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By Coach DP Daigle
The Southern Four - A four part series on Southern Miss Signees
Hey running fans - and what's up Eagle fans? Here is the next installment of the Southern Four - Dylan Evans.
Dylan Evans, Frisco Heritage (TX)
Personal Records
Outdoor
Long Jump 18-0
400 Meter Dash 49.94
800 Meter Run 1:54.85
Indoor
Long Jump 17-8.25
60 Meter Dash 8.04
200 Meter Dash 26.83
His coach, Vincent Hooper, has said, "Dylan Evans has a deep desire to be great and it shows through his hard work and a strong will to succeed. He is one of those athletes that Coaches love having around because he makes everyone else better."
DP: What is your GPA and ACT score?
DE: My GPA is 3.86 and I scored a 30 on the ACT.
DP: Wow, that's great! Describe your visit to Southern Miss.
DE: I met Coach Kindt, the distance coach, as well as the USM miler Patton Little as soon as I got there. I had talked to Coach Kindth on the phone, but it was nice to finally meet him. I also met with Coach Stuart, the head coach. My dad and I really connected with all three of them, and I enjoyed getting to know them even more throughout the visit. Patton led us through the campus and facilities, both of which I loved. Not only did I connect with the runners and coaches, but all the other recruits on the visit. We all hung out one night, and it was nice to just chill. We were all similarly laid back which was fun. Everything about the visit went well.
DP: We've heard that you hit it off with some of the other recruits on your visit, tell us about that. I'm referring to the Southern 4 of Dylan Allen, Dylan Evans, Austin Bourne, and Preston Banks.
DE: I have not yet met Dylan Allen, but Preston and Austin both accompanied me on my visit. We definintely connected right off the bat, as well as with our host Patton Little. I am looking forward to competing with them in practice and hanging out with them outside of it! They seem like really good kids that share my laid back attitude, and I am glad that they will be there in my transition to college.
DP: What are you most looking forward to about your future career as a Golden Eagle?
DE: I am most looking forward to competing with some really cool people and making lifelong friendships. I want to be the best in my event, but the only way I get there is to have teammates pushing me every day, so I am certainly looking forward to those relationships.
DP: What is your favorite workout your Coach has you do?
DE: Any kind of ladder workout. For example, 600, 400, 200, 100. I like when workouts get shorter as I get more tired.
DP: What is your least favorite workout?
DE: Fartleks. Having to from sprinting to running back to sprinting without stopping takes a lot out of me.
DP: What events do you think they'll have you run in track as a freshman?
DE: I am expecting to specialize in the 800. I also ran the 400 and mile relay in high school, but my main event is definitely the 800.
DP: What motivates you to run?
DE: My drive to be the best motivates me. Ever since milddle school I have been one of the best runners in my district, but I am never satisfied. My junior year I made it to the State Meet and finished 6th, which is not easy to do in Texas 5A, but I will not be satisfied until I am on the podium at State. I am going to bring this motivations and drive with me into college to make me the best I can be.
DP: What do you think about when you're running?
DE: I think about all sorts of things, but most of the time I count down the distance I have left until I
get to stop!
DP: Do you have any superstitions on race day or perhaps an odd pre-race routine?
DE: While I always get super nervous on race day, I have not adopted any odd habits.
DP: Gatorade or Powerade?
DE: Gatorade all the way.
DP: Jersey, aka Singlet, tucked or untucked?
DE: Untucked if my coach lets me!
DP: Do you have a favorite meal for the night before a race?
DE: Fettuccine Alfredo, got to carbo load.
DP: Do you take ice baths? What do you think about?
DE: I take at least one ice bath a week, and I like to bring my phone in there so I can watch some
Family Guy or something to keep my mind off the cold.
DP: Name a lesson that running and training as a runner has taught you.
DE: Running has taught me that no matter how hard it gets and how much your body may tell you to
stop, everyone has a hidden gear that they are capable of hitting. This goes for everything in
life.
DP: Do you have a rival runner?
DE: I wouldn't say I have 'rival' because the runner that pushes me the most is a teammate of mine.
We root for each other, but also compete with each other as if we were on different teams.
DP: What do you do to recover after a race?
DE: Depending on how I'm feeling after a race I try to jog a lap to cool down. If it's an especially
difficult race I sometimes lay down with my feet up against a wall or fence to get the lactic acid
out of my legs. However, all throughout high school I've done the 800, 400, and 4x4 in every
meet, so I don't really have the luxury of cooling down in between.
DP: How do you intend to balance academics and athletics in college?
DE: The same way I did it in high school. Being a three sport athlete the first two years and a two
sport athlete for the last two, I am very good at balancing school and athletics. I know there will
be nights after practice that I'll be exhausted and don't want to study, but I am working to get a
degree and school always comes first.
DP: What is the strangest thing you've seen during a race?
DE: Blood coming out of my shin after I got spiked! I still won the race though.
DP: Who is your biggest fan?
DE: Both my parents for sure. They have never missed a beat and support me unconditionally.
DP: What advice would you like to share with younger runners just starting out their high school careers?
DE: Track is not an easy sport by any means, but if you trust your workouts and your coaches you
will be set up for success.
DP: Is there anything else you want to share with the MileSplit Community?
DE: I am so blessed with the opportunity to run track in college. This has been a dream of mine and
the fact that it is actually coming true is unreal. I want to thank my parents for always
supporting me as well as my coaches, and most importantly God for blessing me with these
abilities.
DP: Wow, awesome, good luck at Southern Miss!
