CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Director of track & field and cross country/associate athletics director of administration Vin Lananna announced the addition of 19 student-athletes to the men’s track & field and cross country team on Tuesday (May 19).
 
The Cavaliers will welcome first-years Billy Atkinson (Manhattan Beach, Calif.), Kevin Carlson (Purcellville, Va.), Jack Eliason (Crozet, Va.), Keith Frasier (Chesapeake, Va.), Kellen Hasle (Purcellville, Va.), Joe Hawkes (Greenwood, Va.), Nick Karayianis (Potomac, Md.), Tyler Lynch (Manassas, Va.), Jay Pendarvis (Annandale, Va.), Taylor Ney (Purcellville, Va.), Yasin Sado (Aurora, Colo.), Luke Smith (Cranberry Township, Pa.) and Jeremiah Wilson (Salem, Va.). Joseph Kelly (Gibsonia, Pa.) will transfer to UVA from Lehigh as Ka’eo Kruse (Kalaheo, Hawaii) will transfer to the program from Harvard and Ty Kunzman (Spencer, N.Y.) will transfer from Hamilton.
 
Liam Bellamy (Richmond, Va.), Conor Murphy (Providence, R.I.) and Wes Porter (Kansas City, Mo.) round out the men’s team after being announced as early signees in the fall of 2019.
 
Virginia will announce its additions to the women’s roster for the 2020-21 season on Wednesday (May 20).  
 
Billy Atkinson | Mira Costa High School | Manhattan Beach, Calif.
 
Atkinson_BillyEvent: Distance
Academic Interest: Undecided
Fun Fact: Atkinson is a two-time consecutive winner of the South Bay Boardriders Big Wave Challenge.
Athletic Achievements: Atkinson recorded a fifth-place finish at the California State Cross Country Championships. He holds a personal-best time of 9:09 in the 3,200m and a cross country time of 15:08 in the 5k.
The staff says: Atkinson’s father Jeff was an Olympian in the 1500m while also competing at Stanford and his mother was a UVA graduate. He has tremendous upside as a distance runner.
 
Kevin Carlson | Loudon Valley High School | Purcellville, Va.
 
Carlson_KevinEvent: Distance
Academic Interest: Computer Science and Engineering
Fun Fact: One month after missing the Nike Cross Nationals due to bronchitis, Carlson broke the national record in the 4xmile relay.
Athletic Achievements: Carlson is the national record holder and 2019 New Balance Indoor Nationals champion in the 4xmile. He is a three-time All-America honoree and the state’s runner-up in the mile. Carlson and his teammates won the 2017 Nike Cross National title and back-to back (2018-19) Virginia state titles. He holds a personal-best time of 4:15 in the 1,600m.
The staff says: Carlson was a member of Loudoun Valley’s outstanding distance program. He will shine as a long-distance runner.
 
Jack Eliason | Western Albemarle High School |Crozet, Va.
 
Eliason_JackEvent: Distance
Academic Interest: Undecided
Fun Fact: Eliason pitched a no-hitter in a little league baseball game.
Athletic Achievements: The 3,200m Virginia state champion, Eliason helped lead his team to a fifth-place finish at the 2019 Nike Cross Nationals and won the Virginia state cross country team championships three times (2017-18-19). Eliason is a 16-time all-state selection.
The staff says: Eliason is one of two members of the Western Albemarle powerhouse joining the UVA family from nearby Crozet. Eliason made significant progress in his senior year, leading his team to a state championship and a trip to Nike Cross Team Nationals.
 
Keith Frasier | Western Branch High School | Chesapeake, Va.
 
Frasier_KeithEvent: Sprints & Hurdles
Academic Interest: English, Drama and Studio Art
Fun Fact: Frasier loves photography and original motion picture soundtracks. His mother is a UVA graduate.
Athletic Achievements: Frasier placed third at the New Balance Nationals in the emerging elite section of the 400m hurdles. He holds a personal-best time of 53.71 in the 400m hurdles.
The staff says: Frasier has tremendous talent as a hurdler and long sprinter. We look forward to developing a great 4x400m relay this year.

Joe Hawkes | Western Albemarle High School | Greenwood, Va.
 
Hawkes_JoeEvent: Distance
Academic Interest: Economics
Fun Fact: Hawkes will represent the fourth generation of his family to attend UVA.
Athletic Achievements: Hawkes is a five-time Virginia state champion. He helped lead his team to a fifth-place finish at the 2019 Nike Cross Nationals and helped his high school capture three cross country state titles (2017-18-19).
The staff says: Another accomplished athlete from local Western Albemarle High School, Hawkes is an outstanding competitor and will become a great team leader for UVA as he develops as a distance runner in our program.
 
Kellen Hasle | Loudoun Valley High School | Purcellville, Va.
 
Hasle_KellenEvent: Distance
Academic Interest: Business
Fun Fact: Hasle is a black belt in Tae-Kwon-Do.
Athletic Achievements: An All-American in the 4xmile relay, Hasle helped lead his team to a victory at the Nike Cross Nationals in 2018 and a 10th-place finish at the meet in 2019. His cross country team won back-to-back Virginia state titles in 2018 and 2019. He holds a personal-best time of 9:12.18 in the 2-mile.  
The staff says: Hasle is one of the Loudoun Valley trio who will make an immediate impact on the distance squad at UVA.
 
Nick Karayianis | Bullis High School | Potomac, Md.
 
Karayianis_NickEvent: Distance
Academic Interest: Architecture
Athletic Achievements: Karayianis ranks sixth nationally in the U.S. indoor two-mile for the 2020 season. He is a two-time private school Maryland state champion as well as the 2019 Interstate Athletic Conference champion. He ran a personal-best time of 9:11.08 in the two-mile.   
The staff says: Karayianis has tremendous work ethic. He will make an immediate and long term impact in cross country and the longer distance events.

Joey Kelly | Transfer – Lehigh | Gibsonia, Pa.
 
Kelly_JoeyEvent: Pole Vault
Academic Interest: Pursuing a PHD in Chemistry
Fun Fact: Kelly competed against his twin brother, David, a pole vaulter at Bucknell.
Athletic Achievements: Kelly won the 2020 Patriot League title in the pole vault. He has cleared a personal-best height of 16’8″ in the event.
The staff says: Kelly is an outstanding student-athlete who will make an immediate impact in the pole vault. Kelly is a graduate transfer and has one remaining outdoor season of eligibility.
 

Ka’eo Kruse | Transfer – Harvard | Kalaheo, Hawaii
 
Kruse_KaeoEvent: Distance
Academic Interest: Masters in Kinesiology
Fun Fact: Kruse is a 12-time National Junior Lifeguard champion. He has won multiple events and was selected for the U.S. World team his senior year of high school.  Kruse is a recent graduate of Harvard.
Athletic Achievements: A two-time Hawaii Gatorade Player of the Year, Kruse was inducted into the Hawaii High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame. He won six Hawaii State championships.
The staff says: Kruse brings tremendous leadership to Charlottesville and will bolster our middle-distance squad.
 
Ty Kunzman | Transfer – Hamilton | Spencer, N.Y.
 
Kunzman_TyEvent: Throws
Academic Interest: Master’s in Student Affairs
Fun Fact: Kunzman began his track and field career as a pole vaulter.
Athletic Achievements: Kunzman was named a DIII All-American while competing for Hamilton College. He set the school’s record in the weight throw and won the 2019 Atlantic Region Championships in the event.
The staff says: Kunzman’s performances in his senior year at Hamilton indicate that he is ready to be an immediate contributor at the conference level. We are excited to see him continue to progress during his time at UVA.
 
Tyler Lynch | Battlefield High School | Manassas, Va.
 
Lynch_TylerEvent: Pole Vault
Academic Interest: Engineering
Fun Fact: Lynch was on his school’s FRC robotics team as an outreach lead.
Athletic Achievements: Lynch is the Virginia 6A indoor state champion and record holder in the pole vault. He holds a personal-best height of 15’6″ in the event.
The staff says: Lynch is an outstanding student-athlete capable of helping our program in the pole vault. Lynch will make an immediate impact on our team.
 
Taylor Ney | Loudoun Valley High School |Purcellville, Va.
 
Ney_TaylorEvent: Distance
Academic Interest: Biology
Fun Fact: Ney has played the trumpet for seven years.
Athletic Achievements: An All-American in the 4xmile, Ney won the 2018 and 2019 Virginia state titles with his team. He helped Loudoun Valley to a 10th-place finish at the 2019 Nike National Championship. He holds a personal-best time of 15:13 for cross country in the 5k.
The staff says: Ney joins five former teammates from Joan and Marc Hunter’s dominant distance program at Loudoun Valley.
 

Jay Pendarvis | Bullis High School • Annandale High School | Annandale, Va.
 
Pendarvis_TaylorEvent: Sprints
Academic Interest: Business
Fun Fact: Pendarvis plays the piano and the guitar. The incoming freshman has aspirations of becoming a filmmaker.
Athletic Achievements: Pendarvis is the U20 world record holder in the 4x400m and the national record holder in the 4x200m. The 2018 Virginia 6A Athlete of the Year is a two-time All-American and two-time state champion. He holds a personal-best time of 47.30 in the 400m.
The staff says: Pendarvis comes to us from the outstanding Bullis High School. He will strengthen our 4x400m relay and the long sprints.

Yasin Sado | Gateway High School | Aurora, Colo.
 
Sado_YasinEvent: Distance
Academic Interest: Computer Science
Fun Fact: Sado speaks three languages and his older brother Ahmed currently runs for Adams State.
Athletic Achievements: Sado is a three-time Colorado state champion in the 800m, 1,600m and 3,200m. He holds a person-best time of 4:09.25 in the mile.
The staff says: Sado will make an immediate impact at UVA in cross country. He is a fearless competitor with tremendous upside.
 

Luke Smith | Seneca Valley High School | Cranberry Township, Pa.
 
Smith_LukeEvent: Decathlon
Academic Interest: Finance
Fun Fact: Smith raised over $13,000 by hosting a bowling fundraiser for the Autism Society of Pittsburgh.
Athletic Achievements: Smith scored points in both the 110m hurdles and 300m hurdles at the Pennsylvania State Championships.
The staff says: Smith is a great addition to our program. Smith is primarily a hurdler who will be transitioning to the decathlon.
 
Jeremiah Wilson | Salem High School | Salem, Va.
 
Wilson_JeremiahEvent: Sprints & Hurdles  
Academic Interest: Advertising/Marketing or Business
Fun Fact: Using his creative skills, Wilson likes to make products himself including things to use for facial care. 
Athletic Achievements: Wilson is the Virginia state champion for the 55m hurdles and is a five-time All-State selection. 
The staff says: Wilson is a Virginia state champion and will quickly contribute to our sprints and hurdles squad.
 
Virginia Track and Field and Cross Country Early Signees
 
Liam Bellamy | Collegiate School | Richmond, Va.
 
Bellamy_LiamEvent: Middle Distance
Academic Interest: Economics
Fun Fact: Bellamy loves filmmaking and music.
Athletic Achievement: Bellamy is a two-time Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association state champion, winning the title in the 800m and 4x800m, and is the state’s runner up in cross country. He holds his high school’s record in the 500m, 800m and 1,000m runs. Bellamy holds a personal-best time of 1:52 in the 800m.
The staff says: Bellamy will compete immediately at the ACC level in the middle-distance events.
 
Conor Murphy | Classical High School | Providence R.I.
 
Murphy_ConorEvent: Middle Distance
Academic Interest: Business
Fun Fact: Both parents were division I track and field athletes, competing at Providence.
Athletic Achievement: Murphy is a two-time All-American and four-time state champion. He was named the 2019 Rhode Island Gatorade Player of the Year. Murphy holds a personal-best time of 1:50.43 in the 800m.
The staff says: Murphy is one of the top 800m runners in the country and we look forward to the immediate impact he will make on our program.

Wes Porter | Rockhurst High School | Kansas City, Mo.
 
Porter_WesEvent: Distance
Academic Interest: Business
Fun Fact: With a passion for volunteering, Porter has been involved in several mission trips, including a trip to Cambodia. He volunteers at Friendship Camp, which serves adults with autism and other disabilities. Porter also attended the same high school as former Cavalier and UVA 5k record holder Zach Herriot.
Athletic Achievement: The 2018 Missouri cross country state champion, Porter is a six-time Missouri All-State selection. He holds a personal-best time of 4:10.21 in the mile and 14:53 for his cross country 5k time.
The staff says: One of the top returning milers in the country, Porter showed his range and great potential this fall with an undefeated regular cross country season.