Cyclone Track Secures Three Transfers, Iowa Prep Standout

AMES, Iowa - Iowa State multi-event performers are turning heads in the Big 12 Conference. Cyclone head coach Corey Ihmels and his staff is building for the future in those events, signing a pair of junior college All-Americans standouts from Iowa Central Community College. Iowa State has also signed an Iowa prep with a future in multi-event competition and a transfer sprinter from Arkansas who is an Iowa native.
 
Ethan Wilkins, a native of Memphis, Tenn., joins the Iowa State roster after setting a new NJCAA championship record in the penthathlon with Iowa Central, winning the event in March with 5,098 points in Lubbock, Texas.  Troy Walls, a native of Normal, Ill., placed second for Iowa Central in 4,797 as follows his teammate to Ames. Walls was third at the outdoor NJCAA national meet in the decathlon.
 
"We are getting the nation's top two junior college competitors in the multi-events," Ihmels said. "We are making great strides in those events and Ethan and Troy obviously will help us take another step up the ladder in the Big 12 Conference."
 
Taylor Sanderson of Bondurant is joining Iowa State's track program with an eye on the decathlon.  Sanderson drew attention from the Cyclone coaching staff by placing in four events for Bondurant-Farrar in Class 2-A at the Iowa State meet in May.
 
"Taylor was ninth in the high jump, third in the long jump, 12th in the 400 meters and seventh in the 800-meters," Ihmels said. "That was more than enough to make me think about his future in our program."
 
The sprinter from Arkansas is Ottumwa native Alex Kelly. He was second in the 400 at the 2009 Iowa state meet and anchored Ottumwa to a state title in the 4 x 400-meter relay.
 
"We knew about Alex from his performances in our state," Ihmels said. "He has run 47.89 and ran at Iowa Central before going to Arkansas."