By Don Williams | AVALANCHE-JOURNAL

Wes Kittley has been head coach of college track and field teams for 25 years, nearly always at a high level, but this week he might have experienced a first.

Texas Tech’s five-member signing class announced Thursday includes two high school athletes who are the No. 1 returnees in the nation in their events: Mansfield’s three-time state champion Shade Weygandt in girls pole vault and Chandler, Ariz., star Bryce Lamb in boys triple jump.

“I don’t know that I’ve ever gotten two No. 1s in a recruiting class,” Kittley said, “so we’re really excited about that.”

Tech also signed Katie Grimes, a five-time state medalist from Canyon who will train for the heptathlon and pentathlon; Candace Jackson, a Dallas Skyline sprinter who finished second in the Class 5A state meet 200 meters last year; and Julian Wruck, the Australian junior record holder in the discus with a throw of 199 feet, 9 inches.

Tech football signee Derrick Mays from Killeen Shoemaker was jointedly recruited by football coaches and Kittley and will compete for the Tech track team in his specialty, the 200 meters, and on relays. He took fourth in the 200 at last year’s 5A state meet.

Lamb has personal bests of 52 feet, 2 inches in the triple jump, and 25-91/4 in the long jump, the latter making him the nation’s second-best returnee in that event. His personal record in the long jump would have been good for fourth place in last June’s NCAA outdoor championships in Des Moines, Iowa.

Weygandt’s personal record in the pole vault is 13-10, set last April at the Region 1-5A meet at Tech’s R.P. Fuller Track. The 13-10 would have won last year’s women’s NCAA outdoor championship, where the top four finishers all cleared 13-91/4.

“(Signing) Bryce Lamb is just huge,” Kittley said. “He’s the best combination (jumper). There’s always good long jumpers, and there’s always good triple jumpers. This kid can do both great. That’s hard to find. When you have 12 scholarships, it’s big to find someone who can do both.

“Shade has a chance to be an Olympian, to be somebody that’s unbelievable.”

Kittley said he thinks Lamb and Weygandt both have the ability to be all-Americans their first year on campus.

“Anytime a kid can be one of the top eight in the country … We feel very good about their chances,” he said.

Kittley called Grimes and Jackson “hidden talents,” with plenty of promise.

He was about as enthusiastic over signing Wruck as he was at landing Weygandt and Lamb. Wruck is still only 17, Kittley said, but 6-foot-5, 265 pounds and already a remarkable discus thrower.

Kittley said Australian high school athletes throw a heavier disc than Texas teenagers. He said Wruck’s personal record of 199-9 means he probably could throw 220 feet with the discus Texas teens use.

“We’re really excited about him, too, because of his potential,” Kittley said. “He’s a big kid, 1,300 on his SAT. I just think he’s going to be phenomenal.”

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