University of Arizona director of track and field and cross country Dave Murray announced today that the Wildcats have signed two Junior College All-Americans during the early signing period that concluded yesterday.
Central Arizona College hurdler/sprinter Jules Doumbia and Paradise Valley CC pole vaulter Dason Phelps have signed national letters of intent and will enroll at Arizona in the fall of 2000. Both athletes will have junior eligibility when they begin competing at Arizona.
"Jules and Dason are two people who are going to help us out considerably in the future," Murray said. "Jules has developed into a great hurdler at the junior college level, and he will hopefully become one of the best at the Division I level. Dason is going to come in and help us immediately in the pole vault."
Jules Doumbia, a native of Senegal, finished fourth at the NJCAA National Championships last year for Central Arizona College in the 400m intermediate hurdles. More impressively, last year was the first season that Doumbia competed in the hurdles. His best time of the season in the hurdles was 51.37, while he ran 46.16 in the 400m and 20.92 in the 200m.
"Jules is probably the most underrated hurdler to come out of this recruiting cycle because of his relative inexperience in the 400m intermediate hurdles," said Fred Harvey, Arizona associate head coach and sprints coach. "He is the favorite to win the junior college national championship this year. He is the kind of versatile sprinter who is going to compete in a lot of events for us - 4x400m, 4x100m, 200m, 400m and 400m hurdles."
Phelps won the NJCAA national championship in the pole vault last year with a mark of 17-4. A native Mesa, Ariz., Phelps went on a two-year Mormon mission before enrolling at Paradise Valley. He will begin competing for the Wildcats in the year after current Wildcat Jeff Dutoit, a two-time All-American, finishes his eligibility.
Arizona begins its track season Jan. 29 at the Silver State Games in Reno, Nev. The Wildcat cross country team concludes its season Monday, Nov. 22, at the NCAA Championships in Bloomington, Ind.
