Three runners who helped establish Allen Community College as a national power are taking their talents to four-year schools.
Red Devil runners Ryan Pulsifer, Jacob Spence and Tegan Michael signed letters of intent this fall, and will immediately head to their new schools to compete in track and field competitions in the spring.
Pulsifer, an ACC sophomore out of Tampa, Fla., will attend Western State in Gunnison, Colo. Spence, a sophomore from Baxter Springs, will head northwest to attend Fort Hays State University. Michael, a Topeka native, is headed to Wichita State.
The trio provided the anchor for the back-to-back Jayhawk Eastern Conference champion cross country squads at Allen.
Pulsifer brought home an individual conference championship in 2013 meet in October. He also took sixth among Region VI runners. One year earlier, he finished fourth in conference and 11th in regionals.
“I had an assistant coach from Colorado State recruit me, and I liked their program,” Pulsifer said.
Pulsifer plans to study athletic training. He is the son of Regina and Ronald Pulsifer.
Michael, who used up his eligibility last season, returned to complete his schooling at Allen this fall. He finished second individually at the conference championships in 2012 and seventh at regionals.
His goal was to compete at a Division I school, and was impressed with Wichita State’s facilities.
Michael plans to study sports management at WSU. He is the son of Holly and Scott Michael.
Spence finished 31st among Jayhawk Conference runners in October and 61st in Region VI.
“I really liked the coaching staff,” he said. “They seemed to know what they were talking about.”
The son of Rusty and Laticia Spence, he is uncertain of a major.
LOSING THREE talented runners is bittersweet, Allen head coach Vince DeGrado said.
He’s happy that all three have proven their mettle and can advance their collegiate careers, but he also realizes what he and ACC are losing: three talented athletes, part of his inaugural recruiting class after DeGrado returned to coach at Allen following a national championship-winning stint at Cowley Community College.
