Brevin Sims is headed to Syracuse.
The elite hurdler announced his decision on Wednesday night, and talked to us about why he chose Syracuse over other finalists Tennessee, Washington and Indiana.
"Syracuse made me feel welcomed, due to the outpouring of love from the coaches and athletes," Sims told us in an exclusive interview. "The deciding factor in choosing any institution was having a balance between competitive academics and athletics, and Syracuse met that requirement."
Sims officially signed with the Orangemen on Wednesday night.
His season-best time of 13.68 in the 110mH last season ranked him No. 13 nationally. Sims' 300mH mark of 37.20 was 27th in the country.
The Chattanooga Arts and Sciences senior is one of the most talented seniors from the Volunteer State this season at any discipline.
He valued a small, tight-knit team in his college search.
And he said that he definitely found that at Syracuse.
"I love the brotherhood of the program," he added.
"The men's side of the team is very small and centered around hurdles,
which is my primary event, and to watch them uplift one another in practice was
truly inspiring. I believe I can thrive in that environment."
Sims liked the coaching philosophy and training methods of his new coaches.
The Chattanooga-native felt at home immediately on and off the track in Syracuse.
"The biggest asset I want from a school is to feel at peace, which is at Syracuse. Syracuse feels like a home away from home, and doesn't have the chaotic New York feel," he said.
"I love the coaches and their philosophy towards training. My vision aligned with theirs when it came to goals and aspirations. Both coaches were truly supportive of what I'm looking to gain from track & field inside and outside the sport. Not to mention, the coaching staff is extremely vocal and always assured I was informed about the recruiting process."
Sims says he's planning on studying Business: Entrepreneurship at Syracuse.
Before he heads north next fall, he still has big plans for this indoor and outdoor seasons as well.
That includes a couple of state championships to defend next May.
"My goal for this upcoming track season is to give my all and end my high school career content with no regrets once my senior year comes to a close. Also, I want to break as many records as possible, on the state and national level," he said.
If history is any indication...he should have no problem fulfilling those goals this spring.
