The MIAA indoor champion men’s track and field team has announced five recruits for the fall.

Head track coach Tom Rutledge and his staff have announced the signing of five new athletes to join the Lions in the fall of this year.

“We’ve got a full run of vaulters coming in next year,” said Rutledge.

Two of the five early signings announced were pole vaulters Ethan Hobbs and Luke Willadsen.

Hobbs, a McDonald County prep, comes to Southern after lettering in track four years straight. Last year he finished in fourth place at the state meet and in a little less than four years has broken and re-broken the school’s vault record, most recently with a mark of about 15 feet at a meet in Carl Junction.

Willadsen, out of Excelsior Springs, is the other vaulter that has already signed with Southern. Willadsen holds the school record in the pole vault and has lettered in track for four years and, last season, was a conference champion in the event.

“Next year we have a couple of All-Americans (Jacob Williams and Russell Ellis) coming back, these guys (Hobbs and Willadsen) should help us keep our vaulting dynasty going once their gone,” Rutledge said.

Another strength that the track team has is its distance runners. To add to that strength Rutledge brought in Lee’s Summit North product Kevin Denny.

Denny, an all-conference, all-district, and all-sectional runner in cross country, comes to Southern after helping his team win conference and district championships his sophomore and junior years.

“He should be able to come in and keep it (strength in distance events) going next year,” Rutledge said.

The biggest weaknesses for the track team this year have been hurdles and sprints. To help fix this problem Southern will see sprinters Kevin Wright and Andrew Shockley.

Wright, a McAlester, Okla., native, is an all-state performer in track and football. Wright took first in the state for his efforts in the 4X100 and 4X400 meter relays. He was also a medalist in the 110m and 300m hurdles as a junior.

Shockley will join the team after earning four letters at Excelsior Springs. He was an all-conference, all-district, and all-sectional athlete in the 200m and 4X200 relay.

“(Ryan) McPeak is doing a great job in the 400, but we need more strength there, Rutledge said.

“I think our recruiting class as a whole is so far so good,” said Rutledge. “We only lose two athletes, but with the depth we’ll add with these young men, that with the help of our returning veterans, should keep us on top.”