Track and field boasts eighth-best recruiting class

The Pitt men’s track and field team is lucky to have two talented newcomers on its squad, but… The Pitt men’s track and field team is lucky to have two talented newcomers on its squad, but the addition of Sam Bair and Mike Wray was all part of head coach Alonzo Webb’s great plan.

“When I first came here, my goal was just to recruit numbers, to fill every event and put three or four people in each event,” he said. “Some areas had no athletes in them, and we had to rely on walk-ons, known as ‘developers,’ to fill them. Starting with my second class [this year], however, the focus of recruiting changed from just acquiring numbers to finding the highest quality athletes.”

Apparently, Webb’s approach worked, because his recruiting class this year ranks eighth in the nation.

“This truly is the best class in Pitt history,” he said. “We’ve had a few outstanding individuals before, but never have this many talented track and field athletes come from the same class.”

He also has high hopes for the freshman class.

“Yes, we have high expectations for them,” Webb said. “You have to expect big things.”

Webb is a Pittsburgh native and is in his third season as the head coach of Pitt’s men’s and women’s track and field and cross country teams. This is only Webb’s second recruiting class, however, and he feels his recruiting style has changed dramatically between his first and second classes.

Those changes helped bring in Bair and Wray.

Bair comes to Pitt as a transfer from Kent State University. He was a much-touted distance runner coming out of high school, but injuries kept him from competing all of last year.

“It was a tough year for me. I had gained weight and was injured all season,” said Bair, who has already qualified for the Big East. “Coach Webb and [James] Trautmann really made me feel comfortable here. Having those guys around is great.”

Bair’s personal goals are modest: to improve his mile and 800-meter times. He also expects big things from his teammates.

“I think the distance runners will do really well,” he said. “Tim [Konoval], Jeryl [Wilborn] and the rest of the guys have so much ability.”

Wray comes to Pitt out of Central High School in Philadelphia, where he was ranked fourth in the country as a senior hurdler. He has competed this season at the Skip Summerville Invitational and the Black Squirrel Classic, winning his event at both. Wray’s goals are to qualify for nationals (he already has qualified for the Big East), and to help put the men’s team back on the map.

But why would such a coveted hurdler choose Pitt?

“I liked it here,” Wray said. “At other places I was like, ‘This is kind of cool, [but] when can I go home?’ But I could really see myself being here [at Pitt].”

Wray also liked the fact that he was sought by Pitt.

“Pitt was interested in me way before I even went to nationals;” he said. “I didn’t even have to contact them like I had to do for other schools.”

The recruiting styles of Webb and his staff made a huge difference to the freshman.

“Coach Webb pays attention, listens and connects well with his athletes. His youth helps in understanding young guys,” Wray said.

Pitt’s young talent extends far beyond these two men, and it is for that reason that greatness will be expected in the coming years. For this year, however, Webb just wants his team to improve.

He would like to see the women’s team, which is a more talented group this year, compete for the Big East title and the men’s team finish in the top half of the Big East.

From the eighth-ranked recruiting class, the women have acquired Elyse Goode, Carron Mitchell and the Calhoun twins, Shantea and Shanea. Keith Higham is another member of the class who is on the men’s team.

Both teams will compete next at the Penn State National Open this weekend.