Clayton State Signs Three to Women’s Track Team

MORROW, Ga. – July 20, 2012 – Clayton State University's women's track & field team added three to its 2012-13 campaign with the recent signings, according to Laker Head Coach Mike Mead.  The new additions will bolster Clayton State's efforts in building its indoor and outdoor track & field programs in qualifying individuals to the national meet in which the Lakers have not had representation since 2008.

The trio will bring a diverse background of experience that includes the sprints, jumps, hurdles and throws.  The three who will be joining the Lakers this fall includes Breann Goodmon from Bakersfield, Calif., Jessica Matthews from Monroe, Ga., and Shanice Walker from Statesboro, Ga.

Goodmon, a junior, is a junior college transfer from Bakersfield College where she was a thrower.  Her best event is the hammer in which she set a career-best this season of 133-4½ at the Western State Conference Relays.  She also throws the javelin and the shot put.

"Breann will be the first hammer thrower we've had in the program in over 10 years," said Mead.  "Her best hammer and javelin marks are better than out current team records.  She's going to give us much needed depth in the throw events."

Matthews, as well as Walker, comes to Clayton State as a freshman.  Mead considers Matthews the Lakers' top track & field recruit.  Matthews is a recent graduate of Monroe Area High School where she excelled this spring in the triple jump.  In just her first season competing in the event, Matthews improved over four feet by the time she jumped 38-5 at the Georgia State Meet in Class AAA and finished fourth.  However, since her state meet performance, Matthews improved another foot (39-5¼) at the New Balance Outdoor Nationals earlier this summer in Greensboro, N.C.

"Jessica is a great addition to our women's team," said Mead.  "She is very diverse and has the potential to be a multi-event competitor which we've never had in the program.  She also sprints, hurdles, long jumps and has run on relays.  She can set all kinds of records in our program and has great potential at being a great triple jumper at the Division Two national level."

Walker, who graduated from Statesboro High School, will give the Lakers much needed depth in the hurdles.  Walker finished fifth this May in the 300m hurdles at the state meet in Class AAAA.  She was the Region 2-AAAA champion in both the 100m and 300m hurdles and ran on Statesboro's 4 x 100m relay.  Walker has an indirect connection to Clayton State in that her coach at Statesboro, Rico Campbell, was the Lakers' sprint coach for a season and a half  from 2001-02.

"Shanice fills a void we've had the last couple of years in the hurdles," said Mead.  "With her experience in the hurdles and relays, we're going to be covering more events than we have done in the past few seasons."

With the return of several key veterans, as well as the addition of some distance runners, Mead is confident that the Lakers will be a competitive squad in 2013.