* Mia Brahe-Pedersen will join the inaugural class of the Nike Elite Program set to start this upcoming school calendar year.
Photo Credit: Bobby Reyes/MileSplit
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On Thursday, the National Scholastic Athletics Foundation (NSAF) announced a new partnership with USA Track & Field (USATF) and Nike to create an elite athlete development program for some of the country's top prep track and field athletes.
The Nike Elite Program will support 40 high school athletes each year beginning with the 2023-24 school year. Each athlete will work individually with an NSAF support staff member and have contact points with various Nike-sponsored professional athletes.
Participating athletes will also receive Nike apparel and shoes, as well as support in gaining access to Nike Nationals and certain premiere NSAF events including the Millrose Games, Arcadia Invitational, Mt. SAC Invitational, USATF U20 Championships and Oregon Relays.
This year's class includes 20 male and 20 female athletes from 18 states across all event groups. The program will begin this summer with an introductory event at the Nike headquarters in Beaverton, Ore.
The Nike Elite Program includes a star-studded list of athletes, including numerous state and national champions across sprint, distance and field events.
Here is the full list of this year's athletes in the inaugural year of the Nike Elite Program:
● Max Armstrong, Vestavia Hills HS, Vestavia Hills, AL, Sr.
● Kimberly Beard, King's HS, Mukilteo, WA, So.
● Rylee Blade, Santiago of Corona, Corona, CA, Jr.
● Mia Brahe-Pedersen, Lake Oswego, OR, Sr.
● Xavier Drumgoole, Round Rock HS, Round Rock, TX, Sr.
● Samantha Ennin, John Paul II, McKinney, TX, Jr.
● Maddie Fey, Killeen Chaparral HS, Killeen, TX, Sr.
● Skyler Franklin, Western HS, Miramar, FL, So.
● JaiCieonna Gero-Holt, Emerald Ridge HS, Puyallup, WA, Jr.
● Maurice Gleaton, Langston HS, Fairburn, GA, Jr.
● Hayden Gorovitz, Desert Vista HS, Chandler, AZ, Sr.
● Byron Grevious, Phillips Exeter Academy, Southport, CT, Sr.
● Rylee Hampton, Cypress Ridge HS, Houston, TX, Sr.
● Jane Hedengren, Timpview HS, Provo, UT, Jr.
● Neil Howard III, Taconic Hills CSD, East Chatham, NY, Sr.
● Juriad Hughes, Irondale Sr HS, Coon Rapids, MN Sr.
● Kendrick Jones Jr, Lake Belton HS, Temple, TX, So.
● Jayden Keys, Obra D. Tompkins HS, Katy, TX, Sr.
● Patrick Koon, Leon HS, Tallahassee, FL, Sr.
● Elizabeth Leachman, Boerne Champion HS, San Antonio, TX, So.
● Jaden Lippett, Winter Haven HS, Winter Haven, FL, Sr.
● Zariel Macchia, William Floyd HS, Shirley, NY, Jr.
● Tyler Mathews, Red Mountain HS, Mesa, AZ, Sr.
● Jathiyah Muhammad, Dublin, CA, Sr.
● Sidi Njie, Westlake HS, Atlanta, GA, Jr.
● Owen Powell, Mercer Island HS, Mercer Island, WA, Jr.
● Xai Ricks, Long Beach Poly Tech, Long Beach, CA, Sr.
● Sophia Rodriguez, Dallastown Area Sr HS, Seven Valleys, PA, Fr.
● Bryce Ruland, Waterford Union HS, Waterford, WI, Sr.
● Aleesa Samuel, Somerset Academy, Southwest Ranches, FL, Jr.
● Maira Scott, Springfield HS, Springfield, Holland, OH, Sr.
● Sophia Scott, Omaha Burke HS, Omaha, NE, Jr.
● Clay Shively, Wichita Trinity Academy, Wichita, KS, Sr.
● Jonathan Simms, Allen HS, McKinney, TX, Jr.
● Ben Smith, Hortonville HS, New London, WI, Sr.
● Skylynn Townsend, Rockhill HS, Prosper, TX, Sr.
● Rachael Uvieghara, Palm Harbor University, Dunedin, FL, Sr.
● Jelani Watkins, Klein Forest HS, Houston, TX, Sr.
● Chelsi Williams, George Jenkins HS, Lakeland, FL, Jr.
● Emily Wisnewski, Crescent Valley, Corvallis, OR, Jr.
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