Photo: Anthony Torns II/MileSplit Texas
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While winter weather battered much of the U.S., there were still more than a few high-caliber indoor meets that produced a ton of worthy contenders for National Performer of the Week.
Whether they were in Boston at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix or in the Northwest corner of Texas at the Texas Tech Wes Kittley Invitational, the stars turned out and thrived in spite of the weather outside.
The National Performer of the Week poll will close at 5 p.m. CT on Thursday, January 29, and the winner will be announced shortly after.
Check out 2026's fourth National Performer of the Week!
* Athletes cannot be nominated for National Performer of the Week in back-to-back weeks*
POLL: National Boys Indoor Performer of the Week (Jan. 19-25)
This Week's Nominees:
Brooke Lloyd, H-Town Hurricanes (Texas): After making the trip all the way up to Lubbock, Texas, the senior took advantage of the competitive fields. Lloyd won the 400m and finished runner-up in the 200m, running 53.43 and 23.9, respectively. Her quarter-mile mark makes her the first girl to break 53.75 this season, and is good enough for the second-fastest indoor 400m of her career and the national lead. Her 200m effort was 0.01 seconds shy of her SB (23.89), which ranks her No. 14 in the U.S.
Charlize-Trinity McKenzie, Cedarburg (Wisc.): It was just another day at the office as the mid-distance star held her own against a contingent of collegians at the Liberty Open. McKenzie stopped the clock in the 1000m in 2:45.7, winning by nearly half of a second over multiple collegians from NC State. Over 800m, she finished fourth overall in 2:09.79, three seconds quicker than her season opener a year ago. The uncommitted senior currently sits No. 2 (1k) and No. 4 (800m) on the national leaderboard.
Claire Iaciofano, Turpin (Ohio): During her junior campaign, it wasn't until May that Iaciofano cleared the 13-0 barrier in the pole vault, and she's already done it in January in her senior season. At the MSJ HS #3 meet in Cincinnati, the two-time defending state champion jumped 13-0 as she won the competition by six inches. Now one of just nine girls nationwide to clear 13-0, she is tied for the third-best mark of the season and is the eighth-best pole vaulter in Ohio indoor history.
Braelyn Combe, Santiago Corona (Calif.): After some well-deserved downtime after a busy cross country season, the future Arkansas Razorback made the trip to the East Coast for her indoor debut. At the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix, Combe dipped below 4:40 in the mile, running 4:38.97 to break the tape. Leading five girls under 4:50 and four under 4:45, Combe jumped up to the top spot on the U.S. leaderboard, and is now No. 13 all-time in high school history, and joins a coveted list of only 22 girls to ever break 4:40 during the indoor season.
Chayse Madison-Haire, Leander Spartans Track Club (Texas): Just as she has all season long, Madison-Haire lowered her 60m PB once again, this time at the Texas Tech Wes Kittley High School Invitational. After running 7.42 to lead the prelims, the sophomore clocked 7.41 to win by one-tenth of a second. Now the second-fastest sophomore of the year and the 16th-fastest in prep history, Madison-Haire is sitting No. 7 in the U.S. this season. She also finished sixth in the prelims of the 200m in 24.24, the No. 8 sophomore time in the country.
NPOTW's Previous Winners:
Week 1: Maggie McCormick, Bay Shore (N.Y.)
Week 2: Chase Gilbert, Old Lyme (Conn.)
Week 3: Parker Coes, Katy Morton Ranch (Texas)