INA, Ill. – Two sophomore runners with Rend Lake College’s track and field team signed national letters of intent to Ole Miss before stepping foot on the national stage as sophomores.
In February, mid-distance runner Holland Sherrer (Bridgetown, N.J./Cumberland Regional HS) and sprint hurdler Fred Roberts (Maple Heights, Ohio/ Orange HS) met with RLC Head Coach Jason Craig and former coaches Eric Alberter and Matt Jackson to make their commitment to Mississippi.
“I feel like the workouts and work ethic I accomplished here at Rend Lake got me ready. I feel like I’m very ready for the next level of competition.” – Sophomore Fred Roberts on signing track scholarship to Ole Miss.
“It’s a great coaching staff at Ole Miss – a place where I can achieve what I need to do,” said Roberts. “The campus is beautiful. It’s one of the best campuses I’ve ever seen. I feel like the workouts and work ethic I accomplished here at Rend Lake got me ready. I feel like I’m very ready for the next level of competition.”
“Ole Miss will expect a lot out of the workouts they will be given there,” Craig said.
“Rend Lake – the program here was amazing,” Sherrer said. “I believe I got the training of a DI here at a Juco. I think it’s made all the difference in preparing me for the next level.”
Sherrer was a three-time conference champ and state champion in the sprint medley at Cumberland Region. Roberts was the state runner-up in the 300m hurdles and 60m hurdles at Orange.
“I think [Ole Miss] signed me because of not only what they know from my past, but what they see for me in the future,” said Roberts. “My goal is to be the best hurdler I can be and win DI nationals.”
Sherrer’s top performances at RLC include a 50.32 in the outdoor 400m dash, 1:21.71 in the indoor 600m, and 1:52.35 in the indoor 800m. Roberts’ top performances at RLC include a 7.39 in the indoor 55m, 7.09 in the indoor 60m, 24.41 in the indoor 200m, 7.38 in the indoor 55m hurdle, 7.96 in the indoor 60m hurdles, and 14.28 in the outdoor 110m hurdles. Sherrer anchored the Warriors’ national championship indoor 4x800m relay team in March.
“I believe I got the training of a DI here at a Juco.” – Sophomore Holland Sherrer on signing a track scholarship to Ole Miss. He is joined in the above photo by, FROM LEFT, former RLC Coach Matt Jackson, RLC Head Coach Jason Craig, and former RLC Coach Eric Alberter.
“They have a new head coach [at Ole Miss] and are looking to turn the program around … and win an SCC championship,” Sherrer said. “I would love to be an All-American and All-conference. But the biggest goal is to do my part to help them win an SCC championship and get to nationals.”
Sherrer is the son of Barron and Cynthia Sherrer. “They have been there since day one, since I started running,” he said.
“I’d like to give a shout out to my mom, Victoria Johnson,” Roberts added. “She helped me greatly on this trail. Without her, I think I would have died a long time ago.”
“They are great athletes,” said Craig. “They do everything I tell them and sometimes they go above and beyond.”
He said his advice to them is to stay focused, keep family first and look to excel in every aspect.
For all things athletic at The Lake, visit RLC online at www.rlc.edu/warriors.
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