Garnet Edwards Biography

Welch High / (Class of 1976) Welch, West Virginia

Classification: AAA

Specialty: Sprints/Hurdles/Long Jump

West Virginia University / Morgantown, WV

Garnet Earl Edwards, Jr. (born October 2) attended class AAA Welch High School from 1974-1976 in Welch, West Virginia. Edwards was a three-year letterman in football, basketball and track while at Welch High School.

During his senior year of high school, Garnet was the top individual scorer in Class AAA, who won both hurdle events and the long jump for 30 points. Edwards tied the 120-yard high hurdle record with a 14.0 time. He ran the 180-yard low hurdles in a time of 19.2, while soaring in the long jump with a leap of 21 feet 11 inches.

What was amazing about this feat was the fact Edwards almost didn’t make it to the finals in the high hurdles. "I got off to a bad start in the qualifying and thought I was going to get beat. But, I stretched, grunted leaned with everything I had to qualify,” said Edwards. Then after winning the high hurdles, he turned his left ankle while jumping in the long Jump. He had his ankle taped. "I thought my ankle would hurt my chances of winning the lows, but I came out well and ran okay," Edwards said.

Prior to graduating from Welch High School in the mid-1970s, he earned a football scholarship to attend WVU.

Edwards was one of the fastest men in America when he ran track for the Mountaineers from 1977-80. He finished second in the 60-meter indoor hurdles at the 1979 NCAA championships.

Edwards held seven school records when he graduated; he is still the WVU record holder in the 55-meter hurdles (7.09), the 110 high hurdles (13.44), the 400 hurdles (51.77) and the indoor long jump (25'1.25"). His time of 10.25 in the 100-meter dash is second in WVU history only to Olympic gold medalist James Jett. Edwards was an alternate on the 1980 U.S. Olympic team that did not compete due to the U.S. boycott of the Moscow Olympics because of the Russian presence in Afghanistan.

With other such accomplishments as West Virginia Track Athlete of the Year (1978 and 1979); Big East Champion; and holding several track records at WVU, Edwards was also a WVU All-American, and in 2001, he was inducted into the prestigious West Virginia University Sports Hall of Fame.

Coach Stanley Romanoski was a mentor for Edwards during his impressionable years at West Virginia University. Coach Romanoski was also instrumental in seeing that Mr. Edwards was nominated and inducted into the West Virginia University Sports Hall of Fame.

Edwards was also briefly a member of the Mountaineer football program.

Garnet Earl Edwards, Jr, earned his Bachelor of Science Degree from West Virginia University in Morgantown, West Virginia in 1984.

Since that time, Edwards' ties have brought him back to McDowell County, West Virginia. Mr. Edwards is married to Julia Anne Harvell of Alexandria, Virginia. He has a daughter, Leah Elizabeth Edwards, of Lexington, Kentucky and his wife Julia has a daughter, Sarah Merchant. His parents Garnet and Luvenia Edwards, Sr. have been his biggest inspiration, molding him into the respected individual he is today. Mr. Edwards is also a Deacon in his church in Havaco, West Virginia.

Garnet was inspired by his mom at an early age, she encouraged him to write. He wrote a book of poetry entitled, “About My Father's Business: Living in a Troubled World”.

“God made it possible for this book. God made it possible for my life. I give Him the honor, the glory, and the praise. I am truly thankful as well as blessed,” quoted as saying in his book.

His father, Garnet Edwards, Sr., played professional baseball for the Black Welch Miners.

Garnet Edwards – West Virginia State Meet Performances:

· 1974: 180-yard low hurdles (2nd place) in 20.0

· 1975: 180-yard low hurdles (1st place) in 19.6; long jump (1st place) in 22'-8"

· 1976: 120-yard high hurdles (1st place) in 14.0 (tied record); 180-yard low hurdles (1st place) in 19.2; long jump (1st place) in 21'-11" [Welch's Garnet Edwards scored 30 points, setting a high hurdle record in the process (14.0).]

Submitted by Mike McMillion (06/04/17)

Results courtesy of RunWV& Jesse Skile’s