for Tennessee women's cross country for years to come. It is my hope that this group will grow together as a family into one of the most elite teams in the nation. I am overjoyed with the young women we have coming in both as runners and as people.
"The men's class consists of seven state champions and some of the most elite talent in the country. With six boys who have run either 4:10 for the mile or 9:05 for two miles, this is a group that can fuel our pursuit of podium finishes at the NCAA Championships in cross country. These are the young men who will cement Tennessee distance running as the premier program for high schoolers in the South."
A complete rundown of Tennessee's newest Vols and Lady Vols can be found below.
Teegan Anderson | Plymouth, Minnesota | Wayzata High School
Career Highlights: 2022 800m State Runner-Up, Two-time State Cross Country Top 10 Finisher
PR: 800m - 2:11 | 1600m - 4:54 | 5000m - 18:17
Nathan Atchue | Moneta, Virginia | Franklin County High School
Career Highlights: 2022 State Cross Country Champion, 2022 State Champ in the 1600 & 3200
PR:Â 1600m - 4:11 | Two Mile - 8:59 | 5k - 15:00
Lily Baker | Columbus, Indiana | Columbus North High School
Career Highlights: Two-time State Cross Country Top 10 Finisher
PR: 800 - 2:11 | 1600 - 4:57 | 5k - 17:30
Hudson Betts | Fayetteville, Arkansas | Fayetteville High School
Career Highlights: 2022 State Cross Country Champion
PR: 1600 - 4:09 | 3200 - 9:09 | 5K - 14:55
Jillian Candelino | Jacksonville, Florida | The Bolles School
Career Highlights: 2021 & 2022 State Cross Country Champion, 2022 State Champion in the 3200
PR: 1600 - 4:57 | 3200 - 10:29 | 5K - 17:16
Emily Ellis | Cypress, Texas | Bridgeland High School
Career Highlights: Placed 7th in the 3200 at the state meet in 2022
PR: 800m - 2:15.39 | 1600m - 5:03.22 | 3200m - 10:38.04 | 5K - 18:05.60
Lily Garrett | Ruston, Louisiana | Ruston High School
Career Highlights: 2021 State Cross Country Champion, 2022 State Champion in the 3200
PR: 1600 - 5:05Â IÂ Two Mile - 10:53
Ella Johnson | Elizabethtown, Kentucky | Elizabethtown High School
Career Highlights: 2022 State Champion in the 3200
PR: 800 - 2:15 | 1600m - 4:57.8 | Two Mile - 10:54 | 5k - 17:56.57
Sam Kolowith | Columbia, South Carolina | Dreher High School
Career Highlights: 2022 State Cross Country Champion, 2022 State Champion in the 3200
PR: 1600 - 4:18 | 3200 - 9:11 | 5K - 15:25
Caroline Lyerly | Greenville, South Carolina | Greenville Senior High School
Career Highlights: 2022 State Cross Country Champion, 2022 State Champion in the 3200
PR: 1600 - 5:01: 97 | 3200 - 10:41 | 5K - 17:49:45
Simon Schabort | Rome, Georgia | Model High School
Career Highlights: 2022 State Cross Country Champion, State Champion in the 800, 1600, 3200 and 2021 State Champion in the 1600
PR: 1600 - 4:12| 3200 - 9:02 | 5K - 15:18
Lexi Pavese | Canton, Georgia | Cherokee High School
Career Highlights: Placed third at the state meet in the 1600 in 2022
PR: 1600 - 5:03 | 3200 - 11:05 | 5K - 19:08
Chesney Peterson | Johnson, Kansas | Stanton County High School
Career Highlights: 11-Time State Champion, including the 400, 800, 1600, 3200 and was the 2022 Cross Country State Champion.
PR: 800 - 2:10.78 | 1600 - 4:54.00 | 3200 - 10:45.05 | 5K - 17:43.44
Lia Pugsley | Sterling, Virginia | St. Paul VI Catholic High School
Career Highlights: 2021 State Cross Country Champion
PR: One Mile - 4:57| 3200 - 11:01 | 5K - 18:35
Rondi Quass | Ankeny, Iowa | Ankeny Centennial High School
Career Highlights: Placed fifth at the state cross country meet in 2022 and was also fifth in the 3000 in 2022
PR: 1500 - 4:41 | 3000 - 10:09 | 5K - 18:15
Julia Ray | St. Louis, Missouri | Mary Institute and Country Day School
Career Highlights: 2022 State Cross Country Champion
PR:Â 1600 - 5:01 | 3200 - 10:41 | 5K - 17:52
Jordan Rayl | Brentwood, Tennessee | Ravenwood High School
Career Highlights: Placed fourth in the state in 2022 in the 1600, was eighth at the 2022 state cross country meet
PR:Â 1600 - 5:09 | 3200 - 11:10 | 5K - 18:24
Thomas Rice | Canton, Ohio | GlenOak High School
Career Highlights: 2022 State Champion in the 3200
PR: One Mile - 4:15 | 3200 - 9:05 | 5K - 15:06
Savannah Rivera | Knoxville, Tennessee | Homeschool
Career Highlights: Won 2019 and 2020 Homeschool Nationals
PR: 1600 - 5:05 | 3200 - 10:55 | 5K - 17:53
Lauren Rutlin | Collierville, Tennessee | St. George's Independent School
Career Highlights: 2022 State Cross Country Runner-Up, 2022 State Champion in the 800 and 3200
PR: 1600 - 5:08 | 3200 - 11:00 | 5K - 17:54
Aidan Ryan | Jacksonville, Florida | The Bollers School
Career Highlights: 2022 State Cross Country Champion, 2022 State Champion in the 1600 and 3200
PR: 800 - 1:52 | 1600 - 4:10 | 3200 - 9:10 | 5K - 15:16
Summer Schuster | Richfield, Wisconsin | Slinger High School
Career Highlights: 2022 State Cross Country Runner-Up
PR: 1600 - 5:01 | 3200 - 10:37 | 5K - 17:50
Jessie Secor | Louisville, Kentucky | DuPont Manual High School
Career Highlights: 2022 State Cross Country Runner-Up, 2022 State 1600 and 3200 Runner-Up
PR: Mile - 4:56 | 3200 - 10:29| 5K - 17:33
Jaci Sievers | Elkhorn, Nebraska | Elkhorn South High School
Career Highlights: 2022 State Champion in the 1600 and 3200, Eighth at the NSAF Nationals in the One and Two Mile in 2022
PR: Mile - 4:51 I 2 Mile - 10:22
Adam Snoke | Arnold, Missouri | Lutheran South High School
Career Highlights: Placed third at the state meet in the 1600
PR: 800 - 1:52.71 | 1600 - 4:16 | 5K - 15:39
Dawson Welch | Springdale, Arkansas | Har-Ber High School
Career Highlights: 2022 State Champion in the 1600, USATF 3000-meter Steeplechase Junior Olympic Champion in 2022
PR: 800 - 1:53.02 I One Mile - 4:08
Jaylee Wingate | Creston, Ohio | Norwayne High School
Career Highlights: Placed third at the state meet in the 1600 in 2022, State Cross Country Runner-Up in 2022
PR: 800 - 2:10 | 1600 - 4:48 | 3200 - 11:00 | 5K - 17:15
