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It’s not taking Stefanie Slekis long to make waves as Nicholls’ cross country and track coach.
Slekis announced this week that the Colonels have a six-person signing class for cross country — a group of young men who will be eligible to compete with the team this fall.
Slekis said the crew is capable of serving the university — both on the playing field and in the classroom. They’re a group who the coach says will help lay a foundation for the Colonels’ quest to return to prominence in the Southland Conference.
“I am thrilled with the group of newcomers we have joining our men’s cross country team,” Slekis said. “Not only are they accomplished in cross country and on the track, but they are strong students who take pride in their academics. One of our big goals for the team is to earn USTFCCCA All-Academic team honors next season with a cumulative 3.0 team GPA and I believe we have a great group of young men returning and joining us that sees that as an important and realistic goal for our team.”
The young men joining the team are Daniel Figueroa, Jonathan Hernandez, Dustin Worley, Tyler Granger, Cameron Carter and Lane Robichaux.
Two of the young men are local and three are from Texas.
Figueroa and Hernandez join the team after decorated careers as teammates at Katy Tompkins High School in Texas.
Figueroa was the top runner for the team during their District and Regional Championship runs. He was also crowned the District 19-6A Cross Country Individual Champion, while placing 10th at the Texas State Cross Country Championships for Class 6A.
Hernandez was the team’s No. 3 runner behind Figueroa. Together, the duo helped lift Katy Tompkins to a fourth-place finish at the State Meet.
Both men will contribute in both cross country and also in the 1,600M run for track and field.
“Daniel and Jonathan are tremendous additions to our men’s cross country program,” Slekis said. “Not only have they had great individual success and steady progress during their high school running careers, but they also were a huge part of building a successful team at Katy Tompkins High School.”
Granger is from Lafayette Christian Academy and he was a decorated competitor, finishing in the Top 5 at the State Cross Country Championships three times in his four-year career.
Slekis said he will contribute to cross country and track both and will add depth to the team.
“We are working to build a team that can compete well in the Southland Conference and the NCAA South Central Region and Tyler is the perfect fit as someone who not only is strong in the classroom and in running, but also started his high school program,” Slekis said. “He brought it all the way to a fifth-place individual and fourth-place team finish at the state cross country meet.”
Worley was a multi-year contributor at Hargrave High School in Huffman, Texas. He won the 2017 District 23-4A Cross Country Championship and was a two-time competitor at the State Meet.
Carter and Robichaux are locals, from Terrebonne and South Terrebonne, respectively.
Carter was a three-sport student with the Tigers and a 4.0 student.
He competed in the State Meet twice and was the District 7-5A runner-up in the 800M run as a senior.
“Cam is an extremely motivated young man who has reached incredible heights during his high school academic career while participating in cross country, soccer and track and field,” Slekis said. “His passion to become the best distance runner he can be is contagious. I look forward to coaching him and seeing his improvement at the collegiate level.”
Robichaux has that same desire. Also a 4.0 student, he earned Class 4A First-Team All-State honors in 2016, placing 13th at the State Meet. He was also a two-time All-District runner with the Gators.
“Lane is a strong student and is also a student of our sport,” Slekis said. “He has an understanding of the work it takes to be competitive at the college level and enjoys keeping up with current results. I’m excited to see what he can accomplish in a collegiate training environment.”
The Colonels have not released their 2018 schedule yet for men’s cross country, but the team usually begins in late-August or early September.
Last year, the Colonels struggled mightily, finishing last place at the Southland Conference Championships — something Slekis said she will work tirelessly to change in the coming years.
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