* Skyler Franklin runs down the competition this past weekend in New York.
Photo Credit: KyleSplit
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With track season underway, personal bests and new U.S. No. 1 times have been appearing left and right.
This week, we're featuring a new crop of Future Stars.
From New York to Washington, these four athletes left it all out on the track, running their way into both the sophomore class and all-time record books.
Here are a few risings stars who had great weekends running down their upperclassman competition.
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Montverde Academy (FL)
Class of 2026
A powerhouse athlete across several of the sprint distances, the sophomore Franklin ran a new personal best of 37.56 in the 300m this past weekend to take second at the 116th Millrose Games in New York.
Not only was this a new PR for Franklin, but it moved the Montverde star into a U.S. No. 1 mark for the sophomore class, as well as a No. 3 all-time performance in the sophomore class rankings.
Only two names appear higher than Franklin on the all time sophomore list, including Olympian Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, who holds the No. 2 all-time spot for the class, and Kayla Davis, a former North Carolina star who now competes for Florida. Davis ran a class record in 2020, pocketing a time of 37.38.
Caden Leonard
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Southlake Caroll (TX)
Class of 2026
As a sophomore, expectations usually run higher, but what Leonard did this past weekend was beyond usual standards.
For Leonard, he's continued his success from the cross country season and showcased his ability in the shorter distance races.
Over the weekend, Leonard competed among top collegians at the BU David Hemery Valentine Invitational.
Running a 4:10.17 mile, that's good enough for a new U.S. No. 1 for the sophomore class, as well as moving him into the No. 17 position among all high school classes in the nation.
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Sheldon (OR)
Class of 2026
Taking our sights to the West Coast, we saw some fast times at the University of Washington High School Invitational over the weekend.
Schoenherr is just a sophomore, but he has nevertheless shown impressive potential.
With a blazing time of 8:24.66 for 3,000 meters, his time from over the weekend is not only the fastest among the sophomore class this year, is also now the fastest 3K indoors in sophomore history, even better than Bryon Grevious's sophomore mark in 2022 of 8:25.78; Grevious is now a national-class runner who clocked a 14:04 5K as a junior last year.
Photo Credit: Kyle Brazeil/MileSplit
Elizabeth Leachman
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Boerne Champion (TX)
Class of 2026
Although Leachman made an appearance on our last Future Stars segment, she fought for her spot again this week as she threw down another fast time over the weekend in New York at the Millrose Games.
With an eighth-place finish in the girls mile, Leachman put down a time of 4:48.55 for a new PR, as well as a new U.S. No. 1 time for the sophomore class.
It is no secret that the high school girls running scene is on fire right now, but Leachman's performance this weekend was good enough to bring the San Antonio star to a U.S. No. 16 in the one mile distance across all classes.
It looks like Leachman's sweet spot is that 3K to 2-mile distance, but it was great to see the sophomore's diversity in being able to race the shorter distance and still hold her own in a stacked field of talent.
