Track Trio Found Their Home at Texas State

In a sport where success or failure can come down to the matter of tenths of seconds – or less – and the swiftness of a stride, it is often the bonds formed between athletes that contribute to the level of success. Brian West, Taahir Kelly, and Dominick Yancy are all set to graduate this coming May, but not without a fight to finish out their final season strong. 

The trio of Bobcats have been running track together for the past three years and their closeness off the track has helped them achieve greatness, including breaking a 34-year-old school record. 

West, Kelly and Yancy all compete in the 400, 200, 4x400 relay and 4x100 relay. It is in the 4x4 where the closeness, trust, and dedication to one another really plays a vital role. 

West, described by his teammate as “the workforce,” was named the 2022 Sun Belt Indoor Newcomer of the Year and earned the All-Sun Belt Indoor First Team. He runs the third leg in the 4x4.

West speaks to how important it was to form a relationship with his teammates after he transferred to Texas State from Memphis. 

“We have to be able to have trust in one another and know that everyone will do their job in their part of the relay, we have each other's back,” West said.

Running as a team has also helped everyone’s personal development and growth. West speaks to how every day in practice is a competition and this has helped push his speed resulting in impressive results such as placing second in indoor conference in his first year with the Bobcats and winning the 400 in this year's 2024 conference. 

Since running with fellow teammates and the arrival of track assistant coach/sprints and hurdles coach Trent Edgerton, Kelly has dropped a second every year in his 400 and achieved personal bests in the 200. 

Without the team and the people who surround you, push you and build you up, achieving greatness is hard. It takes an army. All three of these athletes speak to how their achievements would not have been possible without one another’s support. 

“Being able to see myself on that stage has made me feel like the sky's the limit,” said Kelly.

The relationship of these three track athletes is special because some would say it came full circle. West and Kelly have known each other since high school, they competed in the same competitions, due to them growing up in the Washington D.C and Maryland area. 

Prior to Texas State, Kelly took a trip to Australia with one of West’s old teammates from high school and this sparked a closer relationship between the two of them. 

Going from just knowing each other through track to forming a friendship helped Kelly lead West to Texas State to continue his track career.

Yancy, the fourth leg in the 4x4, is a Texan from Euless and has countless accolades to his name including nine-time Sun Belt individual champion, four-time Sun Belt All-American First Team and 2022 Sun Belt Conference Outdoor Men’s Newcomer of the Year.

Prior to Texas State Yancy ran for UT Arlington, competing in the Sun Belt against current teammate Kelly. After year at Arlington, Yancy landed in the portal and Kelly was one of the first people to reach out to him regarding coming to Texas State.

“He is one of the main reasons I came to Texas State,” Yancy says. 

Both athletes talk so highly of one another and to see the closeness and mutual respect they have for one another is inspiring. 

“Dom is the guy everyone looks at and everyone wants to beat,” said Kelly. 

Running the anchor leg for your team can hold immerse pressure and often bears a lot of weights for an athlete, however the approach that Yancy has taken is inspiring and admirable. As well as self-belief, more than anything Yancy trusts his team.

“I like the challenge,” said Yancy. “It’s not too much pressure for me, I know the guys I run with are very dependable, they are going to put me in a good position to finish the 4x4 or 4x1.”

The merging of these three athletes has allowed Texas State track and field to really establish something and these three have sure left their mark. Various athletes including Avery Veiseh and now alumni Ashton Callahan competed in the 4x4 with these three, most recently joining them is Graduate transfer Shawn Collins, known by his fellow teammates as “Chuck”.  

When Collins was looking to Transfer from his previous school, Jackson State, he reached out Yancy whom he knew vaguely through social media. Immediately after speaking with Yancy Collins knew this was the right fit for him. 

Collins describes the trio as very “Goofy” which helps them all get along so well. 

“Chuck brought into what we do straight away,” said Kelly. “He knew what he wanted to do as well as what we expected.”  

The dynamic trio of track stars have become so molded together, Kelly describes them as a “working machine” and with one piece missing, the team doesn't work. 

Being comfortable with one another helps the mechanics of the working machine run smoothly. 

“It’s just a good vibe and a good environment,” Yancy smiles. “I think just getting along so well and our relationship off the track helps us compete on the track.” 

Not only do teammates form these bonds with one another, but also with coaches too. Coach Edgerton is in his third year at Texas State and although young in his years, he is wise in his experience. 

In his debut season at Texas State, Edgerton propelled both the men's and women's indoor teams to second-place finishes in the Sun Belt Conference and guided the outdoor teams to third and fourth-place finishes. His coaching expertise was evident in the success of individual athletes, including Bervensky Pierre, Daniel Harrold, Ashton Callahan, and Yancy, who achieved All-America Honorable Mention in the men's 4x100 relay. 

Known by his athletes as “Coach E,” he has worked wonders with guiding and mentoring these young men in their college journey. Like Kelly, Edgerton is originally from Washington D.C. and so their relationship began long before their time at Texas State together. 

“I had already signed with Texas State, but Coach E tried to recruit me at one of his junior colleges,” said Kelly. “It’s just funny how things come full circle and he really has changed my life around.”

West, like Kelly also knew and had heard of Edgerton before he came to Texas State, being from a similar area the track world is close knit. 

Collins says that he loves the “Hands on approach” that Edgerton takes. 

“Coach E is constantly with us at practice, he demonstrates how things should look as well as why we should be doing it,” Collins says.

To say Edgerton has made an impact on these young athletes’ lives would be an understatement. 

Not only a coach but a father figure and a big brother all in one, West, Kelly and Yancy all speak to how much of a difference he has made not just in their track life but in life in general. 

“Having a relationship with him is very important, I talk to him about everything,” said West. “He always knows what's going on, how that impacts me and how to handle it.”

This trio is determined to finish their collegiate career on a high, with the goal to make nationals and look back from the finish line with no regrets and no “what-if” thoughts. 

As his colligate career comes to an end, Yancy thanks Coach E for always believing in him, his commitment and constant pushing has helped his personal growth immensely. 

Reflecting on his time at Texas State, Yancy says how happy he is to have chosen to run here and build a relationship with the people who have contributed to his success. 

“I don’t think I could have picked a better option,” Yancy says.  

Collins will become a senior upon the trio’s graduation and is prepared to take that leadership role that they have taught him so well.

“They showed me how to be there for one another and how to uplift everybody else.” Collins says.

Together, West, Kelly and Yancy embody the very essence of teamwork, illustrating how their combined abilities and steadfast encouragement for one another propel them to unmatched success on the track.