Five recent high school graduates are currently representing or will soon represent San Juan County in collegiate competition

by Rhett Sifford
Sports Editor
There are five athletes already competing or about to compete at the collegiate level who once donned the colors of their respective high schools here in San Juan County. Here are updates on them.
Adam Bunker, a 2019 Monticello graduate, is in his second season with the Utah Valley University Track and Field and Cross Country teams.
He unfortunately suffered a knee injury early in the year and hasn’t competed for the Wolverines since the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Track and Field Championship on February 25. He is red-shirting the outdoor track and field season.
Before his injury he was having an impressive season. He finished second in the 800-meter race at the Aggie Speed and Power at Utah State University February 4, 2023.
Bunker was third in the 800 at Idaho State University on January 28 and third in the mile at the BYU December Invite on December 9, 2022.
His top cross country finish for the season came at his home course – a 14th-place performance at the Utah Valley University Cross Country Invitational on September 1, 2022.
Bunker earned Academic All-WAC honors in indoor track and field and was named to the 2023 Academic All-District Team selected by College Sports Communicators.
In his freshman year (2021-22) he was an Honorable Mention All-American in the 3000-meter steeplechase and finished 17th at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
Bunker was second in the 3000 steeplechase at the WAC Championships that season and finished fifth in the 1500. He won the 1500 meter at the Beach Invitational at Long Beach State in California.
He was second in the 3000 steeplechase at the Hayward Premiere in Eugene, OR, won the 2000 steeplechase at the Aggie Open, and was second in the 3K.
As reported in the May 31 San Juan Record, former Buckaroo Cedar English was the only athlete from the WAC to qualify for the 2023 NCAA Nationals in the long jump, representing Southern Utah University as a sophomore.
The 2021 MHS graduate put forth an outstanding effort to finish 22nd overall on June 7 at Mike A. Myers Stadium at the University of Texas.
Notable finishes for English this season include a second-place result in the javelin at the Utah Tech Invitational in St. George March 10-11.
He had numerous solid finishes in the long jump this year including third-place performances at the BYU Cougar Indoor Invite on January 12-14, at the WAC Indoor Track and Field Championship in Spkane, WA February 24-25, and at the Vince O’Boyle Track and Field Classic March 31-April 1.
English achieved a personal-best long jump distance of 7.73 meters (25 feet, 4.5 inches) at the 2023 Bryan Clay Invitational which moved him into second in SUU history.
In addition to these two active college athletes who once called San Juan County home, there are two recent graduates from the county and one former resident who will all begin their collegiate careers this fall.
2023 San Juan graduate Tayden Mark is set to join the Utah Tech University wrestling team in St. George this fall. 2021 Monticello graduate Cory Bunker will be running long distance for SUU when he finishes his mission for the LDS Church.
And last but not least, though she’s not officially a local graduate she sure has local ties. Former Monticello Buckaroo Adri Bird will begin her cross country and track career at Utah Tech University this fall.
If we missed any high school graduates from San Juan County who are currently competing at the college level or will begin soon, please email sports@sjrnews.com so we can update our records.