Girls Field
Vashti Cunningham broke the National High School Record in the high jump with a leap of 6-4.25. She is ranked No. 1 in the U.S. this year, including juniors and seniors.
Girls High Jump
Bishop Gorman, NV junior Vashti Cunningham ranks eighth in the world this year - and that's on the senior list! She could conceivably qualify to represent Team USA at the senior-level IAAF World Championship, as she is the best American high jumper this year - period. The only potential drawback to the National High School Record Holder (6-4.25) is that she no-heighted at her most recent competition, the Nevada State Championships in late May. Is Cunningham still in her peak from when she set the national standard in April at the Mt. SAC Relays? Is she burnt out or ready to better the record?
Girls Pole Vault
If only the Weeks twins made the trip, then the current U.S. No. 1 and No. 2 All-Time indoor performers for pole vault could face off with their soon-to-be Razorbacks teammate Desiree Freier! Outdoor national high school record holder Freier is the class of the field, as she most recently recorded her first First Team All-American honors with a fifth-place finish at the NCAA Championship.
U.S. No. 3 Meagan Gray of Hays Buda, Texas and U.S. No. 4 Kaitlynn Merritt of Santa Margarita, Calif. will make a go for the 14-foot barrier. Gray has cleared 13-9 this year, while Merritt has cleared 13-7.
Girls Long Jump
Courtney Corrin of Harvard Westlake, Calif. finally bested her national freshman class record this past weekend with a 21-5 jump to finish runner-up at New Balance Nationals Outdoor. Technically, the mark was wind-aided by +2.1 tailwind, but the junior is still looking in strong form by finishing just behind National High School Record Holder Kate Hall (22-5). Other 20 foot-plus jumpers include Florida freshman Darrielle McQueen (20-8), California state runner-up Margaux Jones of Redlands, Calif. (20-4.25) and Samiyah Samuels of Cypress Springs, Texas (20-7.75 +2.5).
Girls Triple Jump
McQueen will be another top entrant in the triple, with an All-SEC performance of 42-4.75. But senior Kennedy Jones of Castro Valley, Calif. is actually the top seed with her California state title-winning jump of 42-5.25. She ranks U.S. No. 3 this year.
Girls Shot Put
National High School Record Holder Raven Saunders, now of Southern Illinois, has experienced solid success in her freshman campaign. Not only did she demolish her high school national standard of 56-8.25 with a 61-1.25 indoor best, but that throw won the NCAA D1 Championship. She defended her NCAA title this month in Oregon - and now, back in Eugene again, she is more than ready to win more gold.
Of high school entrants, Sophia Rivera is the most likely to make an impact. The Brentwood, Mo. junior is the most consistent thrower in the nation, as she ranks U.S. No. 2 in the Shot Put with a best of 53-1. She is now a two-time national champion in the event, as she won both indoor and outdoorNew Balance Nationals in 2015.
Girls Discus Throw
Josephine "Josie" Natrasevschi, a Ft. Collins, Co. grad, broke the Ivy League record in the discus in her freshman year at Brown. Her best throw of 183-9 won the Penn Relays Carnival this year.
U.S. No. 5 ranked Kendall Mader of Newbury Park, Calif. is the top high school entrant in the field. The Cal-bound senior owns a season-best of 164-4, though she finished just runner-up to U.S. No. 1 Elena Bruckner of Valley Christian, Calif. at the state meet.
Girls Hammer Throw
High school showstopper Haley Showalter is the top-ranked hammer thrower in the nation with a 191-0 this year as she inches closer back to her all-time personal best of 193-4. The 2015 New Balance Nationals Outdoor champion won the USATF Junior Nationals title last July. The multi-faceted star also competed in the Discus Throw at the IAAF World Youth Olympic Games last summer.
Molli Detloff of North Dakota will likely push Showalter to a new best, as the North Dakota freshman threw a best of 198-5 in the NCAA West Prelims.
Girls Javelin
Sophia Rivera of Brentwod, Mo. enters as the top entrant with a best of 175-10. The status of high school girls javelin is so high this year that Rivera is not even ranked U.S. No. 1 - she is No. 2 behind national high school record holder Madison Wiltrout of Connellsville, Pa., though her 175-10 best is still No. 6 All-Time. Even without the national record distinction, Rivera is likely the most consistent competitor. She is nearly undefeated in the event in 215, including wins at the Penn Relays Carnival, Kansas Relays and New Balance Nationals Outdoor. She won the USATF Youth Championship last summer and placed fourth at the USATF Junior Nationals as a sophomore.
Girls Heptathlon
Texas A&M freshman Ashtin Zamzow won the USATF Junior Olympics last summer and enters as the favorite this weekend.
Sprints/Hurdles - Distance - Field
*Editor's Note: Seed times listed below are from the official USATF start list and are not representative of personal records or season-best times.