The track and field team will welcome six new Mustangs to the Hilltop in August to start SMU's 2022-2023 school year. Head Coach A'Havahla Haynes said she is looking forward to the impact this group will have on the program. 

"The 2022-23 signing class is going to move the needle on the success of this program," Haynes said. "They all have the capacity to build upon the competitive history at SMU and alter the order of the record books." 

Macey Hilton, Lucia Sanchez, Hedda Kvalvåg, Nea Sanders, Alanis Robineau-Fauvey, and Camryn McPhaul make up this year's incoming signing class. Hilton is from New Zealand and ran a time of 2:06.87 in the 800 this year. She also has run 4:34.29 in the 1500 and gone sub-60 seconds in the 400. She is planning on studying business upon her arrival at SMU. 

"I picked SMU because I loved the track and field team and the environment," Hilton said. "The campus also looks really nice with so many opportunities. I'm most excited to be a part of a track and field team with other athletes and all the team events that I will get to experience." 

Hilton said she loves track and field because of how rewarding it is when hard work pays off. 

"Knowing you have accomplished what you have aimed for is so good," Hilton said. "I also love how, as much as it can be an individual sport, you always have others around you to train and race with, which makes it fun too." 

Hilton said although she is independent, she loves being around other people and is looking forward to this team aspect since she is moving to Dallas from the other side of the world. 

Sanchez comes to SMU from Spain to compete in the Pentathlon and Heptathlon. She ran 8.86 in the 60-meter hurdles, jumped 1.70 meters in high jump, and ran 2:23.38 in the 800 this past season. She is planning to study kinesiology. 

"The coaches and athletes have given me a lot of confidence that I will be fine, both academically and athletically, the university is very good, and I know it will be a very nice experience and place to live," Sanchez said. 

Sanchez is also looking forward to the team aspect of SMU's track and field team. 

"I really like what I do because, in addition to the competitions and being able to have so many tests to do, you also make many friends and that is something very nice," Sanchez said. "I consider myself a very hard-working person who tries to improve every day to meet the goals I set for myself." 

Kvalvåg is from Norway and ranked 90th in the world rankings for triple jump. She has jumped 13.33 meters. She has also jumped 5.76 in the long jump. She is planning to study sociology. 

"I chose SMU because of the athletes and staff on the track and field team, the good combination between education and sports, and because of what the school offers both academically and athletically," Kvalvåg said.  

Kvalvåg said she loves track because she loves to practice and compete, as well as challenge herself and others to be the best versions of themselves. She loves seeing how much faster, stronger and better she can get by working hard towards her goals. 

"Track and field is a very socialized sport where you meet a lot of new people all the time -- people that are your competitors on the track but end up being your best friends outside of the track," Kvalvåg said. "I'm very excited about meeting new people, to be a part of the Mustangs, and to do track and field at the same time as I get an education. I'm excited to learn a lot of new stuff and just have fun making new friends." 

Sanders is from Georgia and will be joining to Mustangs to focus on the 400 hurdles – an event which she has run 1:04.06. She has run a time of 58.47 in the open 400. Sanders was named a USATF Youth 2021 All-American. She is planning to be on a physical therapy track with minors in Spanish and psychology. 

"I picked SMU because it made me feel so at home," Sanders said. "The way the community cares and provides for you was something I couldn't skip out on. The athletic facilities are extremely nice too." 

Sanders is most excited about the relationships she will build at SMU and becoming a better runner. This bettering of one's self is what Sanders loves about track and field. 

"I love track because it is like a getaway -- when I'm mad, I run it off and, when I'm happy, I run," Sander said. "Running for me is a way to get out my emotion and to think about things. Being a runner, your competition is you and trying to be a better version of yourself. There will always be someone faster than you but, to become fast like them, you need to work hard for it to become that better version of yourself." 

Sanders said she is energetic and loyal and is looking forward to bringing that energy to the team. 

Robineau-Fauvey will travel to SMU from France in August to join the Mustangs as a middle-distance runner. She will compete in cross county and each event from the 800 to the 5000 on the track with a focus on the 1500. She has run 4:34.78 in the 1500 and 2:17.18 in the 800.  

She will be working towards a Master of Science in Health Promotion degree, which will evaluate the wellness needs of diverse populations and develop interventions that cultivate a healthy culture. 

"I picked SMU because I have been in contact with Coach Austin and Coach Haynes, and they are very pleasant people and very motivating," Robineau-Fauvey said. "They introduced me to SMU and the track team as well. The team of girls that I will join seems great, and the university has a very good academic level." 

She loves track and field because she likes to push herself to the limit and the sport has and will continue to allow her to meet great people. 

"I can't wait to come to SMU because it will be a whole different lifestyle," Robineau-Fauvey said. "I want to meet girls and start training with them and competing as a team!" 

McPhaul is a sprinter coming from Plano West High School. She has run 56.98 in the 400 and 25.97 in the 200. She plans to double major in engineering and finance. 

"During my campus visits at SMU, I felt cared for and at home," McPhaul said. "The atmosphere is so inviting, so selecting SMU was a no-brainer. SMU will mark the start of a new beginning and to meet new people!" 

McPhaul said she is especially excited to participate in the track and field program. 

"I love track because of the real-life lessons and experiences it provides," McPhaul said. "You learn that things may not always go your way, but how you deal with the outcome makes you a stronger athlete and all-around person." 

McPhaul said she values kindness and giving back to the community by volunteering and is excited to continue that throughout her time at SMU. 

The newest Mustangs will start their SMU journey on campus beginning August 22 for the first day of the 2022-2023 school year.