SEC has 27 athletes representing 11 schools competing in Costa Rica, with ACC, Big 10, Big 12, Pac-12 and Ivy League also featuring strong presence on U.S., Canadian national teams

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Regardless of which country earns the most gold medals Friday through Sunday at the 20th edition of the Pan American U-20 Championships at National Stadium in San Jose, Costa Rica, the biggest winner might be the Southeastern Conference.

Among the 85 athletes competing on the U.S. national team, 22 are representing SEC programs.

In addition, Mississippi State’s Tyriq Horsford is competing for Trinidad and Tobago in the javelin throw, Vanderbilt’s Haley Walker is representing Canada in the women’s 800 meters and 4x400 relay, Kentucky’s Tatiana Aholou is also competing for Canada in the women’s long jump and 4x100 relay, Florida’s Doneisha Anderson is entered for the Bahamas in the 400 meters as well as both relays, with Centerville, Ohio graduate and Tennessee signee Yariel Soto participating in the decathlon for Puerto Rico.

The number increased in the past week, with three American athletes confirming they were transferring or switching their commitment to SEC schools.

Eric Edwards Jr., who captured the Pan American U-20 gold medal in the 110-meter hurdles in 2017 in Peru, has left Oregon and will attend LSU in the fall.

Alexis Holmes, who competed at Penn State as a freshman, has recently transferred to Kentucky.

And Brebeuf Jesuit IN graduate Semira Killebrew decided this week that she would no longer attend North Carolina, instead committing to Florida.

Holmes’ arrival in Lexington helps Kentucky equal Ole Miss and Georgia with four athletes each on the U.S. roster.

Holmes, competing in the 400 meters and 4x400 relay, is joined by fellow Wildcats Masai Russell in the women’s 100 hurdles and 400 hurdles, Tai Brown in the men’s 110 hurdles and Joshua Sobota in the men’s discus throw and shot put.

Ole Miss has Joseph Benedetto in the men’s hammer throw, Tedreauna Britt in the women’s discus and shot put, Jayda Eckford in the women’s 200 and Brandee Presley in the women’s 100 and 4x100 relay.

Georgia has Nicholas Yanek in the men’s 10,000, along with incoming freshmen Matthew Boling in the men’s 100, 200 and 4x100 relay, Anna Hall in the women’s heptathlon and Shelby Tyler in the women’s high jump.

In addition to Edwards Jr., LSU also has Tzuriel Pedigo competing in the men’s javelin throw, as well as incoming freshman Thelma Davies in the women’s 100 and 4x100 relay.

Soto will be joined by fellow Tennessee signee Britton Wilson, who is competing for the U.S. in the women’s 400 hurdles.

Missouri has a pair of entries in the women’s javelin, with Ava Curry and incoming freshman Skylar Ciccolini.

Arkansas boasts Meghan Underwood in the women’s 1,500, in addition to incoming freshman Kennedy Lightner in the men’s 200. Auburn features Dontavious Hill in the men’s high jump.

The Pac-12 also has a strong presence on the U.S. national team, with Arizona’s PJ Austin III and James Smith, Washington’s Cass Elliott and Alex Slenning, Stanford signees Morgan Foster and Max Manson, USC’s Lanae-Tava Thomas, UCLA’s Otito Ogbonnia and Arizona State’s Shelby Moran.

Arizona will also be represented by Canada’s Alexa Porpaczy in the women’s high jump. Porpaczy will be joined on the Canadian national team by Oregon State’s Grace Fetherstonhaugh competing in the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase.

UCLA also has incoming freshmen Myles Misener-Daley and Makenzy Pierre-Webster competing for Canada in the sprint and relay events.

The Atlantic Coast Conference is highlighted by North Carolina State’s Timara Chapman and Jamar Davis, Clemson’s Veronica Fraley, Florida State’s Trentorria Green and Virginia Tech’s Benjamin Nibbelink.

The Big 10 Conference features Penn State’s Drew Maher and Justin Ofotan, Michigan’s Megan Worrel and Ohio State’s Garrett Doyle.on the U.S. roster. Michigan will also be represented on the Canadian national team by Aurora Rynda in the women’s 800 and Anne Forsyth in the women’s 5,000.

The Big 12 Conference has Oklahoma State’s Adam Dayani, Baylor’s Matthew Moorer and Kansas’ Treyvon Ferguson competing for the Americans. Iowa State has Katarina Vlahovic on the Canadian national team, with Cebastian Gentil the lone representative for Haiti, and Kansas State’s Antoni Hoyte-Small is representing Barbados.

The Ivy League will also be represented by five athletes, including Penn’s Ariana Gardizy, Mayyi Mahama and Marc Anthony Minichello, along with Columbia’s Kali Hatcher on the U.S. national team. Yale’s Jocelyn Chau is competing for Canada in the women’s 1,500.