CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Director of Track and Field/Cross Country Amy Deem is excited to announce three of the top recruits in the country as members of the Hurricanes family.
The Canes welcome fall signees Alfreda Steele, Darlene Charles and Brandon Taylor to the Hurricanes family. Steele, Charles and Taylor will be freshmen in the fall of 2016.
“I’m thrilled to welcome these outstanding young people to our Hurricane Family,” Deem said. “We had some specific needs in this recruiting class and Alfreda, Darlene and Brandon definitely help meet those needs.”
Steele is one of the top sprinters in the country, heading into her senior season fresh off earning the FHSAA 2A State Championship in both the women’s 100m and the women’s long jump in 2015. She was also selected a 2015 All-American in the women’s 100m by Track & Field News. A standout from Pasco High School in Dade City, Fla., Steele was a coveted talent that heads into her senior season with the third-fastest 100m time among returning high school women’s runners, 11.33 seconds.
Her personal-best 11.33 in the 100m was posted on a big stage as Steele took third place in the event at the 2015 Brooks Nationals. In addition to her blazing fast 100m time, Steele has a personal-best of 23.91 seconds in a 200m – an event in which she earned the FHSAA 2A State Championship as a sophomore in 2014 – and a personal-best mark of 19’2” in the long jump.
Charles is a talented jumper from Naples, Fla., earning 10 varsity letters at Golden Gate High School. The 2015 Florida Relays long jump and triple jump champion, Charles was the 2015 Florida 3A Region 3 champion in both the long jump and triple jump and holds the Golden Gate High School records in the long jump (20’ 1.5”), triple jump (41’ 6.5”), 400m (56.06) and on the 4x400m relay. Charles was named the Golden Gate Sprinter and Jumper of the Year in both 2014 and 2015, the 2015 Team MVP and was the 2015 Naples Daily News Track Athlete of the Year.
Taylor is another superb talent headed to Coral Gables. Hailing from Clear Brook High School in Friendswood, Texas. Taylor is an explosive short sprinter with range. Taylor is currently ranked number #1 in America in the boys 60m dash with his time of 6.78. He is undefeated so far this indoor track season in the 55m and 60m dashes, winning the Texas A&M Invitational, Carl Lewis Invitational and the McNeese Invitational. Taylor placed third in the 100m with a time of 10.40 seconds at the 2015 UIL 6A State Meet. That time ranks sixth among returning men’s 100m times in the country.
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