MileSplit All-American Watch List: Girls Shot
Sophomore Kathleen Young of Warrensburg-Latham, Ill. was an indoor All-American with a fourth-place finish at New Balance Nationals, but she leads the nation this spring with a 50-10 throw.
Girls Shot Put
1. Kathleen Young (Warrensburg-Latham, IL - So.) - Young swept the Illinois State Championship in the discus and shot put last spring as a freshman, but it's in her sophomore year that she has grown into a superstar. She earned her first All-American honors with a fourth place finish in the shot put at New Balance Nationals Indoor and she currently leads the nation with a throw of 47-2.5.
2. Nickolette Dunbar (Whippany Park, NJ - Jr.) - Dunbar improved upon her 4th place performance at New Balance Nationals Outdoor last Spring (48-2.5) at NBN Indoor this winter placing 3rd in 48-8 (5 inches behind winner Sophia Rivera). Her winning toss of 50-7.75 from the Penn Relays Carnival is the second furthest this season behind Young.
3. Elena Bruckner (Valley Christian, CA - Jr.) - Bruckner is one of three girls with seasonal bests over 50 feet. That breakthrough mark came at the CCS "Top 8" Meet in San Jose, CA in the middle of April. Since then Bruckner has shown consistency just missing eclipsing the 50 foot mark again with throws of 49-7.5 and 49-9. Bruckner is the top discus thrower in the nation with a US #10 all-time throw of 182-8.
4. Sophia Rivera (Brentwood, MO - Jr.) - The 2015 New Balance Nationals Indoor Champion from this past winter had a stellar indoor season. She earned her national crown with a 49-1 throw and had an indoor personal record of 50-6.5. At the 2014 NBNO Rivera placed 3rd overall. Rivera also is a star javelin thrower with a US #5 all-time mark of 175-10.
5. Courtney McCartney (Selinsgrove, PA - Sr.) - McCartney is a 2-time reigning Pennsylvania State Champs in one of the best throwing states in the nation. She is the top returning female from last year's NBNO Shot Put losing only to the national record holder Raven Saunders. The Selinsgrove, PA senior got 2nd there last year in 47-4.5 and has a current personal record of 49-5.75.
6. Edith Svonavec (Garfield, OH - Sr.) - Svonavec was 5th her last two years at New Balance Nationals Indoor and will look to improve on her place at Outdoor Nationals (6th last year) as she is a foot away from the 50' milestone with a 49-0 personal record that came in the middle of April this season.
7. Meia Gordon (Cypress Creek, TX - Sr.) - Gordon is the most consistent thrower in the nation having thrown nothing less than 47-2.5 in the entire 2015 calendar year. Gordon started this year off with a 48-11.5 personal record at the Texas A&M HS Indoor Classic in the beginning of January. As most girls in our top 10 are as well, Gordon too is undefeated in the shot put this year.
8. Alycia Springs (Mallard Creek, NC - Jr.) - One of the two NC juniors in the group boasts a personal record of 48-3 thrown at her conference championships a month a go. Marchand competed at NBN Indoor this year placing 7th (45-11.25).
9. Khayla Dawson (Olympic, NC - Jr.) - Dawson has been showcased a level of consistency recently that is paramount at the conclusion of a season. Starting with a new personal record of 48-1 at the Taco Bell Classic on April 10, Dawson has also thrown 48-0 and 47-11 since then. Dawson placed 8th at NBN Indoor in March (45-7).
10. Elena Marchand (Hickory, PA - Sr.) - The other PA senior in our top 10 set her personal record on May 1st of 48-5.5 but outside of that has never thrown in the more than 46-10.
National Rankings: Girls Shot - Girls Discus - Girls Javelin
MileSplit All-American Watch List: Girls Shot - Girls Discus - Girls Javelin