Baylor Bears call Sugg back to Texas

TJ Sugg and his mother, Jennifer, smile at each other Wednesday before TJ signs a letter of intent a to run for Baylor during a ceremony at Har-Ber High School in Springdale.
TJ Sugg and his mother, Jennifer, smile at each other Wednesday before TJ signs a letter of intent a to run for Baylor during a ceremony at Har-Ber High School in Springdale.

SPRINGDALE -- Arkansas' best distance runner in high school is returning to Texas to attend college.

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NWA Democrat-Gazette

Emily Potts signs to run for Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia Wednesday, April 13, 2016, during a ceremony at Har-Ber High School in Springdale.

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NWA Democrat-Gazette

Jacob Crommett signs to run for Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia Wednesday, April 13, 2016, during a ceremony at Har-Ber High School in Springdale.

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NWA Democrat-Gazette

John Parmer signs to swim for William Jewell College in Liberty, Mo., Wednesday, April 13, 2016, during a ceremony at Har-Ber High School in Springdale.

TJ Sugg of Springdale Har-Ber signed Wednesday to run cross country and track at Baylor University. The Baylor campus is in Waco, and just over 100 miles from Grapevine, where Sugg lived before enrolling at Springdale Har-Ber at the start of his junior year.

Sugg participated in cross country for the first time after he moved with his family to Springdale. He went undefeated against runners from Arkansas and won the Class 7A state cross country championship in consecutive years. His winning time of 15 minutes, 17 seconds in the state meet as a junior is the second-fastest in Arkansas history.

Sugg was also a state champion in the 800 and 1,600 meters in outdoor track.

"TJ has contributed a lot to our program the past two years," Har-Ber track coach Wayne Hall said. "He's what I call a 'hybrid' because his events range from 400 to 3,200 meters. He's nowhere near his prime. It will be exciting to watch him run and compete at the next level."

Runners Emily Potts and Jacob Crommett also signed Wednesday along with John Parmer, a swimmer at Har-Ber. Potts and Crommett each signed with Southern Arkansas University while Parmer signed with William Jewell College in Liberty, Mo.

Crommett transferred his junior year from Caddo Hills after his father, Joe Crommett, became boys cross country coach at Har-Ber. Jacob Crommett ran cross country and the distance races in outdoor track. Potts was an all-state performer who contributed mostly in the hurdles and relay teams for the Lady Wildcats.

"They've put a lot of money into the school and facilities the past few years and are still continuing to improve on it," Potts said about her college choice. "The coaching staff at SAU was more than welcoming and I connected well with them and their coaching styles."

Parmer swam for three years at Har-Ber and was the state runner-up in the 100 meters freestyle event as a senior. He leaves Har-Ber with five school records in swimming.

Sports on 04/14/2016

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