University Southern California Trojans
USC T&F Adds To Strong Recruiting Class
April 17, 2018 | Track & Field, Features
Bring in 3 middle distance runners and a sprinter
Middle distance runners Alyssa Brewer, Isaiah Jewett and Jemima Russell and sprinter Brendon Stewart have signed to compete in track and field at USC, it was announced by Director of Track & Field Caryl Smith Gilbert today (April 17). These athletes will join the six outstanding recruits already signed by the Trojans during the early signing period in November.
"We are very excited about the student-athletes we were able to bring in during the second signing period," said Smith Gilbert. "These four athletes are talented, among the best in the country at their level, and also fit perfectly with specific needs we have to round out our roster. We are so pleased that they are joining the Trojan Family."
Jemima Russell is from Melbourne, Australia and attends Caulfield Grammar School. She has PRs of 2:04.89 in the 800m and 55.36 in the 400m races. She won the 200m and 400m dashes at the 2017 Australian U20 Athletics Championships.
Alyssa Brewer of California High in San Ramon, Calif. won the CIF state 800m title as a sophomore with a PR of 2:06.86, the fastest time in the Northern Section since 1981. She also won the 2017 title with a time of 2:07.07, seventh in the country last season among high schoolers. She will attempt this season to become the fourth CIF athlete to win the state 800m title three seasons in a row. Brewer also has a PR of 55.05 in the 400m dash. Brewer was the 2016 USATF Junior Olympic Champion in the 800m for women 15-16, was the 2017 Arcadia Invitational 800m Invitational champion and is the California High record-holder in the 400m and 800m. She also competed in soccer for California High.
Isaiah Jewett from Los Angeles, Calif. will transfer to USC from UC Irvine with two years of eligibility remaining. He has a PR of 1:47.43 in the 800m and 46.82 in the 400m. Jewett won the 2017 Big West 800m title and placed 11th at the 2017 NCAA Championships with his PR of 1:47.83 coming in the semifinals. Jewett earned second-team All-America honors in the 800m. He went on to place 15th in the 800m race at the 2017 USATF Championships. Jewett went undefeated in the 400m and 800m during the regular season and won the 800m at the 2017 Mt. SAC Relays. He graduated from Cathedral High in 2015.
Brendon Stewart is from Laurel, Maryland and attends DeMatha Catholic High in Hyattsville, Maryland. Stewart did not run track his first two seasons in high school, but has had a meteoric rise, finishing the 2018 indoor season ranked No. 2 in the country among high school runners in the 60m dash with a best time of 6.66. He won the 55m dash at two of the biggest track meets of the 2018 indoor season, winning at the Virginia Showcase and the Millrose games, with his PR in the 55m dash being 6.28. He also ranked No. 7 in the country among high school men in the 300m race with a time of 33.86. Stewart also ran a leg for DeMatha's 4x200m relay which posted the third-fastest high school indoor time this season of 1:27.55.
USC's early signing-period recruits were: Karlee Freeman (throws), Bailey Lear (sprinter), Lanae-Tava Thomas (jumper/sprinter), Breanna Bernard-Joseph (hurdler), Ayden Owens (multi-events) and Nate Patterson (high jumper).
"We are very excited about the student-athletes we were able to bring in during the second signing period," said Smith Gilbert. "These four athletes are talented, among the best in the country at their level, and also fit perfectly with specific needs we have to round out our roster. We are so pleased that they are joining the Trojan Family."
Jemima Russell is from Melbourne, Australia and attends Caulfield Grammar School. She has PRs of 2:04.89 in the 800m and 55.36 in the 400m races. She won the 200m and 400m dashes at the 2017 Australian U20 Athletics Championships.
Alyssa Brewer of California High in San Ramon, Calif. won the CIF state 800m title as a sophomore with a PR of 2:06.86, the fastest time in the Northern Section since 1981. She also won the 2017 title with a time of 2:07.07, seventh in the country last season among high schoolers. She will attempt this season to become the fourth CIF athlete to win the state 800m title three seasons in a row. Brewer also has a PR of 55.05 in the 400m dash. Brewer was the 2016 USATF Junior Olympic Champion in the 800m for women 15-16, was the 2017 Arcadia Invitational 800m Invitational champion and is the California High record-holder in the 400m and 800m. She also competed in soccer for California High.
Isaiah Jewett from Los Angeles, Calif. will transfer to USC from UC Irvine with two years of eligibility remaining. He has a PR of 1:47.43 in the 800m and 46.82 in the 400m. Jewett won the 2017 Big West 800m title and placed 11th at the 2017 NCAA Championships with his PR of 1:47.83 coming in the semifinals. Jewett earned second-team All-America honors in the 800m. He went on to place 15th in the 800m race at the 2017 USATF Championships. Jewett went undefeated in the 400m and 800m during the regular season and won the 800m at the 2017 Mt. SAC Relays. He graduated from Cathedral High in 2015.
Brendon Stewart is from Laurel, Maryland and attends DeMatha Catholic High in Hyattsville, Maryland. Stewart did not run track his first two seasons in high school, but has had a meteoric rise, finishing the 2018 indoor season ranked No. 2 in the country among high school runners in the 60m dash with a best time of 6.66. He won the 55m dash at two of the biggest track meets of the 2018 indoor season, winning at the Virginia Showcase and the Millrose games, with his PR in the 55m dash being 6.28. He also ranked No. 7 in the country among high school men in the 300m race with a time of 33.86. Stewart also ran a leg for DeMatha's 4x200m relay which posted the third-fastest high school indoor time this season of 1:27.55.
USC's early signing-period recruits were: Karlee Freeman (throws), Bailey Lear (sprinter), Lanae-Tava Thomas (jumper/sprinter), Breanna Bernard-Joseph (hurdler), Ayden Owens (multi-events) and Nate Patterson (high jumper).
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