FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2012 – MEDIA RELATIONS CONTACT: Zach Lawson (zlawson@uark.edu)

 

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS MEN’S TRACK AND FIELD

SEC champions add Jamaican hurdle standout

 

            FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Head coach Chris Bucknam and the second-ranked University of Arkansas men’s track and field team has announced the addition of Stefan Fennell to the program’s signee class for the 2012-13 season. Fennell becomes the sixth member of this year’s Razorback recruiting class, the fourth for Bucknam and his staff.

            Fennell joins a 2012-13 Razorback recruiting class that already includes Kemoy Campbell (Manchester, Jamaica/South Plains College), Eric Janise (The Woodlands, Texas/The Woodlands HS), Stanley Kebenei (Nakura, Kenya/Iowa Central CC), Jarrion Lawson (Texarkana, Texas/Liberty-Eylau HS) and Cale Wallace (Houston, Texas/Cypress-Ranch HS).

 

Stefan Fennell

Kingston, Jamaica/Kingston College

Personal Bests: 110m Hurdles – 13.66; 200m – 21.70

 

            Fennell is a native of Kingston, Jamaica and specializes in the sprint and hurdle events. Competing for Kingston College High School, he was the 2011 Under-20 CARIFTA champion at 110-meter hurdles and captured the Class 1 title in the event at the Inter Secondary Championships during his junior season. With his standout performances, Fennell has helped Kingston College to a trio of top-three Inter Secondary team finishes, including a team title in 2009.

            Fennell brings a wealth of international experience to Arkansas. In 2010, he was a semifinalist at 110-meter hurdles at the World Junior Championships in Canada and posted a fourth-place finish at the Youth Olympic Games in Singapore. He was also the silver medalist at the CAC Regional Championships and finished third at the 2010 Under-20 CARIFTA meet. Entering his senior season at Kingston College, Fennell owns personal bests of 13.66 in the 110-meter hurdles and 21.70 at 200 meters.

            Kingston College is the same high school that produced former Razorback and NCAA long jump champion Alain Bailey and current Razorback and SEC long jump champion Tarik Batchelor. Fennell is the son of Whitney and Patrice Fennell and has one younger sibling, Sheldon.

 

What Bucknam says about Fennell: “Stefan is arguably the best high school hurdler in the world. Once again, Kingston College High School has produced one of the finest high school talents around and my hats off to their program and coaches. Stefan will add immediate depth to our hurdles and sprint crew. He is a very bright and highly motivated young man. He’s a very good hurdler, technically, and it will be a lot of fun to watch him get stronger and faster in our program. Coach (Travis) Geopfert leads our recruiting efforts and once again, has found and attracted one of the most talented athletes in the world. What Coach (Doug) Case has done with our sprint and hurdle crew is phenomenal. Adding Stefan to his crew is certainly going to be exciting.”

 

For more information regarding Razorback track and field or University of Arkansas athletics, please visit ArkansasRazorbacks.com.

 

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