Michigan State football head coach Jonathan Smith looks on during practice on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, in East Lansing. Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Recent MSU Offer Shatters Michigan High School Track Record

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Tom Cavanaugh | Last updated Jun 4, 2025 4:44 PM ET

The Michigan State Spartans recently extended an offer to in-state 2026 athlete Samson Gash, and the Novi, Michigan native just shattered a state track record in his very first year competing. The soon-to-be senior at Detroit Catholic Central is showing major interest in the Spartans program.

Gash competed in the MHSAA All-Division 100-Meter sprint in the Division-I state finals, recording a 10.41-second score, the fastest in Michigan history. State Champs! Michigan caught up with Gash after the race, with the Spartan prospect revealing that this is his first senior running track in high school.

"It feels really good knowing this is my first year of track, so I still have a lot of improvement to do, it feels good for sure," Gash said. "Even in the football season, everyone said how fast I am or whatnot, so I came out here, proved what I did, and it's going to take me a long way on the football field too."

It is marvelous that Gash was able to break a longstanding state record in his very first year of competition. He is listed as a three-star recruit, per Rivals, and has the position group of "athlete," meaning that he can play a multitude of positions. This is an athletic specimen that Michigan State could grab.

Gash has been through a myriad of injuries in his first two high school seasons, which kept him from running until his junior year. He provided more context on the injury journey he has been on and is thankful to be back to full health and showing the state that he is one of the top athletes.

"I was hurt my first two years," Gash said. "I was dealing with hip issues my freshman year. My sophomore year, I got surgery on those hip issues, so I'm just recovering from that, so this is my first year back. All credit to my coaches supporting me every single day, my teammates pushing me and really supporting me."

The Spartans offered Gash back on May 15, and he is already showing strong interest in the program. He has 16 total offers with Michigan State, West Virginia, and Cincinnati as his top options so far. He will be making an official visit to Michigan State on June 16.

Gash was a beast for DCC this past season, predominantly playing on the offensive side of the ball. He split time as a running back and receiver, totaling 31 carries for 347 rushing yards and eight touchdowns. Through the air, he caught 42 passes for 731 yards and 12 scores, per MaxPreps.

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This article first appeared on Michigan State Spartans on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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