Sandia track star Adriana Tatum on pace to be one of New Mexico鈥檚 best ever
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (BVM) 鈥� Sandia High School girls track and field coach Dominic Maestas vividly remembers Adriana Tatum鈥檚 first varsity meet. His expectations weren鈥檛 high and he was simply curious to see how the unproven freshman would fare against elite competition in the 100-meter dash.
But then Tatum barely lost to Aphiniti Crupper 鈥� the reigning 100 and 200-meter state champion.
鈥淭hat got me pumped,鈥� Maestas said. 鈥淚 saw her time and I was like, 鈥極h my God, what do I have on my hands?鈥欌��
What Maestas had was an athlete who would quickly become the best sprinter in New Mexico. Tatum is a seven-time state champion who still has a year of high school left and is ranked by MileSplit as the No. 44 recruit in the country among the Class of 2021.
The two-time Gatorade New Mexico Girls Track & Field Athlete of the Year took first place in the 100-meter dash in the only outdoor meet she competed in this year and was set for another potentially record-breaking junior season prior to spring sports being canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a sophomore, Tatum claimed four gold medals at the outdoor Class 5A state meet, placing first individually in the 100 and 200 and running the final leg for the Matadors’ record-breaking 4×100 and 4×200 relay teams. She also went undefeated through the indoor state championships, claiming the title in the 100 and 200.
Tatum holds the record for the fastest 100 at the outdoor state meet and her personal-best time in that event (11.58 seconds) ranked No. 22 nationally among all high school competitors in 2019. She also has her sights set on breaking the record in the 200 at state where she鈥檒l likely add to her collection of gold medals as a senior, further solidifying her position as one of the best sprinters in New Mexico鈥檚 history.
鈥淓ver since I was little I was like, 鈥極h, I鈥檓 fast, I can beat the boys,鈥欌�� Tatum said, 鈥渂ut I could never foresee that I was going to be this.鈥�
Neither could Maestas, who鈥檚 been coaching for 21 years.
鈥淚鈥檝e coached maybe a thousand athletes and I鈥檝e never had someone like her,鈥� Maestas said. 鈥淗er drive and determination, everything about her, especially when it comes to track and field, she puts in extra hours on top of the workouts I give her, which is phenomenal.鈥�
As exceptional as she’s become in track, Tatum wasn鈥檛 even sure that it would be her best sport when her high school career began. It could鈥檝e been volleyball, which she鈥檚 been playing since she was in elementary school.
鈥淚t was my first love,鈥� said Tatum, who helped Sandia reach the 5A volleyball state final as a sophomore outside hitter in 2018. 鈥淚 loved it instantly when I started playing it. I鈥檝e made amazing friends and I love the camaraderie that we had and I still have great relationships with the girls I played volleyball with.鈥�
But volleyball isn鈥檛 the sport that鈥檚 going to land the 5-foot-8 speedster a Division I scholarship with a major program. So with the start of volleyball season being pushed back by the New Mexico Activities Association, Tatum decided to set her first love aside and focus exclusively on track for her senior year.
鈥淚 need to keep my strength up all year,鈥� Tatum said. 鈥淚n volleyball, you lose certain muscles because you鈥檙e focusing on other muscles. I felt like I didn鈥檛 want to go through that again. 鈥� It鈥檚 kind of sad that I won鈥檛 be able to have that senior night with (my teammates), but it was the best decision for me to focus on track because that鈥檚 what鈥檚 going to get me to college and I鈥檒l be set for the next four years.鈥�
Tatum鈥檚 college plans aren鈥檛 yet set, but she has no shortage of big-time suitors. She鈥檚 received serious interest from LSU, Tennessee and Texas A&M among many others. Her decision won鈥檛 come until after she鈥檚 able to make official college visits, which won鈥檛 happen until the NCAA lifts the recruiting dead period that鈥檚 in place due to coronavirus concerns.
Tatum hopes to excel wherever she ends up, and although she won鈥檛 rule out the possibility of some day living out a childhood dream and becoming an Olympic athlete, she鈥檚 tempering her expectations a bit.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 always like your dream when you see all of these wonderful women running and winning medals for their country,鈥� Tatum said, 鈥渂ut as I got older I realized, there are some amazing girls ahead of you Adriana, slow down. 鈥� Maybe, God willing, if I can go to the Olympics that would be awesome, but I鈥檓 not setting my hopes too high. I鈥檓 just going to try to get a career that I can be set up for the rest of my life.鈥�
Maestas sees plenty of success in Tatum鈥檚 future at the next level and maybe beyond.
鈥淲ith how determined she is and how much effort she puts in, she鈥檚 going to be someone to look out for in the college ranks and possibly above,鈥� Maestas said.
