Ross Announces 11 Additions To 2023 Signing Class

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee head coach and director of track & field Duane Ross has announced the addition of 11 talented student-athletes—six men and five women—to the program's 2023 signing class.

"We're excited about this first recruiting class," Ross said. "As I said when I took leadership of this program, the mission is to contend for an NCAA Championship every year. In order to do this, we have to have a foundation of student-athletes who aren't afraid to put this team on their shoulders and go to war. I believe we nailed it perfectly. I'm extremely excited about our new family."

The group of 11 standouts features eight Americans and three international athletes, combining for 13 national championships, 13 state titles and numerous All-America and All-State recognitions. Three signees will join the Big Orange in January and be immediately eligible for 2023 competition: four-time high school national champion Cheyla Scott, three-time NCAA All-American Rasheem Brown and French U23 national team member Clément Ducos.

A complete breakdown of Tennessee's 2023 signing class, including relevant personal records and notable accomplishments, can be viewed below.

Aron Alvarez Aranda
Bloemfontein, South Africa
Event: Throws
PRs:

Discus (1.75kg) - 60.99m / 200-1
Discus (1.5kg) - 63.46m / 208-2
Shot Put (5kg) - 16.08m / 52-9.25
Hammer Throw (5kg) - 60.05m / 197-0

Notables:

Ranked No. 1 on the 2021 U-18 World Athletics list in the 1.5kg discus throw with a lifetime-best heave of 63.46m (208-2) to win gold the U-18 South African Championships
Qualified for the 2022 World Athletics U-20 Championships in the discus (1.75kg) and finished 11th in the final, throwing 59.36m (194-9)
Ranked 12th in the world in 2022 in the men's 1.75kg discus with a season-best heave of 60.99m (200-1) at the ACNW Open T&F Meeting
Repeated as national champion in the discus at the 2022 U-20 South African Championships (57.34m / 188-1)
Accompanied his 2021 discus national title with a bronze medal in the hammer throw (5kg) at the U-18 South African Championships, throwing 58.44m (191-9) in the final

Seth Apple
Leipsic, Ohio (Leipsic HS)
Event: Throws
PRs:

Discus - 54.28m / 178-1
Shot Put - 15.73m / 51-7.5

Notables:

Ranked No. 3 in Ohio and No. 27 in the country for the Class of 2023 in the discus
Finished 9th in the discus at the 2022 OHSAA D3 State Track & Field Championships with a throw of 49.73m (163-2)
Set the Leipsic HS school record at the NWC League Meet, heaving the discus 54.28m (178-1) to win the conference title and set a league record
Also logged a personal-best throw of 15.73m (51-7.5) in the shot put to place second at the conference meet

Rasheem Brown
Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands (Clifton Hunter HS/North Carolina A&T/Milligan College)
Event: Hurdles
PRs:

110mH - 13.53
60mH - 7.63

Notables:

Three-time All-American hurdler for North Carolina A&T and three-time NAIA national champion for Milligan College who will join the Vols as a grad transfer in January 2023
Qualified for the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon, and ran a time of 13.78 in the 110-meter hurdles to place sixth in his heat
Won the U23 Carribean Games 110mH gold with a time of 13.72 in July 2022
Placed 11th at the 2022 NCAA Championships, navigating the 110mH in 13.58 seconds
Owns a pair of top-10 finishes in the 60-meter hurdles at the NCAA Indoor Championships, placing 6th in 2022 (7.77) and 9th in 2021 (7.76)
Finished runner-up at the 2021 U23 NACAC Championships in the 110mH (14.06)
Competing for Milligan College, won back-to-back NAIA titles in the 60mH in 2019 and 2020 while also securing a national championship in the 110mH
Will enroll at UT in January and be eligible to compete during the 2023 track & field season

Clément Ducos
Bordeaux, France (Lycée Pape Clément Pessac)
Event: Sprints/Hurdles
PRs:

400mH - 49.65
400m (outdoor) - 47.21
400m (indoor) - 47.27
60mH - 7.98
60m - 7.07

Notables:

Member of the French U23 national team who won an indoor national title in 400-meter dash, clocking in at 47.27 seconds
Finished runner-up in the 400-meter hurdles at the 2022 Mediterranean Athletics U23 Championships in September with a time of 51.25
Clocked a lifetime-best 49.65 in the 400-meter hurdles during prelims at the 2022 French U23 Championships, the No. 4 time in the country last season
Won bronze in the 60-meter hurdles at the 2022 French U23 Indoor Championships, breaking eight seconds for the second-straight race with a PR 7.98 in the final
Lowered his outdoor 400-meter PR after running 47.21 at the Meeting Elite de Cergy-Pontoise in June 2022
Will join the Vols in January and be eligible to compete during the 2023 track & field season

Zyaire Nuriddin
Montverde, Fla. (Montverde Academy)
Event: Sprints
PRs:

100m - 10.24
200m (indoor) - 21.14
200m (outdoor) - 21.05
400m (indoor) - 46.04
400m (outdoor) - 45.78

Notables:

Clocked the No. 3 all-time U.S. high school indoor 400-meter dash at the 2022 Adidas Indoor Nationals, winning the title in 46.04 seconds
Ranked No. 1 on the 2022 World Athletics U-20 Performance List in the indoor 400-meter dash and No. 21 globally with his mark of 46.04
Broke 46 seconds at the 2022 Florida Relays in Gainesville with a winning time of 45.78, the No. 8 athlete on the 2022 World Athletics U-20 Performance List in the outdoor 400m
Claimed a silver medal in the 200-meter dash at the 2022 Nike Indoor Nationals with an indoor PR 21.14, ranking No. 2 for the Class of 2023 and No. 4 in the nation
2022 FHSAA Class 2A Outdoor state champion in the 400m (46.89) and runner-up in the 100m (10.52)
Posted a personal-best 10.24 100-meter dash at the FHSAA 2A District 7 meet, ranking No. 13 nationally on the U.S. high school list and fifth for the Class of 2023
Competed for Howard of Technology HS (Wilmington, Del.) his freshman and sophomore seasons and claimed three state titles in the 100m (10.79), 200m (21.83) and 400m (48.05) at the 2021 DIAA Meet of Champions

Avaunt Ortiz
Tempe, Ariz. (McClintock HS)
Event: Sprints
PRs:

200m - 21.50
400m - 46.69

Notables:

Ranked No. 5 on the 2022 World Athletic U-18 Performance List with a personal-best and meet-record time of 46.69 at the Nike Chandler Rotary Invite
Owns the U.S. high school No. 5 400-meter time for the Class of 2023 heading into his senior season
Finished fourth at the 2022 Brooks PR Invitational in Seattle, clocking in at 47.32
Won the 400-meter dash at the 2022 Great Southwest Track & Field Classic with a time of 47.76 in June 2022
Claimed a pair of AIA D2 state championships in the 200m (21.50) and 400m (47.04) during the 2022 outdoor season

Myla Greene
Potomac, Md. (Bullis School)
Event: Hurdles
PRs:

100mH - 13.50
300mH - 41.70
400mH - 58.27

Notables:

Ranked top-10 on the 2022 World Athletics U-18 performance list in the 400-meter hurdles (58.27 - 5th), 300-meter hurdles (41.70 - 5th), 100-meter hurdles (13.50 - 6th) and 60-meter hurdles (8.53 - 10th)
Won bronze in the 400-meter hurdles at the 2022 USATF U20 Championships, clocking a time of 58.61 in the finals
Ran a personal-best 13.50 in the 100-meter hurdles at the 2022 USATF U20 Championships, good for fourth place at the national meet
Claimed the 400-meter hurdle national title at the 2022 New Balance Outdoor Nationals, running 58.27 for the No. 2 high school time in the nation for the entire season
Took silver in the 100-meter hurdles at New Balance Outdoor Nationals with a mark of 13.69
Clocked a time of 7.95 in the 55-meter hurdles for third place at the 2022 New Balance Indoor Nationals
Took second and third in the 100-meter hurdles and 400-meter hurdles, respectively, as a sophomore competing in the U17 division of the 2021 USATF National Jr. Olympics Championships
Reunites with former high school teammate Aidan McDuffie, a freshman sprinter on the 2022-23 Tennessee men's track & field roster

Julia Kaufman
Chattanooga, Tenn. (Baylor School)
Event: Pole Vault
PRs:

Pole Vault (indoor) - 3.25m / 10-8
Pole Vault (outdoor) - 3.38m / 11-1

Notables:

Finished fifth at the 2021 TSSAA State Championships (Div. 2 AA) in the pole vault, clearing 3.05m (10-0)
Owns a personal-best clearance of 3.38m (11-1) in the outdoor pole vault, set in April 2022
Jumped 3.23m (10-7.25) at the 2022 Georgia Indoor Pole Vault State Championships to place eighth overall

Yahnari Lyons
Jonesboro, Ga. (Jonesboro HS)
Event: Sprints/Hurdles
PRs:

60m - 7.39
60mH - 8.43
100m - 11.40
200m (outdoor) - 22.99
400m (outdoor) - 56.11
100mH - 13.41

Notables:

Top-rated sprinter and hurdler in the state of Georgia while competing for Jonesboro HS and Drive Phase Track Club
Clocked lifetime-best marks of 11.40 and 22.99 in the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes, respectively, sweeping the short sprints at the Christian Coleman Invitational in March 2022
Her time of 22.99 in the outdoor 200-meter was the fastest in Georgia high school history and ranked third nationally last season
Ranked No. 1 in the state of Georgia and third nationally in the 60m hurdles (8.43) and outdoor 200m (22.99) over the course of the 2022 season
Her mark of 8.43 in the 60-meter hurdles recorded at The Galleria Games in December 2021 ranked third in the country
Claimed a national title in the 100-meter hurdles with a PR clocking of 13.41 seconds at the 2021 USATF National Jr. Olympics Championships in Jacksonville, Florida
Finished fourth in the 200-meter dash at The Outdoor Nationals presented by Nike in 2021, posting a time of 23.62
2021 GHSA Class 5A state champion in the 200m (24.07) and runner-up in the 100m (11.88)

Cheyla Scott
Matthews, N.C. (Butler HS)
Event: High Jump/Long Jump
PRs:

High Jump (outdoor) - 1.88m / 6-2
High Jump (indoor) - 1.79m / 5-10.5
Long Jump (outdoor) - 5.89m / 19-3.75 (+2.2)

Notables:

Four-time national champion high jumper from Butler HS in Matthews, North Carolina, who owns the No. 3 all-time U.S. outdoor high school clearance (1.88m/6-2)
The top-rated indoor and outdoor U.S. high school high jumper for the Class of 2023 and has jumped 5' 10" (1.78m) or better eight times in her career
Ranked fourth on the 2022 World Athletics U-20 Performance List in the outdoor high jump
Rounded out her strong 2022 campaign winning bronze at the 2022 USATF U20 Outdoor Championships, clearing a bar of 1.81m (5-11.25)
Took second at the 2022 Nike Outdoor Nationals in Eugene, Oregon, with a leap of 1.79m (5-10.5) to close out her high school career as a five-time All-American
Crowned the NCHSAA 4A state champion in the outdoor high jump after clearing 1.78m (5-10) and finished second at the state meet in the long jump with a wind-aided (+2.2) leap of 5.89m (19-3.75)
Won a pair of indoor national titles in 2022, taking first at the New Balance Indoor Nationals (1.78m / 5-10) and Nike Indoor Nationals (1.79m / 5-10.5)
Secured her second career national championship at The Outdoor Nationals presented by Nike in July 2021, jumping 1.74m (5-8.5)
Claimed a national title as a freshman in 2019 with a leap of 1.81m (5-11.25) at the 2019 New Balance Outdoor Nationals
Will enroll at UT in January and be eligible to compete during the 2023 track & field season

Caroline Weems
Memphis, Tenn. (St. Agnes Academy)
Event: Pole Vault
PRs:

Pole Vault (outdoor) - 3.87m / 12-8.5
Pole Vault (indoor) - 3.85m / 12-7.5

Notables:

Reigning two-time Tennessee pole vault state champion from St. Agnes Academy in Memphis
Rated the No. 27 outdoor pole vaulter and No. 15 indoor pole vaulter for the Class of 2023
Competing for Memphis Vault Club, won the 2022 TFCUSA indoor national championship with a clearance of 3.74m (12-3.25)
Finished ninth in the pole vault at both the New Balance Indoor Nationals (3.85m / 12-7.5) and Adidas Outdoor Nationals (3.75m / 12-3.5) as a junior in 2022
Swept Tennessee state pole vault titles indoors and outdoors this past spring with jumps of 3.65m (11-11.75) and 3.66m (12-0), respectively
Took silver and bronze at the 2021 indoor and outdoor state meets in the pole vault, clearing 3.35m (11-0) at both events

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