Teams coordinated by Fred Baer, founder, Track and Field Writers of America. Girls selections by Mike Kennedy, high school editor of Track and Field News.
Criteria included ranking on USA TODAY and Track and Field News national lists and the number of top performances, along with head-to-head competition during the regular season and in major postseason meets.
Kate Murphy (Photo: Kirby Lee, USA TODAY Sports)
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Long Sprints and Middle Distance
Below are the athletes selected in distances (1.500, mile, 3,000, 3,200, 2 mile). Returning ALL-USA selections are denoted with asterisks (*).
HSR indicates all-time U.S. high school record mark.
WJR indicates World Junior (under age 20) record.
w = wind-aided (more than 2.0 meters a second), over the limit for record purposes.
i = performed indoors.
Distances (1,500, mile, 3,000, 3,200, 2-mile)
First Team:
Weini Kelati
School: Heritage (Leesburg, Va.)
Year: Sophomore
Times and events: 9:19.81, 3,000; 9:53.40, 3,200.
*Kate Murphy
School: Lake Braddock (Burke, Va.)
Year: Junior
Times and events: 4:07.21, 1,500; 4:39.47i, mile; 9:10.51, 3,000.
Nevada Mareno
School: Leesville Road (Raleigh, N.C.)
Year: Junior
Times and events: 4:18.48, 1,500; 10:00.44, 2-mile.
Katie Rainsberger
School: Air Academy (USAFA, Colo.)
Year: Senior
Times and events: 4:12.62, 1,500; 4:36.61i, mile; 9:11.60, 3,000.
TRACKINGS: Murphy won the USATF National Junior 3,000 title by a second, ahead of Rainsberger, as the pair moved into second and third on the all-time high school list — behind the 41-year-old national record of 9:08.6. During the indoor season, Rainsberger had beaten Murphy in the mile at the New Balance Nationals. They will clash again in the 3,000 at this month’s IAAF World Indoor Championships in Poland. Murphy, the high school leader at 1,500 meters this season, made it to the semifinals in that event at the U.S. Olympic Trials. Kelati was the leader in the 3,200, with her 9:53.40 ranking No. 7 on the all-time high school list.
Second team:
Fiona O’Keeffe
School: Davis, Calif.
Year: Senior
Times and events: 9:21.64, 3,000; 10:05.63, 2-mile; 15:56, 5,000.
Annie Hill
School: Glacier (Kailspell, Mont.)
Year: Junior
Times and events: 4:41.52, mile.