Ross Bolsters 2023 Recruiting Class With 10 Talented Signees

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee head coach and director of track & field Duane Ross has announced the addition of 10 talented student-athletes—eight men and two women—to the program's 2023 signing class. The group features high school talent that has collected dozens of All-America certificates, multiple national titles and state championships while ranking among the nation's best midway through the 2023 outdoor season.

Three new transfers will also join the Big Orange next fall: All-ACC hurdler Layla Anderson, Conference USA bronze medalist high jumper Shyhiem Scotland and five-time NJCAA All-American sprinter Andrew Brown.

With collegiate postseason two weeks away, Coach Ross and his staff have worked the recruiting trail relentlessly throughout the spring. Tennessee's 2023 class now includes a combined 54 signees between the track & field and cross country programs.

The 10 newest additions to Tennessee's 2023 signing class of sprinters, jumpers, hurdlers and field athletes, including relevant personal records and notable accomplishments, can be viewed below.

Nigel Ancrum (last name pronounced ANK-rum)
Columbia, S.C. (Spring Valley HS)
Event: Sprints
PRs:

60m - 6.75
100m - 10.18
200m (outdoor) - 20.78

Notables:

Reigning AAU Junior Olympic and adidas Outdoor Nationals champion in the 100-meter dash who ranks as the No. 14 recruit in the nation according to Milesplit
Claimed eight AAU All-America certificates over the course of his high school career that began as a sophomore in 2021
In the 2022 outdoor U.S. high school national rankings, finished No. 15 in the 100m (10.18) and No. 17 in the 200m (20.78)
Undefeated in 12 100-meter races this season with his fastest mark of 10.29 coming last week at the SCTCCCA Bob Jenkins Coaches Classic Elite Meet - ranking No. 6 on the 2023 U.S. high school list
At the 2022 AAU Junior Olympics, won the 100-meter dash with a personal-best time of 10.18 and took second in the 200-meter dash with a mark of 21.06
Won the boys' elite 100-meter dash competition at the 2022 adidas Outdoor Nationals in Greensboro, North Carolina, clocking in at 10.56 into a headwind
Began his track career as a sophomore and won SCHSL 5A state titles that season in the 100m and 200m events

Nakhi Benjamin (first name pronounced nuh-KYE)
Raleigh, N.C. (Wakefield HS)
Event: Sprints
PRs:

60m - 7.13
100m - 10.63
200m (outdoor) - 21.63
200m (indoor) - 21.57

Notables:

2023 Adidas Indoor Nationals champion and AAU All-American who hails from Wakefield High School in Raleigh, North Carolina
Won gold at the 2023 Adidas Track Nationals in the elite division of the 200-meter dash with a lifetime-best mark of 21.57 in the finals
His time of 21.57 ranked top 25 in the country after only three weeks of training following basketball season
In his 2023 debut, secured AAU All-America honors in the indoor 60-meter dash and 200-meter dash with times of 7.13 and 21.96 to place fourth in both events at the AAU Indoor Nationals
Finished runner-up at the 2022 NCHSAA 4A State Championship in the 200-meter dash with an outdoor PR time of 21.63
Recently set a personal-best of 10.63 in the 100-meter dash at the Apex Lions' Relays

Kalib Branch (first name pronounced KAY-lub)
Lovejoy, Ga. (Lovejoy HS)
Event: Hurdles
PRs:

55m Hurdles - 7.62
60m Hurdles - 8.00
100m - 10.58
110m Hurdles - 13.83

Notables:

Top-rated athlete from the state of Georgia who has qualified for New Balance Indoor Nationals in the 60-meter hurdles and New Balance Outdoor Nationals in the 110-meter hurdles
Recently won the Christian Coleman Invitational 110m hurdles competition with a lifetime-best mark of 13.83 in Atlanta (no wind reading)
His wind-legal best of 13.89 (+1.9 m/s) in the 110m hurdles came at the FSU Relays in March 2023 and ranks No. 9 on the U.S. high school list
Also ran a PR in the 100-meter dash at FSU Relays, clocking in at 10.58 seconds
Placed 11th at New Balance Nationals Indoor in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.06
Ran a personal-best 8.00 in the 60-meter hurdles final at the USC Gamecock Challenge for second place overall
Finished third in the 110m Hurdles at the 2022 GHSA 6A state meet with a time of 14.24 seconds

Andrew Brown
Antioch, Tenn. (Antioch HS/Iowa Western CC)
Event: Sprints
PRs:

60m - 6.85
200m (outdoor) - 21.11
200m (indoor) - 21.38
400m (outdoor) - 46.66
400m (indoor) - 47.95

Notables:

Five-time NJCAA All-American sprinter who will join the Vols as a JUCO transfer after two seasons at Iowa Western Community College
Originally from the Nashville area where he competed for Antioch High School
Competed in three events at the 2023 NJCAA Indoor Championships and secured All-America honors in the 4x400-meter relay
Ran a lifetime-best 46.66 in the 400-meter dash prelims at the 2022 NJCAA Outdoor Championships and went on to place sixth in the final
Took home All-America honors in the indoor 600m at the 2022 NJCAA Indoor Championships with a time of 1:21.70
Set high school PRs in the 100-meter (10.85) and 200-meter (21.74) at the AAU Region 6 Qualifier in Knoxville in the summer of 2021 before enrolling at Iowa Western

Matthew Morrison
Liberty, Mo. (Liberty North HS)
Event: Javelin
PRs:

Javelin - 62.23m (204-2)

Notables:

Strong-armed javelin thrower from Liberty, Missouri, who claimed the state title and secured All-America honors as a junior in 2022
Owns a lifetime-best throw of 62.23m, set at the MSHSAA Class 5 District 8 meet on May 14, 2022
Ranked No. 13 in the country and No. 4 in the Class of 2023 in the javelin last season
Won the MSHSAA Class 5 state title with a throw of 58.70 meters (192-7)
Qualified for the 2022 NSAF Outdoor National at Hayward Field and placed sixth overall with a heave of 59.40m (194-10)
Recently competed at the Kansas Relays and took home a second-place finish with a season-best toss of 58.50m (191-11)

Kyler Nichols
Mount Juliet, Tenn. (Green Hill HS)
Event: Pole Vault
PRs:

Pole Vault (outdoor) - 4.88m (16-0)
Pole Vault (indoor) - 4.83m (15-10)

Notables:

Two-time reigning Tennessee state champion pole vaulter from Mount Juliet who competes for Green Hill High School
Ranked first in the state and top-50 nationally in the outdoor pole vault last season with a lifetime-best clearance of 4.88m (16-0) at the TSSAA Section 3 AAA Championship
Cleared 4.83m (15-10) for a new indoor PR at the 2023 National Pole Vault Summit in Reno, Nevada
Won his first indoor state title in the pole vault earlier this year with a mark of 4.75m (15-7) at the Tennessee State HS Indoor Track Championships
Claimed pole vault gold at the TSSAA Div. 1 AAA outdoor state meet with a mark of 4.57m (15-0)
Qualified for the 2022 NSAF Outdoor Nationals in the pole vault and place 12th overall

Christian Parker
High Point, N.C. (Southwest Guilford HS)
Event: Sprints
PRs:

100m - 10.38
200m (indoor) - 21.77
200m (outdoor) - 21.35
300m (indoor) - 34.01
400m (indoor) - 47.51
400m (outdoor) - 47.79
500m (indoor) - 1:03.80

Notables:

Two-time All-American sprinter from High Point, North Carolina, who has already set PRs in the 100m, 200m and 400m during the 2023 outdoor season
Ranks top 15 in the country in three events this year — indoor 300m (34.01, 7th), indoor 400m (47.51, 11th) and indoor 500m (1:03.80, 4th)
Competed at the 2023 Nike Indoor Nationals in the 200m and 400m, qualifying for the final in both events and running a lifetime-best of 47.51 in the quarter-mile that placed third and ranked No. 11 nationally this past season
Placed second and third, respectively, in the 300m (35.07) and 500m (1:04.41) at the 2023 NCHSAA 4A Indoor State Championship meet
Ranks top three in the state of North Carolina in the 100m (10.38), 200m (21.35) and 400m (47.79) with PRs established early in the 2023 campaign
His 200m and 400m PRs came on the same day with winning efforts at the South County Stallion Invitational, and he also won the 100m at that meet with a then-personal record time of 10.46
Competed at the 2021 AAU Indoor Nationals as a sophomore, picking up a third-place finish in the 400-meter and placing fifth in the 200-meter

Shyhiem Scotland (first name pronounced shy-HEEM)
Piedmont, S.C. (Wren HS/Charlotte)
Event: Jumps
PRs:

High Jump - 2.14m (7-0.25)

Notables:

Dual-sport athlete who will join the Vols after two seasons at Charlotte competing for the 49ers football and track programs
Earned a third-place finish at the 2023 C-USA Indoor Championships in the high jump, clearing 2.04m (6-8.25)
Posted a season-best mark of 2.12m (6-11.5) at the 2023 Bob Pollock Meet that ranked 53rd in the nation this past indoor season
Placed top-six at the 2022 indoor Conference USA meet with marks of 2.04m (6-8.25) in the high jump and 14.78m (48-6) in the triple jump, finishing fifth and sixth respectively
Opened his collegiate career with a lifetime-best clearance of 2.14m (7-0.25) at the Virginia Tech Invitational in January 2022, ranking third in school history
During the summer of 2021, won the USATF Junior Olympic title in the high jump with a mark of 2.10m (6-10.75)
Competed for Wren High School in Piedmont, South Carolina, where he captured a pair of SCHSL outdoor state titles in the high jump in 2019 and 2021

Layla Anderson
Portsmouth, Va. (Churchland HS/Virginia Tech)
Event: Sprints/Hurdles
PRs:

60m - 7.47
60m Hurdles - 8.13
100m Hurdles - 13.83 (+3.1 m/s wind)
200m (outdoor) - 23.67 (+2.1 m/s wind)
200m (indoor) - 23.81
300m (indoor) - 38.74

Notables:

Transfer athlete from Virginia Tech who will arrive on Rocky Top with two indoor seasons and three outdoor seasons of remaining eligibility
Ran a time of 8.27 in the 60-meter hurdles final at the 2023 ACC Indoor Championships, placing fifth overall for All-ACC honors
Turned in a lifetime-best performance of 8.13 at the Clemson Tiger Paw Invitational, ranking No. 19 on the 2023 NCAA indoor list
Also clocked an indoor PR of 23.81 in the 200-meter dash prelims at this year's ACC meet
Owns a 60-meter PR of 7.47 set at the PNC Lenny Lyles Invitational in January of 2023
Closed her freshman season with a win in the 200-meter dash at the Liberty Twilight Qualifier in May of 2022, stopping the clocking in 23.67 with a 2.1 m/s tailwind
Earned All-ACC second team honors as a freshman at the 2022 indoor conference meet, clocking a time of 8.40 to place sixth in the 60-meter hurdles final
Competed for Churchland High School in Portsmouth, Virginia, where she was a seven-time VHSL 4A state champion
Competed in the emerging elite section of the 2019 New Balance Outdoor Nationals 100-meter dash and placed second with a time of 11.85

Ka'Myya Haywood (first name pronounced kuh-MY-uh)
Jacksonville, Fla. (Bishop Kenny HS)
Event: Sprints/Middle Distance
PRs:

400m (outdoor) - 54.68
400m (indoor) - 54.94
500m - 1:12.87
800m (indoor) - 2:09.40
800m (outdoor) - 2:09.01

Notables:

Rising star from Bishop Kenny HS in Jacksonville, Florida, who specializes in the long sprints and middle-distance events
Ranks top-15 nationally at the 400-meter, 500-meter and 800-meter distances with PRs set during the 2023 campaign
Won FHSAA District 4 titles in the 400m (54.68) and 800m (2:12.73) in April of 2023
Her personal-best of 54.68 at the district meet ranks fifth in the state of Florida and 25th in the nation during the 2023 outdoor season
Competed at the 2023 FSU Relays and set a PR of 2:09.01 for second place in the 800m, ranking fourth in the nation and second in the state of Florida
Won the 2023 Florida Indoor Championship title in the 400-meter with a lifetime-best 54.94 in the final, ranking No. 10 nationally and No. 2 in Florida for the season
Ran a time of 1:12.87 in the 500m at The VA Showcase that ranked fourth in the nation during the 2023 indoor season
Clocked a time of 2:09.40 over 800 meters for a new indoor PR at the South Carolina Invitational in February 2023, ranking second in the state of Florida and 11th nationally
Placed fourth overall in the 400m and 800m finals at the 2022 FHSAA Outdoor state meet

University of Tennessee Athletics

Ross Bolsters 2023 Recruiting Class With 10 Talented Signees

Related Videos