Men’s Track & Field Adds Nation’s Top Indoor High Jumper To Signing Class

Texas Men’s Track & Field head coach Bubba Thornton announced the signing of Victor Glaze II on Friday, giving the Longhorns six individuals in the 2012 signing class.

Glaze is a high jumper from Killeen, Texas and had the top mark nationally during the indoor season as he cleared 7-0 to win the Carl Lewis Invitational. So far this outdoor season he is off to a great start at Killeen High School. He finished second at Texas Relays with a mark of 6-11 to rank eighth nationally.

Earlier this year five other athletes signed letter of intents to compete at Texas. The list included Kyle Merber (Dix Hills, N.Y./Columbia), Brady Turnbull (Frisco, Texas), Trevor Van Ackeren (Bethleham, Pa./Princeton), Daniel Vertiz (San Antonio, Texas) and Reese Watson (Spring, Texas).

Merber is transferring from the University of Columbia where he ran middle distance. He finished 10th at the 2010 NCAA Outdoor Championships in the 1,500m run and was just the second Ivy League athlete to break the four-minute mile indoors with a time of 3:58.52, setting an Ivy League record. He also ran cross country and earned All-Northeast Region honors with a  15th place finish in 2009.

Turnbull goes to Liberty High School and specializes in middle distance and distance events. This outdoor season he has won 10 of the 11 races he has competed in for the 800m, 1600m and 3200m. He ranks 10th nationally in the 1600m with a time of 4:12.33 to win the Texas Relays. His other best times are 1:56.09 in the 800m at the Coppell Relays and 9:13.99 in the 3200m at the Jesuit-Sheaner Relays. In the fall he won five races in cross country with his best time a 15:32.70 in the Southlake Invite 5k. He also won the 4A Region 2 meet.

Van Ackeren will transfer from Princeton where he was a four-time Ivy League Indoor Champion and holds the Ivy League and Princeton record in the indoor distance medley relay.

Vertiz is also a middle distance and distance runner who attends Reagan High School. He ran the second fastest time nationally in the indoor two mile at 8:59.15. He also had the second fastest time in Texas during the cross country season while placing second at the Nike Cross Country Nationals and in the top five at the Footlocker Nationals. He won five races including the 5A district 26 meet and claimed second place at the State Championships.

Watson is a pole vaulter from Spring High School. He was the top-ranked pole vaulter in the nation during the indoor season as he cleared 17-7. He currently ranks fourth nationally in outdoor after earning the No. 2 ranking a year ago. His top height outdoors is 16-6.75 at the Texas Relays which placed third.