The 2018 American Family Insurance ALL-USA Preseason Boys Track and Field Team was selected by Fred Baer, the founder of Track and Field Writers of America, and Jack Shepard, the high school editor for Track & Field News.
He really doesn’t need an encore but Armand “Mondo” Duplantis is back for his senior season at Lafayette (La.) High School after a 2017 campaign in which he became the first high school 19-foot pole vaulter. He reached a world teenage best of 19 feet, 4 1/4 inches, adding nearly a foot to the previous high school record of 18-4 1/2, set in 2016 by Chris Nilsen of Park Hills (Kansas City, Mo.). That is considered the greatest high school record improvement in 38 years – since the spectacular 81-3 ½ shot put by Michael Carter of Jefferson (Dallas) in 1979.
Sondre Guttormsen has already this season become the No. 5 all-time high school pole vaulter at 18-2 1/2. Zachary Bradford became the No. 2 all-time high school indoor pole vaulter last month, winning the New Balance Indoor Nationals at 18 feet, a half inch. Jequan Hogan won the New Balance triple jump.
MORE: Sprints | Long and middle distance | Throws | Jumps | Hurdles
Here are the five athletes selected in the jumps (high jump, pole vault, long jump, triple jump). Returning ALL-USA selections are denoted with asterisks.
(i) denotes indoor mark; all others outdoors.
LOOKBACK: 2017 ALL-USA Boys Track and Field Team