MileSplit All-American Watch List presented by New Balance
A defending Texas state champion and this year's Texas Relays champion in the 300 meter hurdles, Samantha Gonzalez has yet to be defeated in the 300 meter hurdles since her district meet of last year. The US 300 meter hurdles leader currently at 41.65, the senior from Carrolton Creekview High School will look to push towards a time approaching 41 seconds flat or faster over the next 3 weeks with her Texas regional and state meet races ahead.
Girls 300/400H Meter Hurdles
1. Sydney McLaughlin (Union Catholic NJ - So.) - The reigning New Balance Nationals Outdoor 400 meter hurdles champion McLaughlin was missed this past weekend at the Penn Relays when she could have taken on the Jamaicans in the 400 hurdles at Franklin Field. Hopefully, she will be back in action soon this spring as her 55.63 PR is several seconds faster than the next fastest in the country.
2. Samantha Gonzalez (Carrolton Creekview TX - Sr.) - The US leader in the 300 meter hurdles with her 41.65 personal best has been unbeatable so far this year and aims to repeat as Texas state champ on May 16th.
3. Jasmyne Graham (Eleanor Roosevelt CA - Sr.) - The national leader in the 100 meter hurdles also has the range to be one of the nation's best in the 300 meter hurdles as well. She was a double winner at the Mt. SAC Relays a few weeks ago achieving a new personal best in the 300 hurdles at 41.92 to start seriously eyeing becoming a double California state champion in the hurdles.
4. Kimani Rushing (Hallandale FL - Sr.) - The defending Florida 2A state 300 meter hurdles champ is ranked #6 in the United States from her runner-up performance of 42.06 at the Texas Relays behind Gonzalez in her only loss of the season. Will she dip under 42 seconds at the Florida state meet coming up?
5. Brooklynn Broadwater (Springside Chestnut Hill Academy - Jr.) - After having not run the 400 meter hurdles since the summer of 2013, the Pennsylvania state indoor 400 and 200 meter champ made quite a triumphant return to this event in winning the Penn Relays 400 hurdles title from the slow section in tying for the US lead at 1:00.67 in less than ideal racing conditions (cold & windy). Will be interesting to see how often she will jump in the hurdles going forward considering she is also a state champion sprinter as well.
6. Morganne Hill (Liberty CA - Sr.) - This year's Arcadia Invitational champ in the 300 meter hurdles, Hill is one of the top returnees from last June's California state meet when she placed 4th in the hurdles finals. Her race at Arcadia Invite was a personal best for her at US #9 42.23, but has not really had a race to push her since then.
7. Jasmine Stauffacher-Gray (North Canyon AZ - Sr.) - Interesting fact about the defending Arizona Division 1 state champ Stauffacher-Gray. She has only lost twice in the 300 meter hurdles in past two years and both races were at the Arcadia Invite. Not a bad meet to finish second in as her season best of 42.45 came at Arcadia as she is a returning New Balance Nationals Outdoor All-American in the 400 meter hurdles when she finished 5th last June in Greensboro.
8. Anna Cockrell (Providence Dah School NC - Jr.) - Cockrell looked to be the top American in the 400 meter hurdles at Penn Relays when she challenged the Jamaican for the win in the fast heat before Broadwater spoiled that result two sections later. Fourth at last year's New Balance Nationals in the 400 meter hurdles with a 59.69 PR, Cockrell focuses on the 300 meter hurdles in North Carolina as the defending 3A state champ with a season best of 42.75 this spring.
9. Carly Lester (Rocky Mountain CO - Sr.) - The 2-time Colorado state champion in the 300 meter hurdles, Lester is one of the nation's fastest returnees in the event with a 41.18 PR. She currently sets with a season best time of 42.44 this spring and has run 1:01.17 in the 400 meter hurdles last summer as well.
10. Maya Miklos (Gunn CA - Jr.) - The co-US leader in the 400 meter hurdles, Miklos ran her nation's best time of 1:00.67 in a win at the Stanford Invite. A rough go in the 300 meter hurdles at Arcadia Invite the next weekend (9th, 48.83) in hitting some hurdles as she has run a full 6 seconds faster in the event from a 7th place finish (42.54) last year at the California state meet.
MileSplit All-American Watch List: Girls 100H - Girls 300H/400H