FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. - Northern Arizona's 2012 sprints and jumps squad returns with the majority of their scoring runners from 2011, as well as some newcomers looking to make an immediate impact on NAU's team scores at the conference meets.  Assistant coach Ed Jacoby returns for a second season to coach sprinters, jumpers, and hurdlers, but will employ the services of first-year assistant coach and former high jump world champion Troy Kemp.

"I've known Troy for over 20 years, and I know he can have an immediate impact on this program," said Jacoby, who coached Kemp at Boise State. "I think he has a strong coaching career ahead of him." 

Returning to compete this season are NAU's top athletes from this event group in 2011—sophomore Adel al Nasser and junior Miles DiSabella.  Al Nasser, a native of Saudi Arabia, had a phenomenal freshman season that included a trio of top-three finishes in both the indoor and outdoor conference championships.  DiSabella, the top Lumberjack short sprinter last season, scored 25 points at the Big Sky Conference Outdoor Championships and earned points in every event in which he competed.

Al Nasser and DiSabella, along with senior Mark Hughes, will attempt to defend their indoor and outdoor conference titles in the 4x400-meter relay this season.

"We have a lot of strengths on the men's side this season, mostly in the long sprints and the jumps," said Jacoby.  "Miles is our only short sprinter who has proven himself, but there is a lot of depth in those events.  Adel can be more productive than he was last year as well in his individual races, and hopefully he can help the relay get under the 3:10 mark."

The added depth on the NAU squad comes from a great recruiting class that Jacoby expects to make an immediate impact.  Freshman Deante Kemper and Vernon Jamison will  be dually effective in the jumps and hurdles down the road if not immediately, and junior transfer Arnaud Froidmont of Belgium should challenge al Nasser as the team's top long sprinter.

"Deante has already almost cleared seven feet in the high jump so far in practice, so with some training and coaching he could be a national competitor," said Jacoby.  "Arnaud is also another national-caliber athlete, and if things go well he should be able to break 46 seconds in the 400-meter dash."

Jacoby also noted that some of his jumpers for this season ought to at least make the regional meet in the outdoor season, and he has high hopes for many athletes to make the conference meets in both seasons.

Edgar Panford returns after finishing third in the triple jump at last year's Big Sky Outdoor Championships and 2009 all-conference athlete Dennis Givens will compete after a two-year hiatus.  The only unexpected blow to the squad this season was a season-ending injury to sophomore sprinter Cody Bell, who tore his ACL during the fall semester.

Many other new athletes look to make a name for themselves during the 2012 campaign, and Jacoby will welcome any surprises.  Strong performances by NAU's returners should help the team win the conference championship once again, and the benefit of having few departing seniors in 2012 provides additional potential for the team's continued success in the future.