NATCHITOCHES—The Northwestern State track and field program added two highly-accomplished Texas athletes to its 2019 recruiting class, announcing the additions of Deonte McGraw and Ariel Watson Tuesday during the NCAA early signing period.
 
They are expected to make immediate impacts in what is shaping up to be a very solid 2019 class, said associate head coach and sprints coach Adam Pennington. McGraw will run in his high school senior season this spring and begin competing at NSU in 2020 while Watson, a transfer from UT San Antonio, will join the Lady Demons for the 2019 indoor season in January.
 
McGraw, a DeSoto, Texas-DeSoto High senior, is ranked the No. 2 100 meter sprinter in Texas and seventh nationally with a 10.40 personal record. His 21.26 time in the 200 ranks ninth in the state and 29^th among the country's prep competitors.
 
"I believe Deonte has found the right fit for him," Pennington said. "Our recent success in the sprints corps played a huge role in landing someone of his caliber. Deonte's times as a high school junior would already have him competitive in a very strong Southland Conference."
 
The Demons finished seventh at the NCAA Outdoors in June in the 4x100 relay while 2019 senior Micah Larkins, part of that first-team All-America quartet, also earned honorable mention All-America honors in the 100 with an 18^th-place 10.18 mark. He tied the Southland Conference meet record and NSU's all-time best in May with a 10.12 time.
 
Larkins, rising junior Kie'Ave Harry and rising sophomore Tre'Darius Carr return for 2019 after breaking an iconic 36-year-old school record in the NCAA semifinals, posting a 38.82 time that erased the 1982 mark of 39.03. The performance was a Southland Conference record. Larkins also has a 20.54 personal record in the 200, third-fastest in school history and good for bronze at the 2018 Southland Outdoors.
 
"My goal was to sign a top-10 sprinter in the country to step into the role Micah Larkins has fulfilled for us, and I think this guy has all the tools," said Pennington. "With freshman Evan Nafe already on our roster, we've now signed two top-10 100 meter sprinters from the state of Texas rankings. The Demons' sprints group is now set for years to come."
 
Nafe, a product of Round Rock-Cedar Ridge High School, was state runner-up in the 200 and fourth in the 100 at the 2018 UIL Championships.
 
McGraw also strongly considered offers from Houston, Iowa State, and Arizona State.
 
Watson is a versatile sophomore transfer who competed in sprints and horizontal jumps at UTSA. As a freshman, Watson finished third in the triple jump at the 2018 Conference USA Indoor Championships and fifth at the CUSA Outdoor Championships.
 
The Converse, Texas-Judson High product competes in a variety of events and has personal bests of 11.88 in the 100, 24.70 in the 200, 55.52 in the 400, 40-9 in the triple jump, and 18-8 in the long jump.
 
She considered TCU and Texas Tech before opting to start her college career at UTSA, near her home. At Converse Judson, she had a 40-1 ½ triple jump best and helped the Rockets to a Class 6A state championship in 2014 as a freshman, running relay legs including a state champion 4 x 200 squad.
 
"Ariel is someone we count on immediately in the spring. I had a chance to watch Ariel a few times in high school and she really was a head-turner," said Pennington. "When we found out she was looking to transfer, (jumps) coach Tyron Stewart and I were immediately interested.
 
"She will be No. 1 on our triple jump depth chart. She will also contribute to the school record 4x400 relay (team) that returns three of four sprinters. She has the opportunity to score a lot of points over the next three years. We are really excited as a staff to get her in and get the ball rolling."
 
The upcoming track and field season will begin for NSU Jan. 12 at the Texas A&M Ted Nelson Invitational in College Station.