The 6-foot-1, 155-pound senior middle distance and distance talent swept the 800-, 1600- and 3200-meter events at the Class 6A state meet this past season, leading the Hawks to second place as a team. Cleveland’s winning time of 1:52.59 in the 800 is a personal best, while his victories at 1600 and 3200 were a repeat of the outcome at the 2017 state meet. In addition to clocking a personal-best 4:07.89 at April’s Mt. SAC Relays, which ranked as the nation’s No. 5 time among prep competitors in 2018, he ran third in the mile at the adidas Boost Boston Games in 4:08.95 (U.S. No. 16). Cleveland also PR’d in the 3200 during his final prep campaign (9:17.64).
Cleveland is home-schooled in affiliation with the Christian Association of Parent Educators and has maintained a 3.63 GPA in the classroom. He has signed a national letter of intent to compete on an athletic scholarship at the University of Colorado, beginning this fall.
Cleveland has volunteered on behalf of Noon Day Ministries, the Sagebrush Community Church, the Road Runner Food Bank, Catholic Charities Refugee Outreach, Mission of Mercy Dental Services and Crossroads for Women, which serves battered and single mothers who are homeless. A former participant in the World View Academy Leadership School as well as the Teen PACT Government Leadership School, and a member of the Junior Toastmasters Gavel Club, Cleveland has completed a service-mission trip to Guatemala with Next Step Ministries in addition to donating his time to USATF Junior Olympic youth programs.
