Three hats made the final table at the signing of Captain Shreve's Marquez Stevenson. In the end, the hats from LSU and Oklahoma State ended up being tossed to his friends in the crowd. The red and black Texas Tech cap ended up on Stevenson's head, who will play football and run track in Lubbock.
Just 11 days ago, Texas Tech head football coach Joey McGuire sat in Stevenson's home and visited while the pair watching their favorite NFL team-the Dallas Cowboys.
Wednesday night, Stevenson, who was emotional addressing the crowd before his decision, made it official.
"From day one, Coach McGuire has been on me heavy," Stevenson said of Texas Tech's recruitment. "He did all he could to get me there. He visited with the family. He checked in on me every day. I mean, the Raider family..it's just strong. It's a home away from home. That's what you want in a program."
Stevenson was happy to share the moment with family, friends, and coaches.
"It feels good," Stevenson said. "I know the community is there for me. It was a long day today. There were five other signees. I was there. We just had to support each other and see each other win."
Stevenson isn't the only two-sport star from Louisiana headed to Texas Tech. The Red Raiders flipped John Curtis' Justin Horne, who had committed to Louisiana-Lafayette, earlier this week.
In a social media statement, Horne said that he was happy to be joining the "fastest recruiting class in the nation."
When asked about his new teammate from New Orleans, Stevenson said "we're about to turn up."
With his signing behind him, Stevenson turns his attention to the 2023 indoor season where he will look to defend his LHSAA Division I 400m title (48.93).
Last season, he was the only athlete in Louisiana to break 49 seconds indoors.
This year, he may have some company as Horne's John Curtis teammate, junior King Taylor, who finished second to Stevenson at the 2022 LHSAA State Indoor Meet, opened with a 49.1 at the Galleria Games Indoor Meet in Birmingham, AL last Saturday.
"Don't wake a sleeping dragon," Stevenson said with a smile when asked about defending his 400m indoor title. "I'm about to come for it."
