BANNER ELK, N.C. – Lees-McRae College Head Men's and Women's Cross Country Coach
Ley Fletcher announces the addition of six newcomers to his 2020 recruiting class. The new incoming class on the men's side includes Cameron Adair (Apex, N.C.), Walker Cummins (Satellite Beach, Fla.) and Hunter Sizemore (New Port Richey, Fla.), while the women's team adds Jocelyn Alexander (Jacksonville, N.C.), Megan Deal (Salisbury, N.C.) and Josias Mickens (Baltimore, Md.).
"I am very excited to watch the Class of 2020 compete this year as we brought in some very talented athletes across the board during a very difficult recruiting season due to Covid-19," said Fletcher. "This is an exciting time to be a part of the Bobcat cross country programs and I am excited to watch them progress."
Cameron Adair (Apex, N.C. / Apex Friendship/Methodist University)
From the coaches: "Cameron's first year of college competition in cross country was impressive at the NCAA Division III level as he was able to consistently run in 26's for the 8K races and was one of better runners on Methodist College's team. He not only brings great depth to our squad, but also will bring us much needed skill in the steeplechase events as he has put up some great performances on the track."
Hailing from Apex, N.C., Adair is a 2019 graduate of Apex Friendship High School who competed for Methodist University during the 2019 cross country season. He transfers to Lees-McRae as a cross country, distance and steeplechase specialist and will help bolster the strong returning Bobcat distance group.
"I'm proud to be coming to Lees-McRae because of the beautiful campus and the competitive nature of the team," said Adair. "I also love the smaller school feel and the community of Banner Elk."
"Cameron will be bringing enthusiasm and an unmatched love of running," said Apex Friendship High School Head Cross Country and Track and Field Coach Rusty Jenkins. "No runner will work harder than Cameron. Cameron will make everyone better."
Walker Cummins (Satellite Beach, Fla. / Satellite High School)
From the coaches: "Walker arrives with some impressive cross country performances throughout Florida during his high school career. He will provide us more depth on the men's cross country squad as well as help us in the 1500-5000 meter events on the track."
Cummins joins the Bobcats from Satellite Beach, Fla. where he posted strong cross country showing in Florida's competitive 13
th region as well as in the Foot Locker Southeast Regional meet. On the track, he's raced across the spectrum of middle-distance to distance races and will bring versatility to the Lees-McRae team.
"After touring the school and talking to Coach Fletcher, I really like the school and area," said Cummins. "Lees-McRae offers both areas I am interested in, sports and business."
Hunter Sizemore (New Port Richey, Fla. / New Port Richey High School).
From the coaches: "Hunter joins our team as an incoming freshman from New Port Richey, Fla. and New Port Richey High School. He will add good depth to our men's cross country team as well as our 5,000 and 10K events. I look forward to watch Hunter improve as a runner as he loves to compete in our sport."
With a background ranging from 400-meters up to cross country races, Sizemore brings event flexibility but will largely focus on cross country and 5K-10K races for the Bobcat track squad. He bring substantial enthusiasm and energy to both the cross country and track team.
"I am excited to join this team because of the family culture," said Sizemore.
"I can say with confidence that Hunter is a dedicated student-athlete who sets a great example with his work ethic and will be an asset to any future team," said New Port Richey High School Head Track and Field Coach Alfred Alberti.
Jocelyn Alexander (Jacksonville, N.C. / Northside-Jacksonville High School)
From the coaches: "Jocelyn is very new to our sport, but has fallen in love with running cross country and track and field. She will add depth to both our women's cross country squad and track and field squads in the distance events. We look forward to watching Jocelyn improve as a distance runner in the upcoming years."
Alexander comes to Banner Elk as a strong dual sport athlete from high school, competing in basketball and cross country. She will add competition to the roster on the cross country team and contribute in the distance events group during the track season.
Megan Deal (Salisbury, N.C. / Jesse Carson High School)
From the coaches: "Megan has run some very good cross country races on the regional and state level in North Carolina and will bring more depth to our women's team. What is exciting about Megan is that she wants to become a 5K and 10K specialist on the track team, which is always great to add that type of athlete to our distance squad. We look forward to watching Megan develop into a great long-distance specialist."
Deal joins the Bobcats from Jesse Carson High School where she was a 2019 North Carolina 3A state cross country qualifier who has competed across the range of distance and middle-distance events during her career. She is set to quickly battle for the top-7 spots on the Lees-McRae roster and will focus on the long-distance races during the track season, where she will quickly become a formidable competitor.
"I am excited to see how much I improve under college level coaching and I'm excited to bond with my new teammates," said Deal.
"Megan will bring such commitment and dedication to her new team," said Jesse Carson High School Head Cross Country and Track and Field Coach Les-Lee Ihme. "She is one of the hardest working runners I have coached. Her heart and drive to improve are unmatched."
Josias Mickens (Baltimore, Md. / Forest Park High School).
From the coaches: "Josias is a very talented athlete from Baltimore and has become a natural in cross country as she has tallied many awards and placed nicely in many meets on the regional and state level. We look for Josias to bring depth to the women's team as well as provide more depth on the 800-meter and 3,000-meter squads on the track. She will develop into a great middle-distance runner on the track based on her great athletic ability."
A 2019 Maryland cross country state championship qualifier, Mickens will help bolster the distance group at Lees-McRae. A dual-sport athlete, she will also compete for Head Women's Basketball Coach Keith Jennings and the Lees-McRae women's basketball program.
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