National Scholastic Athletics Foundation

Check out the latest updates to "Ask an Expert," the Sanford Sports Science Institute's online educational feature in partnership with the NSAF.

The SSSI is the Official Research Partner of the NSAF, and the NSAF's Project Javelin and Project Triple Jump athletes had an outstanding opportunity to train with Sanford and their state-of-the-art facilities during a fantastic clinic on the Sanford campus in August.

Among the many things Sanford is doing to advance the cause of athletic excellence is helping athletes, coaches and parents sort through the facts, fads and fiction in the evolving field of sports science. With "Ask an Expert," the SSSI has a dedicated page to answering your questions in what has been an ongoing, frequently updated segment.

Go to this page HERE (http://www.sanfordpower.com/ask-an-expert/) to check out the currently posted Q&A and see how you can contact the experts at the SSSI to get answers to your sports science questions!

Credits: YouTube video from AdarqTV; photo from Mark Anders.

It was the second weekend in March of 1999 and the nation’s best prep track and field athletes had to make a choice. The NSAF (then the “NSSF”) was launching its first Nike Indoor Classic in Columbus, Ohio, while the National Scholastic championship meet was taking place in Boston. NSAF founders Jim Spier and the late Michael Byrnes had much at stake. For several weeks during the winter, the two meets had been vying to register the nation’s elite prep athletes and teams in all events.

Casey Combest, a 129-pound zephyr from Kentucky was one of the sensational stories of the indoor season – making headlines and with his eyes on a second national title in the 60m dash. Coached by his Owensboro HS mentor Bob O’Brien as well as his own father, Combest had captured the 60 at the 1998 NSIC in Boston. Which meet would he enter now?

“I chose Columbus because of Mike Byrnes,” says Combest now, from his home in Owensboro. “He really did a lot to help me out my junior and senior years.”

Combest had run 6.74 for 60m the previous winter. In ’99 to date, he had a resume of fine performances, including marks of 9.71 and 10.55 for rarely contested 100 yard and 100 meter indoor events, plus a near-record 6.19 55m just the week before.

That 6.19 had followed a less-than-hoped-for performance at USA Indoors earlier and Combest came into Columbus very confident: “After running against the pros, I knew I was going to win there.” He wanted to beat Deworski Odom’s 6.62 HSR from 1995, but even more, he wanted to surpass the legacy of the legendary Houston McTear from the ‘70s. “I had his photo up on my wall.”

In his Sunday morning prelim, Combest ran 6.62, tying the HSR. “I had eased up just a little bit,” he says. “I told everyone I could run 6.57 in the final. They told me later that it was like Babe Ruth calling his shot.”

Indeed. In the final, Combest exploded out of the blocks with a near-perfect start and was strong in his drive phase – leading to a final 30-40 meters that scorched the track and sent him rocketing away from a fine field led by previous national leader (6.67) Mike Newell. When Combest crossed the line, the clocked showed 6.59 at first, but then when the official marks came up on the scoreboard, he was given a 6.57 – taking a remarkable .05 off of Odom’s record.

The crowd roared and Combest celebrated, bounding up and down the track, pumping his fist in the air. A pixelated video (see above) has preserved the performance, including a ridiculous standing leap just before the start that shows his prodigious athletic talent.

“Mike Byrnes said I ran a time that was 25 years in the future,” recalls Combest. He could be right; in 18 years since, no one has come closer than 6.61.

NSAF Executive Director Jim Spier remembers the performance well. “It was a pleasant surprise – he had been running well; but not THAT well. He did not fit the mold of a national caliber sprinter – from a relatively small town. He obviously had maximized the gifts he was given.”

And, obviously, the electric, record-shattering performance was a huge boon to the meet in its “competition” for top marks that weekend. “It was very important,” says Spier. “We were up against the NSIC and their banked track. I remember Geoff Hollister (Nike) being there and perusing the results. We had to convince him that we had the superior athletes in most events even though the times, compared to those run on the banked Armory track, did not necessarily match up. I think he understood.”

Of course, the presence or absence of a banked surface didn’t matter in the 60. And Combest’s record was perhaps the biggest highlight of an NIC meet that more than held its own that year. Now in 2017-18, the NIC has evolved into the NSAF’s New Balance Nationals Indoor – the sole high school national indoor championship since 2010.

For Combest, that record-busting triumph was the highlight of a career. His outdoor season that year began strong, including a spectacular 100m triumph in the Mobile Challenge of Champions at 10.34. But a hamstring injury curtailed his state and national meet hopes.

Unable to academically qualify for a scholarship offer at U. of Kentucky, Combest went to Wallace State Community College in Alabama and won a JUCO 60m title, but the academic life wasn’t for him. In 2000, he would be arrested for selling marijuana and he had a variety of things to overcome in the years that followed. He was actually “pardoned” in 2015 by then-outgoing Governor Steve Beshear.

He made multiple comeback attempts, including one in 2007-08 – aimed for the Beijing Olympic team – which captured the attention of ESPN. They followed him that spring for a documentary released a few years later on ESPN Classic entitled “Lay It On The Line.” Another hamstring injury halted that comeback, however.

Now in his mid-30s, Combest is focused most on his family and lawn care business. He is still trying to work his way back into the sport as a coach and entertains all offers for doing so. He says a full-length movie script has been written about his life, with a working title of “White Lightning,” and still has hopes and dreams around the sport.

Perhaps the strongest of those are focused on “King,” Combest’s son who is now 10 years old. “He’s run a 4.89 for 40 yards,” says the father. “He’s definitely faster than I was at that age. I’m bringing him along slowly, but he could be better than me.”

Regarding the ’99 NIC 60, Combest says it was the greatest moment of his life in sports.

“It was overwhelming, to be able to set out to do something and then do it like that. It was as perfect a start as I ever had,” he says. “I hope what people will remember about me is that I never used steroids and how hard I worked.”

It was a night of firsts, that Friday at the Reggie Lewis Center in Roxbury, MA, March 13, 2009.

It was the first night of the first year of what would become a 2-year engagement for the National Scholastic Athletics Foundation’s indoor championships in Boston – then being the Nike Indoor Nationals. It was the first NSAF and weight-throw competition of the season for Conor McCullough, a California senior already a prep hammer-throwing, record-setting legend … and the first national meet and big stage performance for a slender freshman from Lithuania by way of Illinois: Lukas Verzbicas.

One athlete was already a “household name” among serious track and field fans; the other would soon become the same. NSAF officials were eager to how this first meet at the “Reg” would play out. Little did they know that there would be not just one, but two performances that night that could be called “Beamonesque.”

McCullough, training under his Olympian father while attending Chaminade Prep near L.A., had been a dominant force in the hammer for years already. He had set several national records of various sorts with the various-weight hammer implements (Youth, Junior and HS) and even won silver at the 2008 World Junior Championships before his senior year. But he had thrown the weight in competition just once prior to that Friday.

He had done only a few weeks of specific preparation for throwing the weight, McCollough said at the time, “just to get in the rhythm. The hammer training I do prepares me pretty well.”

With top-notch competition like New York’s Alec Faldermeyer hoping to push him, McCullough reached 86-7 on his first try – enough to decisively win the event and within 15 inches of his own national record. Minutes later, he stepped in again and this time the ball and chain landed at 87-11.5, clipping the previous standard by three-quarters of an inch.

“The atmosphere at the meet was great,” McCullough says now. “It was almost like everyone knew each other, almost like a training session. My strategy (during the series) was just to feel it out, to process through each throw.”

After a few more marks in the mid-80s, McCullough came up for the last time. Making a few adjustments with his “East Coast proxy coach” in the house, Harold Connolly, the Californian finally launched the weight straight through the center of the sector. The fans roared and eagerly awaited the measurement – surely beyond 90 feet, but how far beyond?

“92 feet, 8 inches!” NSAF announcer Ian Brooks exclaimed, calling it “Beamonesque” in comparison with the legendary 1968 effort of the famed 29-foot long jumper. Brooks laughs now at the memory. “It WAS Beamonesque. It nearly hit the rafters, didn’t it? It was one of those moments, one of those nights you never forget.”

McCullough will never forget it either. “It was surreal,” he says. “I just put it all together on that one and left it all out there.”

Brooks even claims he has never used “Beamonesque” while announcing – since that throw.

Meanwhile, the boys’ 5000 meters had just begun and, in the hubbub surrounding McCullough’s record, few were noticing a yellow- and green-clad freshman rocketing away from the field with a 31-second first lap and several more that were nearly as fast. It would have been a suicidal pace for almost any prep runner other than Lukas Verzbicas.

As he passed the 1,600 in 4:29 and 3,200 in 9:05, the fans, announcers and media realized that the kid was serious and yet another national record was immediately in play. Solomon Haile had actually broken the event’s all-time standard just hours earlier in New York, lowering Brad Hudson’s 14:29.28 from ’84 down to 14:22.88. Could Verzbicas break it again?

He could. After a series of 34-35-second circuits, the 16-year-old closed in 32 and crossed the line in 14:18.42 – winning by more than 40 seconds and leaving no doubt. After the finish, momentum continued to carry him around the oval, turning into a spontaneous victory lap complete with high-fives with excited fans.

Like McCullough, Verzbicas loved the facility and the atmosphere the NSAF provided, as well as the fast Mondo track. “It was really a breakthrough for me,” he says now. “It’s definitely a good memory.”

Setting the stage, he adds, “I had gotten injured during cross-country and didn’t get to run Foot Locker or anything, which made me angry … I had a lot to prove that winter. I put my head down and started really training hard.”

The outdoor winter training conditions in Illinois made it difficult for Verzbicas to gauge his progress, frustrating him, even with a stellar January double at the Arkansas indoor meet – freshman national records of 8:29.16 in the 3k and 4:15.43 in the mile – providing a measuring stick as well as establishing him on the national radar. But during a milder stretch that finally cleared some nearby trails, Verzbicas had a sizzling interval workout mixing 400s, 1000s and a closing 800 that let him know he was really ready for Boston.

“That workout surprised me,” he says. “Then when we got to the meet, my father was saying the 5k record was relatively soft and there was no reason I shouldn’t go for it.” Learning about Haile’s performance that day only served as additional motivation and intensified the focus.

Verzbicas’ 14:18.42, a record which he broke two years later, may not qualify as “Beamonesque” simply as a mark. Doing it as a 16-year-old freshman in your event debut, however, does.

Catching up with them now

The competitive paths for McCullough and Verzbicas have taken many twists and turns in eight years since the 2009 NIN – both with some spectacular successes and hope remaining for the future.

McCullough would reset his weight mark just two days later in New York and finish his senior year outdoors in the hammer with more titles and impressive throws. He headed to Princeton and after his freshman year made a second U.S. team and captured hammer gold at the 2010 World Juniors in Canada. Injuries then hampered his progress off and on for a few years, but he eventually transferred to USC and had a stellar senior year in 2015, winning NCAAs with a mighty PR of 252-4.

Then in the Olympic year of 2016, McCullough came to the NSAF’s Iron Wood Throws, winning there, and then took 3rd in the Trials to make the Rio team. While he didn’t make the final there, then had an off-season this past summer, he remains motivated for the future. With his Economics degree and day job with an engineering contractor in L.A., McCullough is continuing to train hard for future U.S. teams for the 2020 Olympics and the World Champs in ’19 and ’21 that bracket them.

Meanwhile, Verzbicas of course was just beginning his prep career during the 2009 NIN and 2-1/2 more years of spectacular successes were ahead. Those included a historic 5k/2-mile/Mile triple at the 2011 NBNI, a sub-4:00 mile and the national 2-mile record outdoors, and history’s only NXN-Foot Locker cross-country double in 2010.

Verzbicas’ career since he graduated Carl Sandburg HS, however, has been more challenging. He went to Oregon in the fall of 2011, but soon left school to return to his other great passion – the Triathlon – where he had also had tremendous national and international success. He turned pro and was continuing to produce outstanding results until a devastating July, 2012 cycling accident in Colorado changed everything.

Verzbicas’ recovery from the accident, which he documented online, was stunning and he was able to return to competition in spring of 2013. But training at the highest level and achieving top performances has proved daunting. After nearly three years of pushing himself with very mixed results, he’s now taking an extended break.

“After dealing with a lot of overuse injuries and talking with doctors,” he says, “I decided to let my body fully heal.” For an athlete who has lived a life of relentlessly pushing himself and believing no success is ever quite enough, Verzbicas is developing a deeper, more balanced perspective. “I really appreciate a lot of things I didn’t before … especially my family and close friends, people who really care.”

At just 26 and 24, respectively, McCullough and Verzbicas have lots of memory-making years ahead of them. But NSAF fans will also never forget those they made that night in 2009.

Photos: All photos by Vic Sailer, Photorun.net. Notes: Above left, McCullough joins his hammer-throwing Olympic teammates at the '16 Trials. Above right, Verzbicas releases the finish tape for recent Foot Locker champ Dylan Jacobs -- who joined Verzbicas as FL champs from Carl Sandburg HS.

The NSAF’s indoor and outdoor championship meets have seen a lot of great weight and hammer performances over the years, many of them coming from the outstanding student athletes developed in Coach Mike Judge’s Throw 1 Deep club.

Arguably the finest of those T1D/NSAF efforts came during the first New Balance Nationals Indoor at The Armory in 2011, as Shelby Ashe completed her indoor career with an epic national record 68-foot, 2.5-inch weight throw – which along with Lukas Verzbicas’ distance triple was a huge highlight of the final day and the weekend overall.

Ashe had set the previous HSR of 65-4.25 in the same ring the previous year (at the old NSIC meet) and had also thrown more than 69 feet outdoors. But that Sunday at 2011 NBNI holds a special place for her. “It’s an especially fine memory because it was also my 18th birthday,” she says now. “It was a very cool experience.”

Ashe went on to study and compete at the NCAA level, graduating U. of Georgia this past spring and pursuing exciting educational opportunities in D.C. (see below). But she recalls what went down back during her sophomore year at St. Pius X (Atlanta, Ga.) in 2009, while she was training for and competing in the shot and discus. “A few of my teammates were with Throw 1 Deep and told me I should come to a mini-camp there.”

Coach Judge remembers Ashe showed a little doubt and resistance at first during that spring introduction. But she soon discovered T1D was serious business and that she herself had serious potential. “He told me and my father that he could train me to be a pretty good putter, but that I could be great in the hammer and weight … and that was all she wrote!”

Once Ashe was on-board, she was all in. “Shelby was a special athlete,” says Coach Judge, “but she also worked harder, too, and she listened to everything we said; I mean, really listened.”

She also began to make a total commitment to the event, he added, and what it would take for her to become great. “Probably the best thing Shelby did was change her diet. She went from eating like a teenager to eating like a top athlete. And she got in the gym and got stronger.

“Shelby had great parental support, too,” Coach Judge added, giving a shoutout to Al Ashe and Rosa-McDaniel Ashe. “It always makes a big difference when parents buy in to our program.”

Her efforts paid fast dividends. After hitting 136 feet in the hammer that summer of 2009, Ashe made dramatic progress to begin her junior year. By November, she was over 55 feet in the weight, then 59 in January. In February, she blasted through the 60-foot barrier to win the Simplot Games. Finally in her first trip to The Armory, she crushed the national record with the 65-4.25 at NSIC.

It was pretty heady stuff, but outdoors brought more of the same success: Ashe had already improved by the end of the fall to nearly 200 feet even while the weight season was ongoing, and she progressed to a national prep and U.S. Junior record 214-4 in the hammer. She made both the U.S. Youth Olympic and World Junior teams – the latter by winning her first USA Junior title.

That brought Ashe to her senior year of 2010-11. She set a stunning new weight PR of 69-4.5 outdoors in January, but come March, her official indoor HSR from the previous year still stood. As Coach Judge notes, it can be stressful after a breakthrough year of almost unlimited success – and come back and beat your own records.

Entering NBNI weekend, a cauldron of thoughts and emotions swirled through Ashe’s head. She knew she was in “70- or 71-foot shape,” but there were “struggles with pressure and expectations.” The energy at The Armory would be high and the competition tough. Ashe’s teammate Daina Levy, who Coach Judge called “the perfect training partner,” was certainly capable of winning, too.

“That’s where it was so great to have Coach Judge and Coach Ronda Broome,” Ashe says. “Mike was able to give me perspective … and let my mind rest. I had to trust the process. I had done the work already.”

When Ashe’s first throw hit the cage, however, Coach Judge advised a key adjustment. “We had been training for three turns,” he recalls. “When she threw at USAs, she used three turns. But when her first throw hit the cage, we decided to go back to two turns.”

Ashe then got in her groove and on the next throw broke her record with 66-10.75. She would have four throws over 65 feet, with the 68-2.5 bomb coming on attempt #4.

The final record, she says, was both a thrill and relief. “I can’t always tell how far a throw is … but I let out a yell on that one and I thought it might be special. Then I heard the crowd and I got that rush. The second time was even sweeter than the first.”

As a senior outdoors, Ashe would hit 211-1 – not breaking her HSR there, but consistently marking further than she went as a junior. She won her first NBNO crown, her 2nd USA Junior title, and went to Florida for Pan Am Juniors in July, where she captured gold.

Ashe then took a “gap” year in 2011-12, before college, to train with Coach Judge for the Olympic Trials and World Juniors – winning her 3rd U.S. Junior title (with a U.S. Jr record 223-6) and making her 4th Team USA in the latter to earn her vest for Eugene.

As a collegian, Ashe had some ups and downs, going to Cal for two years before transferring “back home” to UGA – where she was a team captain and NCAA All-American. It was never easy, as Ashe fought a nagging hip injury for most of her career. “After I walked off that stage for graduation this past May,” she says, “I finally had hip surgery.”

At that point, with her B.A.’s in Political Science and International Affairs (Concentration: National Security) in hand, the Peach State throws queen was willing to amicably part ways with her athletic career and move on . The 24-year-old is now a M.A. Global Communication candidate at The George Washington University Elliott School of International Affairs and served this past fall as a Public Affairs Intern with the Dershowitz Group.

Coach Judge admits, however, that he holds out a little hope that Ashe might come back to train and compete someday. “Shelby has coached at our camps and we talk all the time. I consider her to be part of my family, like one of my daughters … I’d be there to help her at any time.”

Ashe doesn’t currently have plans for a comeback, but treasures her experiences in the sport in high school, as a student-athlete at UGA and what they’ve contributed to where she is now. “Mike was demanding in a way I really appreciated,” she says. “He had high expectations and demanded excellence. I can’t say enough about what he and the club did for me.

“I’ve had a lot of positive moments since I came to D.C.,” she says, “and I know a lot of it can be traced back to the character development I received with Throw 1 Deep and Mike.”

Photos: Action shot and record board shot with Shelby and Coach Judge from 2011 NBNI by Vic Sailer, Photorun.net. Current photo courtesy of Shelby Ashe (ShelbyAshe.com).

No one had ever seen anything like it: Francena McCorory transforming herself for 51.93 seconds into a runaway freight train – scorching the flat, 200-meter oval with such speed and power that you forgot anyone else was in the race.

It was the NSAF’s 2006 Nike Indoor Nationals at the PG Sportsplex in Landover, MD, and the action had been pretty good for a day and a half. But as McCorory thundered down the home stretch for the final time on that March Sunday afternoon in the girls’ 400 final and crossed the line, the scoreboard flashing 51.31 (later corrected), the crowd erupted with such rapturous wonder and amazement – you’d have thought they’d simultaneously discovered they all had winning lottery tickets.

Bethel HS (VA) Coach Eddie Williams had watched his intensely focused senior from the stands, his nerves on fire even though they had prepared for this moment for months. So now there was some relief with the fantastic result – but he was also awash with the overwhelming reaction of the thousands who had come to see what McCorory could do. “It’s hard to describe,” he says, “I’d been to just about every NSAF championship and other championships, as well, but I had never seen that much electricity at a track meet.”

That’s perhaps what McCorory remembers most, too, nearly 12 years later – that electricity. “I still recall the atmosphere, that feeling,” she says. “It was like when I crossed the line and the time went up, the whole stadium was in an uproar. I’ll never forget it.”

The late Michael Byrnes, then the NSAF chairman emeritus, wanted to make sure no one else ever forgot it, either. He spontaneously brought the meet to a full stop, grabbed a microphone and called the exhausted McCorory back onto the track.

“This was the greatest high school performance I’ve ever seen,” he declared, commencing an interview. Since Byrnes had witnessed the plurality of great marks in the sport over 50-plus years – including all 23 previous national indoor championships – that was saying something.

McCorory’s 51.93 had beaten the 52.10 set by Sanya Richards from 2002. But here’s the thing: Richards had run her time on the superfast, banked oval at The Armory. You just didn’t break 200 and 400 records on flat tracks like the PG Sportsplex. But McCorory could … and did.

That time has never been approached in a flat track since, and probably never will be. Only Sydney McLaughlin, in 2016 and '17, has been able to best 51.93 on a banked track.

The preparation: A long-term plan come to fruition

Now you might think it was just during that winter, as McCorory clocked great performances leading into NIN, that her record potential became evident. But Coach Williams – who retired from Bethel HS in 2016 after 24 championship-filled years – says he knew it from the start.

“I remember meeting this little 9th-grader (back in 2002) who didn’t want to go to class,” he says. “But the way she handled her very first workout, running with my juniors and seniors, I could tell she was really something special. She just had to grow and come into her own. I figured she would be a great 400 runner, but it took some time to convince her.”

McCorory experienced some great sprint success her first three years at Bethel – particularly as a junior with 3rd- and 6th-place finishes in the Nike Outdoor 200 and 100, plus a 3rd at USA Juniors with a PR 23.22. She had “always kind of avoided the 400.” But by the start of her senior year, she bought into Williams’ vision of the 400 and that August – August! – then set a course to break the national 400 record, nearly six months ahead.

Coach Williams knew that he could take McCorory to the NSIC nationals at The Armory to go for the record. “But if we could do it at the Nike meet in Maryland, that would be phenomenal,” he says. “No one would expect it and it would be very hard for anyone to ever break it.” It also meant hundreds of McCorory fans from Hampton, not to mention Virginia in general, could drive up to watch. The PG Sportsplex would be so flooded with fans that day that the fire marshal had to stop more from coming in.

In Virginia, they don’t race the 400 indoors, so as the season began back in December, 2005, McCorory began racking up strong 300 and 500m marks, mostly on flat tracks. When she hit the banked oval at the Virginia Tech Invite in late January, she captured the nation’s attention with a sizzling 300 national record of 36.96. “That gave me a lot of confidence,” she remembers.

Three weeks later at her regional meet at CNU, McCorory showed spectacular range with a US#2 6.86 triumph at 55m and a nation-leading 1:11.97 at 500m (then #3 all-time). She tripled the 55-300-500 at the state meet two weeks later, and then it was on to Landover.

One might think McCorory felt the weight of expectations coming into NIN with a record-attempt at hand, but the opposite was true. “I never recall feeling any pressure,” she says. “I remember warming up on the practice track there that day, and Coach just telling me to just have fun and be Francena McCorory.”

Coach Williams’ philosophy was to set goals early with a long-term plan to achieve. “You don’t usually just do records out of the blue,” he says. “When you’re prepared for the race like she was, you don’t usually feel that pressure.

“I remember on the meet day we had a warm-up plan,” he adds, “but three-quarters of the way through it, she said ‘I’m ready, I don’t need to do any more.’ She wasn’t nervous and I could tell she was ready to go.”

McCorory’s performance shortly thereafter remains one of the most mind-boggling moments in prep track history – and the thousands who witnessed it would likely agree. It’s also true that the very few people in the small space just beyond the finish line right after that race will also never forget what they saw: McCorory lying on the track right afterward, while Coach Williams helped take off her spikes and massaged her screaming muscles and feet, then rising to her feet for a most moving coach-athlete moment.

“You asked for it, Coach,” she said, gently taking Williams’ face in her hands. “I gave it to you.”

The aftermath: A great NCAA and pro career

The spring of McCorory’s senior year at Bethel was tough: A hamstring injury cut short her season before her state meet and hopes for outdoor glory were curtailed.

Then instead of going to a NCAA D-1 powerhouse, she stuck close to home to go to Hampton University. After some ups and downs, she was healthy and running better than ever by her junior year in 2009, winning the NCAA indoor 400 title and taking 3rd outdoors. Then at the 2010 NCAA Indoors, she again made jaws drop with an American record 50.54 at 400 – beating Diane Dixon’s 19-year-old mark.

McCorory was truly a world-class quarter-miler at this point and she won again at NCAA outdoors and took 2nd with a 50.52 at USATFs. International success has followed as she made seven U.S. teams between 2011-2016, winning three 4x400 gold medals – highlighted by 2012 London Olympics. She also captured individual 400 gold in the 2014 World Indoor Champs and bronze in the 2011 World Outdoor Champs.

Asked about her favorite post-high school performances over the years, McCorory points to that indoor 400 record in 2009, plus her PR victory of 49.48 at the 2014 USATF Outdoor meet in Sacramento.

It’s been very gratifying for Coach Williams to see his star pupil’s success in the past decade. “We try and get our kids to a high level while they’re here, but prepared to be able to keep improving in college and beyond. So it’s been great to watch Francena have a very nice career.”

That magic 2006 day in Maryland, however – fulfilling the months of preparation and a coach/athlete vision – remains very high on McCorory’s resume. So do those years at Bethel with Coach Williams.

“Coach Eddie was like our dad,” she says, “He was a father figure to many of us whose fathers were absent in our lives. We had the best of both worlds with him … he wasn’t just a track coach, but he prepared us for life.”

Photo credits: 2006 NIN race photos by Vic Sailer; 2006 Virginia Tech Invite with Mike Byrnes, courtesy DyeStat.com (Brandon Miles photo); 2012 with President Obama, courtesy Francena McCorory; 2005 with Coach Williams, courtesy DyeStat.com (Donna Dye photo).

There's still another week for high school track teams and clubs to apply for the NSAF’s Tony Wells Team/Club Development Grant, awards for which typically range from $300 to $1,000. The application deadline is January 15, 2018.

The NSAF strongly encourages any and all teams and clubs from around the country to apply HERE, especially from states where teams and their equipment, facilities, etc. have been damaged by natural distasters -- like the fires in California, and the hurricanes and floods in Texas and Florida. These grants are designed to help with purchases of equipment, facility repair and restoration, meeting the needs of student-athletes and much more. Usually between 12 and 18 awards are given each cycle with an average amount of $700, and may be used for any reasonable purpose pertaining to the recipient’s track and field program. They are not available for travel to NSAF events.

Coach Tony Wells, who passed in 2012, was one of the country’s truly legendary club coaches – guiding the Colorado Flyers Track Club for more than 40 years. He coached national record-setting athletes in nearly every indoor short sprint and hurdle distance, as well as the shot put, and helped dozens of them to collegiate scholarships. For more on Coach Tony Wells and his legacy, please check out the links on this page.

The NSAF grants are awarded annually – the Cedric Walker typically in late September and the Tony Wells typically in early February. Inaugurated in 2013, the grants honor two late giants of the sport. Cedric Walker, who passed in March of that year, was an amazing coach, mentor and leader – founding the Flower City Track Club in New York, serving as a coach and manager for several U.S. national teams, and contributing in countless ways to our Foundation – including service on our Board of Directors. Please read "Cedric Walker - Irreplaceable" to learn more about Cedric and his impact.

As an additional dimension to the program, each recipient must also participate in a volunteer service program in their community. They are also encouraged to pledge to “Win with Integrity,” a nod to a former USATF program that embodied much of the spirit of this grant and our Foundation.

Again, applications for the Tony Wells Team/Club Development Grant are HERE and will be accepted until January 15, 2018. The awardees will be notified no later than February 1, 2018.

MAIN GRANT PAGE | CEDRIC WALKER Section | TONY WELLS Section

First Hall of Fame Class to be announced next month, inducted in March!

Our biggest news on the immediate horizon at the NSAF is that we are planning our announcement of the inaugural inductees to the new National High School Track and Field Hall of Fame in less than a month!

The first class of 30 individuals will include many of the greatest athletes, coaches and contributors in prep T&F history -- from more than 100 years ago to the present. To select this "class" we called upon eleven of our great historians and journalists who have spent decades each steadfastly chronicling our sport.

We are planning to announce the names of these track and field legends during Millrose Games (Feb. 3) weekend in New York, with the actual induction ceremony planned for Thursday, March 8 at the New York Athletic Club -- immediately preceding NBNI weekend at The Armory, March 9-11. More details will be announced soon!

Register now for NBNI

Speaking of New Balance Nationals Indoor: In two short months, we anticipate more than 3,500 of the nation's top preps from 40+ states will converge on The Armory for three days of thrilling track and field action. It will be the 20th indoor nationals since the NSAF started its own meet in 1999 and the 8th with our partners from New Balance.

Titles and All-American honors in will be up for grabs in 48 boys' and girls' Championship events, including the new Mixed 4x400 Relay. Many more will compete in 40+ Emerging Elite, Freshman and Junior High events. We couldn't do it without New Balance, plus our other generous sponsors and all of the great staff, officials and volunteers who work tirelessly with us at NBNI every year.

The season is currently in full swing and we've already seen outstanding performances by many returning NBN champions, All-Americans and Team NSAF athletes -- like multi-eventers Kyle Garland and Anna Hall; hurdlers Eric Edwards and Noah Green; jumpers and vaulters like Titiana Marsh, Lanae-Tava Thomas and Erica Ellis; sprinters Brian Herron and Britton Wilson; thrower Gianna Rao; and distance runners like Brodey Hasty, Dalton Hengst and Katelyn Tuohy; and relay powerhouses like Bullis School, Western Branch and East Orange. And that's just to name a few!

Others, like Tyrese Cooper and Armand Duplantis, are just getting their seasons underway. And who knows what emerging stars we'll see this year? REGISTER NOW

One month 'til Dunamis Super Meet!

Meanwhile, indoor track and field is returning to Georgia, thanks to our partnership with Dunamis Sports Group and the Lakepoint Sports Complex. The first Dunamis Super Meet in Atlanta is February 8-11, 2018, at the Lakepoint Champions Center in Emerson, Georgia (35 miles north of Atlanta). We're looking forward to hosting outstanding track and field athletes at every level: Youth, Prep, Collegiate, Open and Masters.

At the prep level, that includes top HS and club athletes from Georgia and neighboring states, as well as prep national champions and/or current U.S. leaders like Kyle Garland, K.C. Lightfoot, Semira Killebrew, Eric Edwards, the relay squads from Western Branch and the throwers of Throw 1 Deep.

LINKS: Register HERE | Check out the SCHEDULE - Day 1 - Day 2 - Day 3 - Day 4 | Everything you need on the MEET HOME PAGE.

Project Triple Jump headed for Chula Vista

As 2018 dawns and the indoor season heats up, the NSAF's Project Triple Jump is ready for its final weekend clinic: training in the warmth of Chula Vista, Calif. January 11-14 at the Olympic Training Center. The Project is looking forward to a return to this outstanding facility for the first time in more than three years and will again have the bounty of learning with Head Coach Peter Pratt, Project Coordinator Macka Jones and Olympian and former world-record holder Willie Banks!

The esteemed group includes seniors Saudia James-Heard, Titiana Marsh and Allyson Weiss, juniors Marcus Floyd and Triston Delicema; and sophomores India Turk, Ty Trinh, Nick Drayden, Malcolm Clemens and Riley Burger -- with Trinh and Delicema already beginning to produce strong results indoors. Check out our Facebook page for training videos and interviews this coming weekend!

NSAF Indoor Select Meets begin next week

The NSAF Select Meet program connects the NSAF with some of the nation's most outstanding indoor and outdoor invitational meets. The NSAF works with meet organizers to provide travel grants to select individuals and teams, giving them an opportunity for elite competition as they prepare for NBN championships and/or Team USA berths for international Youth and Junior events. Below are the events coming up this winter.

VA Showcase, Liberty U., Lynchburg VA (Jan. 19-20) | RHFitPro HS Elite Invite, JDL Fast Track, Winston-Salem NC (Jan. 26-27) | Nike Boise Indoor, Jacksons Track, Ford Arena, Boise ID (Feb. 2-3) | Simplot Games, Holt Arena, Pocatello ID (Feb. 15-17) | UKentucky HS Invitational, Nutter Arena, Lexington KY (Feb. 17)

Apply now for Tony Wells Development Grant

There's still time for high school track teams and clubs to apply for the NSAF’s Tony Wells Team/Club Development Grant, awards for which typically range from $300 to $1,000. The application deadline is January 15, 2018. These grants are designed to help with purchases of equipment, facility repair and restoration, meeting the needs of student-athletes and much more. We encourage teams and clubs from around the country to apply, especially from states affected by natural distasters -- like the fires in California, and the hurricanes and floods in Texas and Florida. The awardees will be notified no later than February 1, 2018.

APPLY HERE | Read about the NSAF grant program and the legendary Coach Tony Wells HERE

Brian Herron (right) defeats Tyrese Cooper (center) and Eric Allen Jr. (left) in last night's national record 300m dash. Photo by Mary Ann Magnant, Milestat.com (Photo page).

The VA Showcase, an NSAF Select Meet in its second year, continues to establish itself as one of the finest in-season meets in the nation. Fast times have quickly become the rule on the new Liberty U. 200m banked track in Lynchburg, VA.

WEBCAST | LIVE RESULTS | Photo Galleries | Videos | Completed Results Page

DAY 1 HIGHLIGHTS

National record and World Junior best 32.64 300m dash by Brian Herron (Flight 400 TC / Lakeside HS (GA) jr). Herron and Eric Allen Jr (Bullis HS, MD sr), at 32.84, were both under the previous HSR of 32.87, set by Tyrese Cooper at Millrose in '17. Cooper (Miami Gardens Xpress / Miami Norland HS jr), the defending NBNI 200 and 400 champ, was 3rd in 33.12 -- giving this race the 1-2-5 performances in prep history.
US#1 3:39.60 girls 4x400m relay by the Bullis School (MD) squad of Masai Russell, Kasey Ebb, Sierra Leonard, and Shaniya Hall -- #2 in prep history and beating Hydal HS, JAM at 3:40.26.
US#1 10:02.58 distance medley relay by the Loudoun Valley HS (VA) team of Colton Bogucki (3:02 1200), Jacob Hunter, Connor Wells and Sam Affolder (4:07 1600). Afforlder also ran on Carlisle's national record team while at that school last winter.
US#1 6.77 girls' 55m dash by Thelma Davies (Girard Coll, PA jr), leading prelims, moving to =#10 on the all-time list.
US#1 38.38 girls' 300m dash by Britton Wilson (Mills Godwin, VA jr).
US#2 4:13.63 boys 1-mile run by CSI alum Dalton Hengst (McDonogh School, MD sr), a multiple NBN All-American, to win the Boys 1M AAU race.
US#2 7.28 boys' 55m hurdle prelim by Kurt Powder, trailing only CSI alum Kyle Garland on national list. Garland was also in the prelims (3rd) and will face Powdar in today's final.

10/10/17 update

The 2017-18 school year is well underway and we're already looking forward to the 2018 New Balance Nationals Indoor. It will be the 20th indoor nationals since the NSAF started its own meet in 1999 and the 8th with our partners from New Balance. Registration will be open soon.

We typically host more than 3,500 of the country's best track and field student-athletes from 40+ states and Canadian provinces -- -- all of them looking to run, hurdle, jump, throw and walk their way to titles and All-American honors in 48 boys' and girls' Championship events -- plus 40 more Emerging Elite and Freshman events.

We couldn't do it without our special partners and friends at New Balance; we thank them for again working with us (8 years now indoors) to make these three days the best in prep indoor T&F. We also thank our Eastbay, our Presenting Sponsor; plus all of the great staff, officials and volunteers who work tirelessly with the NSAF here at NBNI every year.

2017 Celebrating another epic NBNI!

11 National Record Performances! 13 Class Records! 26 Meet Records! 13 Armory Records!

Mondo Duplantis celebrates his pole vault HSR at NBNI. Photo by John Nepolitan, Runnerspace.com/DyeStat.com

Every year, we hope and expect that our 2017 New Balance Nationals Indoor at The Armory’s New Balance Track and Field Center will exceed the previous year’s edition as the “greatest indoor track meet of all time.” We think last weekend’s extravaganza (March 10-12) lived up to expectations! There were 11 national records set (see below), plus 13 national class records and 26 meet records in the Championship, Emerging Elite and Freshman categories. We had 3,609 athletes from 44 states, plus several Canadian provinces, Colombia and Germany, and – as usual – they put on an unforgettable show. We also had our first Paralympic athlete in Hunter Woodhall, who impressed us both with his talent and his class. | Pre-Meet PR | Post-Race Interview

Who were the new record-setters?

As always, the level of competition all weekend long was bracing, and the performances that ranked as the best of the best were truly awe-inspiring – lead by NBNI Athletes of the Meet Armand Duplantis, Trey Cunningham and Brie Oakley.

Armand Duplantis (Lafayette, LA jr) soared over his own boys’ pole vault HSR (and Deakin Volz’s MR) with a barrier-busting, “did I really just see that” clearance of 19-1 – also an “absolute” World Junior record (indoors and out, subject to IAAF ratification) and the current vault seen round the world!
Trey Cunningham (Winfield City, AL sr) twice lowered his own boys’ 60H (and 55H en route) national records with a 7.45 (6.92) prelim and 7.40 (6.88) final – also, of course, taking Grant Holloway’s 2016 MR in the process. He also set pending IAAF World Junior standards.
Brie Oakley (Grandview, CO sr) rolled a near-solo 15:55.75 HSR in the girls’ 5,000m, the 7th time in seven years that the 5k standard has been smashed at NBNI. Less than two days later, she also broke the 2M MR with a 9:56.06, #3 all-time.
2016 Olympian Sydney McLaughlin (Union Catholic, NJ sr) ended her epic NBNI career by lowering her own 400 meet record and HSR (51.84), crossing the line in 51.61. She also won the 60H title in ’15.
Carlisle, PA’s boys’ distance medley relay became history’s 2nd sub-10:00 team as the Affolder brothers bookended a stunning 9:56.18 to beat Gloucester, MA’s 9:59.94 from the 2000 NSIC. Noah Affolder was also 2nd in the boys’ 2M
The East Orange, NJ boys and Western Branch, VA girls took turns breaking the 4x55 shuttle hurdles marks. First, East Orange ripped a 28.62, taking down Union Catholic NJ’s ’13 mark – and barely keeping Western Branch (28.64) from a national record sweep – then the WB girls blasted a 30.63 to lower their own HSR from ’15 (and win their 5th title in nine years).
Lauren Harris (Sachem East, NY sr) broke the national 1-mile racewalk standard for the second straight year, striding to a 6:53.44. She is also the defending NBNO champ in the event.

Here are some of the best coverage links:

4 NSAF Honorees

The following individuals received the following annual NSAF awards at our Opening Ceremonies.

The late Larry Byrne - Honorary Referee in Memoriam
John Nepolitan - Doug Speck Award for Excellence and Innovation
Mike Mangan - Mike Byrnes National Coach of the Year
Paul Schwartz - Allen Dawson Award for Contributions to Track and Field

We want to thank our great partners at New Balance – having celebrated our 7th indoor nationals with them – for working with us all winter long to create another incredible NBNI. We’d also like to thank our outstanding Presenting Sponsor, Eastbay. We hope you stopped by their booth and checked out all of their great training and racing apparel, footwear and much more.

We’re also eternally grateful for all of those staff, officials and volunteers who worked tirelessly for us here at the NSAF all weekend long. We’d also like to thank our partners at Runnerspace.com, who produced another great webcast, web site (NBNationalsIn.com) and library of videos and photos.

We’d also like to remember Dr. Norbert Sander, the Founder of the Armory Track Foundation, who just passed away due to a heart attack, Friday, March 17. Without the visionary Dr. Sander, the Armory as we know it today would never have come into being. | Brief story and link to USATF notice

Meanwhile, the meet wouldn’t have been the same without all of our other great sponsors. We hope the relay champions all liked the special batons at the awards from our Official Baton Suppliers at RelayBatons.com, and that all of the relay entrants enjoyed the custom batons in their packets!

And did you get down to the Recovery Zone, sponsored by ROLL Recovery, and sample their outstanding products? Or did you check out Elliptigo’s booth and try their amazing elliptical bicycle? You can learn more at the websites linked above.

Then we hope you all noticed the great Meet Record Banners, produced with our Official Bib Printer, Athlete RaceNumbers – and that all of you at NBNI saved your meet bibs to commemorate the special weekend. Meet Directors, check out their site for your own meets and use the handy NSAF16 code to receive a discount.

Looking Ahead to 2018 NBNO

(updated 9/1/17)

The 2017-18 school year may be just starting, but already we are looking foward to the 2018 New Balance Nationals Outdoor, the 28th edition of our outdoor nationals, scheduled for June 15-17, 2018, to Aggie Stadium in Greensboro, N.C.

The 27th edition of NBNO was wonderful from start to finish – that is, from the 3,000-meter race walk freshman class record by Taylor Ewert Friday morning to start the meet, to the thrilling 4x400-meter relay finales as Bullis MD and East Orange NJ completed their indoor/outdoor “doubles.” Despite some tightening of standards and entry limits, we welcomed more than 5,100 athletes this past June 16-18 – Father’s Day weekend – from 45 states, DC, Canada, Mexico and Germany.

Thanks to our wonderful partners and sponsors, there were so many great things to see, do and try, along with the action on the track and in the field. This was our 8th year with New Balance as our meet partner and we’re so grateful to them and Eastbay, our presenting sponsor, for providing pillars of support to our efforts.

In reviewing and remembering the 2017 championships, you may want to check out our NBNO All-American shoutout and our Meet Stats page, which analyzes the statistics and history of the meet in almost every possible fashion. You may also want to check out these Meet LINKS: COMPLETE RESULTS | Event-by-Event Results | NBNationals.com: Main Page - Video Page - Photo Page | NSAF Facebook Page | NSAF Twitter Feed.

Memorable moments at the 2017 NBNO!

Akeem Lindo and East Orange HS (NJ) outlean Thomas Burns and Miami Northwestern HS (FL) in an unforgettable NBNO 4x400 finish, 3:11.69 to 3:11.71, to cap off the 2017 meet Sunday. Photo by Walter Pinion.

We saw 3 national records, 4 national class records and 30 meet records (13 Championship, 15 Emerging Elite, 2 Freshman).

Here were some of the biggest highlights.

National relay record trio: Medleys and Shuttles

Union Catholic HS (NJ) broke the 1,000m Swedish Medley girls’ HSR for the 3rd straight year (4th straight victory) – all with Sydney McLaughlin on the anchor. This time, McLaughlin split 49.85 – believed to be fastest 400 leg ever by prep in any event – for come-from-behind 2:05.93 win as first four teams beat previous record. McLaughlin later won her 4th straight 400H title with history’s #3 performance at 54.22 and completed NBN career with 13 championship rings.
Not to be outdone, the Parkview Express (Parkview HS, GA) boys followed with their own 1k Swedish Med record, hitting 1:52.39. The team would go on to win the 4x100 and 4x200 for a stellar sprint relay triple.
The Western Branch HS (VA) girls smashed their own 4x100m Shuttle Hurdle standard from ’15, clocking 55.06 to win their 5th straight title.

New Balance Athletes of the Meet

Senior throwers Jordan Geist (Knoch HS, PA) and Alyssa Wilson (Donovan Catholic HS, NJ) added to their tremendous legacies with four combined victories and two runner-up finishes. Geist smashed the shot put meet record with 76-0, #3 all-time; stunned with a 30-plus-foot PR and US#1 238-9 to win the hammer; and was 2nd in the discus. SP indoor/outdoor national-record-holder Wilson erased a 20-year-old discus meet record at 179-7, defended her shot title and was 2nd in the hammer. Full Story

4 Stellar Class Records

Sophomore – Jasmine Moore (Lake Ridge HS, TX) 43-7.25 triple jump (#7 all-time) to defend her title and 3rd NBN crown overall.
Sophomore – Tia Jones (Walton HS, GA) 13.03 100m hurdles to reclaim title she won in ’15 and beat ’16 champ Chanel Brissett.
Freshman – Jenna Rogers (Rutherford HS, NJ) 6-0.75 to beat her PR by more than 4” and top defending champ Jelena Rowe.
Freshman – Taylor Ewert (Beavercreek HS, OH) 14:24.63 3k racewalk to win 1st title offered in new NBN event.

More outstanding performances

Bullis HS (MD) girls swept 4x100, 4x200 and 4x400 relays, including US#1 44.88 (#6 all-time) and with two epic anchors by frosh Shaniya Hall.
Motor City TC (MI) took a 1,600 SMR thriller in 3:20.25, #2 all-time and with a 1:47.79 anchor by Cameron Cooper.
Wildcat TC (Shoreham-Wading River, NY) ran 20:00.59 4x1M relay (#4 all-time) after 8:51.43 4x8 win the night before – with Katherine Lee providing stellar 4:48.65 and 2:04.56 anchors.
Tyrese Cooper (MGX TC, FL) doubled the 200 (20.99) and 400 (45.45), duplicating his NBNI feat and giving him six NBN crowns through his sophomore year.
Sammy Watson (Rush-Henrietta HS, NY) won her 4th NBN 800 title (2:05.70), ending her career with eight individual and relay rings overall.
Symone Mason (South Dade Express, FL) tied the meet record in the 100 (11.27), ran on the winning 800 SMR (1:41.17, #3 all-time), and ran a 51.45 anchor split on runner-up Swedish Med – fastest NBN relay 400 ever by someone not named Sydney.
The East Orange HS (NJ) won 4x110m shuttle hurdles in 56.58 (#4 all-time) and a meet-ending 4x400 thriller in 3:11.69 to duplicate their NBNI feat. The latter came despite a 44.58 anchor by Thomas Burns for Miami Northwestern – thought to be #3 400 leg ever. Burns earlier won the 400H in 50.63 in his first race ever at the distance.

Photos by Walter Pinion, Ross Dettman (for NBNationals.com) and Vic Sailer, Photorun.net

NBNO Honorees: Alton Tyre and Eric Merriweather

Alton Tyre, head T&F coach at Southeast Guilford HS in N.C. and Eric Merriweather, head coach of Sprint Athletics and founder of the AAAG, Inc., were given special awards during the Opening Ceremonies at NBNO. First, Alton Tyre was named the Mike Byrnes Coach of the Year and presented his plaque by Kevin Tumey and Steven Hayden. Then Eric Merriweather was presented with the John Chaplin Honorary Referee award by Jim Spier. Check out the full stories online: Coach of the Year Alton Tyre | Honorary Referee Eric Merriweather.

Photos by Walter Pinion.

New Race Day App makes its debut

A huge part of what made this NBNO better than ever was the introduction of our new RaceDay App. The event details, instant results, live streaming and event videos – among other features – created a whole new way to follow the meet for athletes, families, coaches, friends, fans, etc. There were more than 3,222 downloads of the app off Google Play and The App Store, more than 21,000 sessions and more than 300,000 screen views! Look for the RaceDay App at more NSAF events and other meets in the future!

The application process is open for the NSAF’s Tony Wells Team/Club Development Grant, with an application deadline of January 15, 2018.

The NSAF strongly encourages teams and clubs from around the country to apply HERE, especially from states where teams and their equipment, facilities, etc. have been damaged by natural distasters -- like the fires in California, and the hurricanes and floods in Texas and Florida. These grants are designed to help with purchases of equipment, facility repair and restoration, meeting the needs of student-athletes and much more. Usually between 12 and 18 awards are given each cycle with an average amount of $700, and may be used for any reasonable purpose pertaining to the recipient’s track and field program. They are not available for travel to NSAF events.

Again, applications for the Tony Wells Team/Club Development Grant are HERE and will be accepted until January 15, 2018. The awardees will be notified no later than February 1, 2018.

MAIN GRANT PAGE | CEDRIC WALKER Section | TONY WELLS Section

Check out the latest updates to "Ask an Expert," the Sanford Sports Science Institute's online educational feature in partnership with the NSAF.

Gatorade, one of the NSAF's newest partners, today announced its Gatorade 2017-18 State Girls Cross Country Runners of the Year. The outstanding group of 51 girls -- representing each state and the District of Columbia -- includes 18 girls who have competed in NSAF events: New Balance Nationals Indoor and Outdoor, as well as the Great American XC Festival. This elite list includes New York's Runner of the Year, 2017 NBNO mile champ Katelyn Tuohy; Florida's ROY, GAXC Nike ROC runner-up Ana Wallace; and Michigan's ROY, NBNO 2-mile runner-up Olivia Theis. The 2017-18 State Boys Cross Country Runners of the Year are set to be announced in 2 weeks, with the National Runners of the Year soon to follow.

Please see below for a list of all 18 Gatorade State ROYs that have competed at NSAF events!

Interactive list at PlayerOfTheYear.Gatorade.com | PDF Full List

Amaris Tyynismaa, Alabama

The Catholic-Montgomery HS junior, now a 4-time XC state champ, was runner-up in the '16 NBNO freshman mile. Her recent 4:57.89 1600 PR suggests she could be a championship contender at NBNI this winter.

Lydia Olivere, Deleware

Olivere is now a 4-time state XC champ and 2-time NXN qualifier. The Padua HS senior anchored her squad to a runner-up finish in the '15 NBNO distance medley, among multiple NSAF appearances. Padua's 4x800 is ranked #1 in the U.S. this winter and the current NBNI favorite.

Page Lester, District of Columbia

A senior at National Cathedral School, she won her 2nd DC title and made Foot Locker Finals for the 2nd time, placing 14th. Her NBNO appearances were back in '15, when she was 6th in the Emerging Elite 800 and 3rd in the Freshman mile.

Ana Wallace, Florida

The Chiles HS senior ran her PR 17:26.50 to take 2nd in the GAXC Nike ROC this fall, then going on to win 3A state and take 6th at Foot Locker Finals.

Lexy Halladay, Idaho

Now a 2-time state champ and NXN qualifier, the Mountain View HS soph was 10th in the NBNI championship mile as an 8th-grader in '16, then 8th as a frosh in the same race last year. Having improved her mile to 4:41.80 outdoors this past spring, she's a definite NBN podium contender now.

Kaitlyn Lacy, Kentucky

The Louisville Male HS senior was 20th at the GAXC Nike ROC, but then won her 1st state title and then returned to WakeMed to qualify 3rd out of the NXR Southeast region to NXN. She was also 6th in the Nike ROC in '16.

Abigail Green, Maryland

After winning her 1st state title this fall (after 2 runner-up finishes), the Walter Johnson HS senior made her 2nd Foot Locker Finals. She has competed in the past four NBN indoor and outdoor 2-mile races, with a PR of 10:42.17 (17th) in last winter's NBNI deuce.

Grace Connolly, Massachusetts

The Natick HS junior has now won back-to-back all-state titles in XC. In five NBN appearances, she has a top finish of 6th in last winter's NBNI mile.

Olivia Theis, Michigan

A spectacular fall for Theis included her 1st state XC title and a 3rd-place finish in her 2nd Foot Locker Finals. On the track, the Lansing Catholic Central HS senior had a stellar runner-up finish in last spring's NBNI 2-mile with a PR 10:14.34.

Jacqueline Gaughan, New Hampshire

The Exeter HS senior won her 2nd straight XC New Hampshire Meet of Champs, then took 5th at her 2nd Foot Locker Finals. She has made 7 NBN appearances, with bests of 5th in the '16 NBNO 5,000m and 7th last winter in the NBNI 2M. She currently has the US#2 time in the deuce.

Monica Hebner, New Jersey

After winning her 1st state XC Meet of Champs title, the Northern Highlands HS senior made her first NXN final. She has raced three NBN 5,000s on the track, with a best of 5th in 17:18.73 last spring.

Katelyn Tuohy, New York

The North Rockland HS soph completed a tremendous unbeaten XC season with her 1st state and federation titles, followed by a course record NXN title. Her NSAF record is equally stellar, with an individual NBNO mile title last spring to go with three distance medley relay crowns with her NRHS teammates -- two indoor and one outdoor. The '16 DMR victory was a national record at the time, with Tuohy (then an 8th-grader) on the anchor. This winter she has already set a 5,000m national record and just missed the 3,000m standard (#2 all-time).

Morgan Gigandet, Ohio

A Troy HS senior, Gigandet won her 1st state title, then made her 1st NXN final and was 20th there. She has finished 15th in the past two NBNO 5,000m races with a PR of 17:17.70 in '16.

Marlee Starliper, Pennsylvania

Starliper claimed her 1st state title this fall, then won Foot Locker Northeast and took 13th in the Finals. She made her NBN debut in the outdoor 2M last spring, placing 9th in 10:43.12, and is one of the top milers nationally this winter with a 4:49.18 PR.

Eleanor Lawler, Rhode Island

The South Kingstown HS senior ran to her 3rd state title this fall, then made her 2nd Foot Locker Final, placing 15th. She took 20th in both the '16 NBNO 5,000m and the '17 NBNI 2M.

Sasha Neglia, Tennessee

After finishing 6th in the GAXC Nike ROC, the Dobyns Bennett HS soph won her state title, then returned to WakeMed to take 2nd at NXR Southeast in a PR 17:27.10. She was then 24th at NXN.

Olivia Beckner, Virginia

The South Lakes HS senior took her 1st state title this past fall, then was 24th at Foot Locker South. In '16, she was 7th in the NBNO Emerging Elite mile and part of the 12th-place 4x800 relay.

Victoria Starcher, West Virginia

A Ripley HS soph, she was unbeaten through her state meet, then was 2nd at Foot Locker South and 29th in the Final. She made her NBN debut last winter with a 5th in the NBNI freshman mile, then took 6th in the championship mile and 17th in the deuce at NBNO.

PRESS RELEASE

An inaugural class of 30 legends of track and field, spanning more than 100 years of the sport, were selected by a team of historians
The National High School Track and Field Hall of Fame will induct the inaugural class of athletes, coaches, and contributors on March 8, 2018 in New York City
All Hall of Fame profiles can be viewed at the new website: nationalhighschooltrackandfieldhof.org

NEW YORK – February 3, 2018 - The National Scholastic Athletics Foundation (NSAF), a non-profit organization created to support and promote high school-age track and field, today announced the inaugural class of the new National High School Track and Field Hall of Fame.

Featuring the sport’s immortal legends like Jesse Owens and Jim Ryun, to all-time greats like Steve Prefontaine and Mary Decker Slaney, to current Olympic superstar Allyson Felix -- the inaugural class will feature 30 athletes, coaches and contributors spanning 11 decades of excellence in high school track and field.

“Our goal in creating a hall of fame for high school track and field is to honor the greatest athletes, coaches, innovators and contributors in high school track and field history,” said James Spier, Executive Director of the NSAF. “The inaugural class of athletes, coaches, and contributors includes icons of the sport and each of these individuals has made a lasting impact on high school track and field. Generations of athletes have been inspired by and have benefited from their historic accomplishments.”

The 2018 class will be inducted during a gala awards dinner on Thursday, March 8, 2018, at the New York Athletic Club. The dinner will take place on the eve of the New Balance Nationals Indoor Championships at the Armory in New York City.

The Hall of Fame selection committee included noted track and field historians and statisticians Mark Bloom, Bob Jarvis, Dave Johnson, Mike Kennedy, Joe Lanzalotto, Marjorie Larney, Walt Murphy, Jack Pfeifer, Jack Shepard, Jim Spier and Tracy Sundlun. The Hall will honor three categories of inductees:

Athletes: Competitors who have demonstrated exemplary athletic performance while in high school.
Coaches: Leaders who have created excellence at the program level, achieving extraordinary results year after year.
Contributors: Innovators and game changers. These may include administrators or media members who have elevated high school-age track and field through innovative work and tireless dedication.

The following is the complete list of inductees, including their high school, hometown and year of graduation:

Ted Meredith
Mercersburg Academy, Mercersburg, PA, 1912

Sol Butler
Rock Island HS, Rock Island, IL, 1915

Lee Barnes
Hollywood HS, Los Angeles, CA, 1924

Frank Wykoff
Glendale HS, Glendale, CA, 1928

Betty Robinson
Thornton Township HS, Harvey, IL, 1929

Cornelius Johnson
Los Angeles HS, Los Angeles, CA, 1933

Jesse Owens
East Tech HS, Cleveland, OH, 1933

Helen Stephens
Fulton HS, Fulton, MO, 1935

Eddie Morris
Huntington Beach HS, CA, 1940

Alice Coachman
Tuskegee Prep School, Tuskegee, AL, 1942

Bob Mathias
Tulare HS, Tulare, CA, 1948

Milt Campbell
Plainfield HS, Plainfield, NJ, 1953

Willye White
Broad Street HS, Shelby, MS, 1957

Dallas Long
North Phoenix HS, Phoenix, AZ, 1958

Gerry Lindgren
Rogers HS, Spokane, WA, 1964

Jim Ryun
East HS, Wichita, KS, 1965

Steve Prefontaine
Marshfeld HS, Coos Bay, OR, 1969

Lynn Bjorklund
Los Alamos HS, Los Alamos, NM, 1975

Mary Decker
Orange HS, Orange, CA, 1976

Kathy McMillan
Hoke County HS, Raeford, NC, 1976

Chandra Cheeseborough
Ribault HS, Jacksonville, FL, 1977

Renaldo Nehemiah
Scotch Plains HS, Scotch Plains, NJ, 1977

Michael Carter
Jefferson HS, Dallas, TX, 1979

Kim Gallagher
Upper Dublin HS, Fort Washington, PA, 1982

Alan Webb
South Lakes HS, Reston, VA, 2001

Allyson Felix
Los Angeles Baptist HS, North Hills, CA, 2003

COACHES & CONTRIBUTORS

John Dye
Founder, Dyestat.Com

Ed Grant
Journalist

Joe Newton
York High School, Elmhurst, Il

Don Norford
Long Beach Poly, Long Beach, CA

For more information on the High School Track and Field Hall of Fame or to view detailed biographies of the inaugural induction class, visit nationalhighschooltrackandfieldhof.org

About the National Scholastic Athletics Foundation, Inc.

The National Scholastic Athletics Foundation, Inc. (NASF) is a non-profit, tax-exempt 501 c (3) organization founded in 1990 with the mission of supporting high school and junior-aged track and field athletes in the US. The NSAF conducts national high school competitions, including the New Balance Indoor and Outdoor Nationals; clinics and event-specific development projects as well as various grant programs totaling over $250,000 annually. For more information about the NSAF, please visit nationalscholastic.org.
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The entry lists of the 2018 Dunamis Super Meet, taking place this Thursday-Sunday, Feb. 8-11, 2018 at the LakePoint Champions Center in Emerson, Ga., have been posted.

There are 3 sets of alphabetical entry lists:

HIGH SCHOOL / OPEN / MASTERS -- COLLEGE -- YOUTH

For more information on the meet schedule and more, go to DunamisSuperMeet.com.

The START LISTS for the 2018 Dunamis Super Meet, taking place this Thursday-Sunday, Feb. 8-11, 2018 at the LakePoint Champions Center in Emerson, Ga., have been posted HERE. There are also 3 sets of alphabetical entry lists:

HIGH SCHOOL / OPEN / MASTERS -- COLLEGE -- YOUTH

For more information on the meet schedule and more, go to DunamisSuperMeet.com.

Super meet will be a convergeance of outstanding competition, Georgia Olympic legends!

The Dunamis Super Meet – taking place this weekend, February 8-11, 2018 at the LakePoint Champions Center in Emerson, Ga. – is not only a historic return of indoor track and field to Georgia, but also set to include some of the top preps in the nation and outstanding competition at all levels.

The meet will be organized and produced by the NSAF and hosted by LakePoint on a 200-meter banked track owned and operated by Dunamis Sports Group. The event has been endorsed by the Atlanta Track Club, USATF Georgia and the Atlanta Sports Council. The group hopes to make this an annual event. The event will be the first indoor track and field meet in Georgia since the 2001 USATF Indoor Championships (held at the recently demolished Georgia Dome in Atlanta).

Along with four excellent days of youth, high school, collegiate and open/masters action, the meet will feature a special ceremony Saturday, Feb. 10 to honor Georgia’s Olympic legends. The ceremony, set for 6:30pm, will feature Olympic Gold Medalists and world-record setters Kevin Young (400m hurdles, 1992), Mel Pender (4x100m relay, 1968) and Ralph Boston (long jump, 1960) – along with several others to be announced. The youth athletes will get a chance to meet these legends on the track and they will be guests at a VIP ceremony from 7pm-9pm.

Tickets for the meet are available HERE. The daily meet schedules, registration links and event detail links for entry/eligibility info, rules and sanctions, instructions, hotel info and media credential requests can be found at the meet home page (www.dunamissupermeet.com) by clicking on the Atlanta meet link under “Events.”

Competition in the Super Meet should be exciting at all levels, including some of the very best athletes from Georgia’s many outstanding track and field clubs and teams – and beyond. The prep entries include, for example, Brian Herron – the Flight 400 TC sprinter from Lakeside High School (Dekalb Co.) who just set a national prep record for 300 meters. He’s one of four athletes – also including Eric Edwards, Kyle Garland and Jasmine Moore – who competed for Team NSAF at the Caribbean Scholastic Invitational in Havana, Cuba last spring, and then went on to make Team USA and win medals at the Pan American Under-20 Championships. Herron was the youngest member of Team USA’s 4x400 there, winning gold and setting a world under-20 record.

Registration for all events will continue until Monday, February 5 at 3pm CT. The meet schedule includes two divisions of collegiate events (Platinum and Gold) to compete on Thu., Feb. 8 and Fri., Feb. 9; high school events beginning Friday and concluding Sat., Feb. 10; youth events starting Saturday and concluding Sun., Feb. 11; and finally, Masters/Open events held Sunday morning.

Media credential requests should be emailed to NSAF Media Steward, Fred Steier at media@nationalscholastic.org no later than Wednesday, February 5, 2018 (5 p.m. Eastern Time) to receive consideration. More media details are available here: http://www.dunamissupermeet.com/atlanta2018-comp-details-2-3-2/

Contact info:
Dunamis Sports Group
Tracy Bader, Executive Director
512-775-4772
tbader@dunamissportsgroup.com

NSAF
Jim Spier, Executive Director
JISpier8@gmail.com
Steve Underwood, Director of Media and Public Relations
Steve.Underwood@Nationalscholastic.org

LakePoint Sports
Michal Grade, Senior VP Sports Operations
770.235.6935
Michael.grade@lakepointsports.com

About Dunamis Sports Group:
Dunamis Sports Group is a premier Texas-based track and field event management company featuring principals: Steve McBride, former head track and field coach for the Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi; John F. Ross, managing member of Diamond Track, LLC, a prefabricated running track company and Edwin W. Litolff, Jr., a hospitality and tourism industry consultant.

About the National Scholastic Athletics Foundation
The NSAF (http://www.nationalscholastic.org/) is a non-profit organization focused on high school-age student-athletes in the sports of track & field and cross country, with the mission to inspire them and to prepare them for future success, on and off the track. Each year, the NSAF hosts over 11,000 high school age boys and girls at its two national indoor and outdoor track and field championships (the New Balance Nationals Indoor and Outdoor) and its Great American Cross Country Classic, as well as several national and international development programs. The organization supports athletes through a mentorship program, a clinic series, and distributes more than $200,000 in grants every year. Follow us on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Instagram.

About LakePoint Sports
Welcoming more than 2.5 million visitors since its opening in 2014, LakePoint Sporting Community is on track to be one of the world’s largest and most unique destinations for travel sports. Located just north of downtown Atlanta, LakePoint currently features; eight Major League-sized baseball fields, three multi-use fields, a ten court sand volleyball complex, and the 175,000 square foot Champions Center indoor sports facility. LakePoint is also home to three hotels, five restaurants, and a family entertainment center, LakePoint Station. Visit us at lakepointsports.com and follow us on social media @lakepointsports.

Welcome to the 2018 Dunamis Super Meet Atlanta 2018, taking place this Thursday-Sunday, Feb. 8-11, 2018 at the LakePoint Champions Center in Emerson, Ga., Here are some key links for this weekend's meet:

DUNAMIS Super Meet Home | Dunamis Atlanta Page

START LISTS | ENTRY LISTS: HIGH SCHOOL / OPEN / MASTERS -- COLLEGE -- YOUTH

SCHEDULE | WEBCAST from Runnerspace.com | LIVE RESULTS

For more information on the meet schedule and more, go to DunamisSuperMeet.com.

Dunamis Super Meet will be a convergeance of outstanding competition, Georgia Olympic legends!

Contact info:
Dunamis Sports Group
Tracy Bader, Executive Director
512-775-4772
tbader@dunamissportsgroup.com

NSAF
Jim Spier, Executive Director
JISpier8@gmail.com
Steve Underwood, Director of Media and Public Relations
Steve.Underwood@Nationalscholastic.org

LakePoint Sports
Michal Grade, Senior VP Sports Operations
770.235.6935
Michael.grade@lakepointsports.com

About Dunamis Sports Group:
Dunamis Sports Group is a premier Texas-based track and field event management company featuring principals: Steve McBride, former head track and field coach for the Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi; John F. Ross, managing member of Diamond Track, LLC, a prefabricated running track company and Edwin W. Litolff, Jr., a hospitality and tourism industry consultant.

About the National Scholastic Athletics Foundation
The NSAF (http://www.nationalscholastic.org/) is a non-profit organization focused on high school-age student-athletes in the sports of track & field and cross country, with the mission to inspire them and to prepare them for future success, on and off the track. Each year, the NSAF hosts over 11,000 high school age boys and girls at its two national indoor and outdoor track and field championships (the New Balance Nationals Indoor and Outdoor) and its Great American Cross Country Classic, as well as several national and international development programs. The organization supports athletes through a mentorship program, a clinic series, and distributes more than $200,000 in grants every year. Follow us on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Instagram.

About LakePoint Sports
Welcoming more than 2.5 million visitors since its opening in 2014, LakePoint Sporting Community is on track to be one of the world’s largest and most unique destinations for travel sports. Located just north of downtown Atlanta, LakePoint currently features; eight Major League-sized baseball fields, three multi-use fields, a ten court sand volleyball complex, and the 175,000 square foot Champions Center indoor sports facility. LakePoint is also home to three hotels, five restaurants, and a family entertainment center, LakePoint Station. Visit us at lakepointsports.com and follow us on social media @lakepointsports.

NSAF Dunamis Super Meet Home Page

Some of the very best prep athletes from around the country have converged on the first Dunamis Super Meet to be held in Atlanta this weekend, February 8-11, at the LakePoint Champions Center. Many of them already have a great NSAF pedigree.

They include five current or former New Balance Nationals champions, numerous other NBN All-Americans, six athletes who have represented Team NSAF at the Caribbean Scholastic Invitational, and three who competed for Team USA last summer at Pan American Juniors. There are also four athletes who are current national leaders and many others ranked in the top 10.

Here are nine of the top individual entries and events to watch this weekend:

1. Boys’ 60m hurdle showdown

Eric Edwards (Langham Creek, TX sr) and Kyle Garland (Germantown Acad., PA sr) were teammates for Team NSAF at the Caribbean Scholastic Invite last summer and each hold national leads in the boys’ hurdles this weekend. But they’ve never met in this event. Edwards was 5th in the 60H at NBNI last winter and is the current 60H U.S. leader at 7.66. In between, he was the USATF and Pan Am Junior at 110H last summer with the nation’s best time. Garland, meanwhile, is the nation’s top decathlete and defending NBNI pentathlon champ – but the hurdles are one of his best events and he’s run a US#1 7.25 over 55H. At least three other boys are sub-8.00 and potential All-American talents, making this a national championship-caliber field.

2. Girls’ 60m hurdle could be even better

Arguably the top entry from the state of Georgia in the whole meet is Tia Jones (Walton, GA jr) – the national record-holder in the 100m hurdles (12.84 from ’16) – but she might actually be the underdog in a super loaded field here. Jones has run 8.45 this winter for 60H, with an 8.30 PR from last year (3rd NBNI), but Emily Sloan (FK Elite, CO) has clocked a US#2 8.33 (with an 8.34 backup) to earn top billing. Right on the heels of both is another Georgian, Darci Khan (Stockbridge, GA jr) at 8.51 (8.43 last year). That’s the #2-3-4 girls in the country – and there are several others under 9 seconds should they falter.

3. Moore leads loaded girls’ triple jump

Another event at the highest level is the girls’ TJ, led by 3-time NBN champion Jasmine Moore. In June of 2016, Moore won the NBNO triple as a freshman and has been almost unbeatable since, capturing last winter’s NBNI TJ and then defending her title outdoors. She has a US#1 42-9.5 best this winter. But hot on her heels this winter are Sydnee Larkin and Alonie Sutton. Larkin (Cherokee Trail, CO sr) is part of the FK Elite crew and has exploded in the event this winter, with six meets over 40 feet including a US#3 PR of 41-10. Sutton (Smiths Station, AL sr) leapt 42-2 outdoors in ’17 and is close to that now with a 41-5.75 indoor best. That’s three of the nation’s top four.

4. Garland also battling Patterson in HJ

Between his multi-event competitions and individual high jumps, Garland occasionally has days when getting beyond 6-8 is a challenge; others, he’s soaring over 7-feet or better. Saturday he could be pushed to the max by Nate Patterson from Indiana. The Plymouth HS senior is competing in his first meet of the year, but twice leapt 7-2 outdoors last spring after clearing 7-1 indoors. He was also NBNO runner-up at 7-0.25.

5. KC Lightfoot chasing 18 ft. in pole vault

It’s incredible to think that we could have not one, not two, but FOUR 18-foot pole vaulters in high school this year. Mondo Duplantis, of course, has set the bar unspeakably high, with his 19-foot-plus U20 world records. But now there are three others this winter between 17-7 and 18-0, including Lightfoot. The Lee’s Summit, MO senior hit 17-7 last week and 17-8.5 for his PR last summer at Great Southwest. He was the NBNI runner-up behind Duplantis last winter. If anyone can push him here, it might be fast-improving 16-footer Brian Hauch of nearby Parkview HS in Lilburn, GA.

6. EE champ Killebrew favored in tight 60

The girls’ short dash could be pretty special with three entrants under 7.5 seconds. Semira Killebrew has been one of the nation’s best young talents since she was a pre-teen and made headlines last March when she won the NBNI Emerging Elite 60 at 7.49. Now she’s at 7.45, tied for 2nd on the national list. Sydnee Larkin, best known for her triple jumping, is also a 7.49 talent in the 60 – tied for US#5. Then there’s Vivette Green, the Alexander HS (GA) senior who was part of Team NSAF in Cuba last year, who is at 7.71 this year but ran 7.46 in ’17.

7. Godwin makes banked track debut

All eyes will be on home-state sprint star Elija Godwin in the 200 prelims as he makes his debut on a banked track in just his 2nd indoor meet ever. The Newton HS senior hit 20.71 last spring in the furlong, just .20 off the national lead. He also ran 45.83 for 400 as a soph in ’16, then 46.23 last spring. He was the Georgia 7A champ in both last year, beating Brian Herron in a pair of epic showdowns. He’ll be up against a deep field of sub-22.00 dashmen, including two from Michigan who have recent PRs in the high 21s.

8. Jones leads 60-foot trio in boys’ shot

One of the furthest-traveling athletes to come to the Super Meet is Tyson Jones – the Desert Edge HS from Goodyear, Arizona who competed for Team NSAF in Cuba last spring. Jones threw the shot 67-6.5 last year in winning his D2 state title and is the nation’s #2 outdoor returnee. This is just his 3rd indoor meet and 1st this year and outside of Arizona. The other 60-footers are from the region and been active this winter. Joshua Soboto is the current US#3 at 64-4.5, a Bearden, TN senior who was 3rd at NBNO (65-11 PR) and 8th at NBNI in ’17. Jermain Anderson is a Chapel Hill, GA senior who competes for Peach State Throwers and has a 61-6.25 best this winter, 63-8 outdoors last year.

9. Western Branch, Motor City TC clash in relays

The relay entries are highlighted by two of the best programs in the country: Western Branch HS out of Chesapeake, VA and the Motor City Track Club – consisting of Oak Park HS athletes. Western Branch is the current US#2 with 1:38.97 in the 4x200 and #3 in the 4x4 at 3:47.44. Motor City has a US#5 3:49.06 to their credit and has sub-1:40 capacities for the shorter race. Motor City has run 3:20.79 in the boys’ 4x4, which will include several teams under 3:25.