LAWTON, Oklahoma (July 19) – Already touting one of the top recruiting classes in the country, the Cameron Aggie cross country team and Head Coach Matt Aguero today announced the official signing of two more potential All-Americans. Mudasar Haidat and Josh Stewart are the newest Aggies added to the 2007-2008 squad. These signings now bring Coach Aguero’s class to nine runners for next season.
“These guys will definitely add more talent to the team and I’m real excited about that,” Coach Aguero said. “This will be a huge year for us. We have signed nine guys so far and are basically doubling the size of our team (from last season). I think we will have some great races in the fall.” Haidat joins the Aggies from Virginia Intermont College where Coach Aguero was his marathon coach in 2004. Both of Haidat’s younger brothers have already been signed to the 2007-2008 CU team. “It will be fun to get to coach Mudasar again,” Coach Aguero said. “It’s a pretty cool deal to be able to coach all three (Haidat brothers) and to have all three on the same team. What a talented family; one brother is an All-American and the other two have the potential to get there. Three solid guys from one family can make up half of a team.” While at VIC, Haidat was named to the All-Conference, All-Region, All-Freshman, and All-American teams after his freshman year. He also helped to win the 2004 NAIA National Cross Country Championship and finished second individually in the marathon championship.
An injury forced Haidat to be red-shirted during his sophomore year, but he rebounded to help VIC win the 2006 NAIA National Cross Country Championship. He also competed in the 5K and marathon runs at the national meet.
“Mudasar is a talented guy and is a very hard worker,” Coach Aguero said. “He is willing to go out and put in the time it takes to be successful. He is a very dedicated worker and a very good runner.” While Haidat is extremely talented, he did not run until his junior year of high school. It was not until his senior season at Wakefield High School (Virginia) however that he actually focused on the sport. That season he was a member of the National District Championship team and was also named the WHS Athlete of the Year for cross country, indoor track, and outdoor track. Coach Aguero’s other signee, Josh Stewart, is a transfer from East Central University. While running for the Tigers, Stewart was named to the Lone Star Conference All-Conference team three consecutive seasons. He was also named to the NCAA’s South Central All-Region team in 2005.
“I have known Josh for a long time. He is originally from Ada (Oklahoma), where I went to school, so I knew him a little back in high school,” Coach Aguero said. “He is probably the gutsiest runner I have ever seen. You can see the race in his face and can tell he’s going all out. He always gives it his all.”
At Byng High School (Oklahoma), Stewart was named to the Oklahoma High School All-State Team three times and was a two-time state champion. During his senior season, Stewart was the state runner-up in the two-mile race despite a breaking his collarbone during the race.
After high school Stewart went on to compete at Cloud County Community College (Kansas) where he was named to NJCAA All-American status in five different events. He was also the conference champion in both the 5K indoor race and the steeplechase outdoor race.
“I am real excited to add Josh. He is very talented evidenced by his state championships and the number of times he was named an All-American,” Coach Aguero said. “I expect some big things from him because he definitely has the talent.” Because Stewart is transferring from another four-year university, he must serve a year of residency. Basically, Stewart must be enrolled as a full-time student and can practice with the team, but he can not compete until the 2008-2009 season.
As mentioned previously, these two signings bring Coach Aguero’s recruiting class to nine signees. He hopes to add at least two more runners to his already elite recruiting class before the start of next season.
The Aggie cross country team is currently in the summer off-season portion of their schedule. They return to competition this fall with the East Central University Tiger Chase event in Ada on September 8th.
“These guys will definitely add more talent to the team and I’m real excited about that,” Coach Aguero said. “This will be a huge year for us. We have signed nine guys so far and are basically doubling the size of our team (from last season). I think we will have some great races in the fall.” Haidat joins the Aggies from Virginia Intermont College where Coach Aguero was his marathon coach in 2004. Both of Haidat’s younger brothers have already been signed to the 2007-2008 CU team. “It will be fun to get to coach Mudasar again,” Coach Aguero said. “It’s a pretty cool deal to be able to coach all three (Haidat brothers) and to have all three on the same team. What a talented family; one brother is an All-American and the other two have the potential to get there. Three solid guys from one family can make up half of a team.” While at VIC, Haidat was named to the All-Conference, All-Region, All-Freshman, and All-American teams after his freshman year. He also helped to win the 2004 NAIA National Cross Country Championship and finished second individually in the marathon championship.
An injury forced Haidat to be red-shirted during his sophomore year, but he rebounded to help VIC win the 2006 NAIA National Cross Country Championship. He also competed in the 5K and marathon runs at the national meet.
“Mudasar is a talented guy and is a very hard worker,” Coach Aguero said. “He is willing to go out and put in the time it takes to be successful. He is a very dedicated worker and a very good runner.” While Haidat is extremely talented, he did not run until his junior year of high school. It was not until his senior season at Wakefield High School (Virginia) however that he actually focused on the sport. That season he was a member of the National District Championship team and was also named the WHS Athlete of the Year for cross country, indoor track, and outdoor track. Coach Aguero’s other signee, Josh Stewart, is a transfer from East Central University. While running for the Tigers, Stewart was named to the Lone Star Conference All-Conference team three consecutive seasons. He was also named to the NCAA’s South Central All-Region team in 2005.
“I have known Josh for a long time. He is originally from Ada (Oklahoma), where I went to school, so I knew him a little back in high school,” Coach Aguero said. “He is probably the gutsiest runner I have ever seen. You can see the race in his face and can tell he’s going all out. He always gives it his all.”
At Byng High School (Oklahoma), Stewart was named to the Oklahoma High School All-State Team three times and was a two-time state champion. During his senior season, Stewart was the state runner-up in the two-mile race despite a breaking his collarbone during the race.
After high school Stewart went on to compete at Cloud County Community College (Kansas) where he was named to NJCAA All-American status in five different events. He was also the conference champion in both the 5K indoor race and the steeplechase outdoor race.
“I am real excited to add Josh. He is very talented evidenced by his state championships and the number of times he was named an All-American,” Coach Aguero said. “I expect some big things from him because he definitely has the talent.” Because Stewart is transferring from another four-year university, he must serve a year of residency. Basically, Stewart must be enrolled as a full-time student and can practice with the team, but he can not compete until the 2008-2009 season.
As mentioned previously, these two signings bring Coach Aguero’s recruiting class to nine signees. He hopes to add at least two more runners to his already elite recruiting class before the start of next season.
The Aggie cross country team is currently in the summer off-season portion of their schedule. They return to competition this fall with the East Central University Tiger Chase event in Ada on September 8th.