MORROW, Ga. – Clayton State men's cross country and track & field head coach Mike Mead have announced the signing of multiple region champion and state qualifier James Kilgore, Jr. (Milledgeville, Ga.) to bolster both programs as part of the 2019-20 signing class.

JAMES KILGORE, JR.: 6-2, Milledgeville, Ga. (Baldwin High School)
A four-year member of both the cross country and track & field programs at Baldwin High School, Kilgore comes to Morrow, Georgia following an outstanding high school career.
 
That would be four years that would see him earn a combined nine trips to Georgia High School Association (GHSA) State Championships between both sports as well as four 4A Region 3 individual titles. Additionally, he led the Braves to three consecutive region championships.
 
He would qualify for the state meet in cross country each of his last three seasons and earned trips to the state championships in track & field four times as part of the 4x400-meter relay and twice individually in the 800-meters.
 
As a freshman he would place fourth in the 800-meters at the 4A Region 3 Championships to qualify for Sectionals and compete at that level and at the state championships with the 4x400-meter relay.
 
That would lead to a sophomore campaign that saw him earn the 4A Region 3 Championship in the 1,600-meters and post runner-up outings in the 800-meter and 4x400. Qualifying for Sectionals in all three events, Kilgore would place seventh in the 800-meters and eighth in the 4x400 to return to the state championships.
 
He would deliver a runner-up outing in the 800-meters, third place in the 400-meters and be a key component of a 4x400 team that qualified for Sectionals. The latter would go on to the GHSA State Championships, finishing sixth.
 
As impressive as his first three years had been, Kilgore would come into his own as a senior this past year. He would claim region championships in the 800- and 1,600-meters as well as the 4x400 to earn a spot in Sectionals in all three events.
 
The relay would deliver runner-up honors while he would notch personal-bests in the 800-meters (1:58.44) and 1,600-meters (4:43.00). Those performances earned him trips back to the state meet in the 800 and 4x400.
 
Additionally, during the Summer of 2018 he was part of an AAU squad that competed at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Meet. During that outing he posted personal-bests in the 400-meters (50.90), 800-meters (1:59.90) and runner-up 4x400-meter relay (3:17.00).
 
As successful as he has been in venue, Kilgore has matched or exceeded that in the classroom. A member of both the National Beta Club and National Honors Society, he was a member of the Move On When Ready Program and simultaneously earned his two-year college degree from Georgia Military College while graduating with honors as part of the Top-10 in his class at Baldwin High School.
 
Head Coach Mike  Mead on James Kilgore, Jr.
"I look forward to having James in the program. He'll do cross country and track & field to become a strong middle distance runner. He'll provide us with depth and is extremely strong academically. He has boundless potential!"

2019-20 Clayton State Men's Track & Field Signing Class
Tylah Travis: 6-2, McDonough, Ga. (Eagles Landing High School) – Release (6/30)
James Kilgore, Jr.: 6-2, Milledgeville, Ga. (Baldwin High School)

Transactions
Clayton State Athletics announced that James Kilgore, Jr. has joined the program as part of the 2019-20 recruiting class.