Photo: Kyle Brazeil/MileSplit New York
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The sophomore class has wasted no time making noise this indoor season, stepping onto track and field's biggest stages and delivering jaw-dropping performances.
From national-caliber sprints and hurdles to mile runs and breakout doubles, these sophomores proved they're not just the future of high school track and field; they're a force right now.
Take a look at February's first quartet of Future Stars!
TOP 100 RANKINGS:
NIA ARMSTRONG
Sickles (Fla.)
Class of 2028
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At one of the biggest indoor meets of the season, the 118th Millrose Games, Armstrong was one of two underclassmen to advance to the 60mH final, ultimately finishing fourth overall behind a trio of seniors. Crossing in 8.47, Armstrong finished behind the No. 1, No. 2, and No. 7 ranked girls in the nation and notched a new 55mH PB along the way, 7.87. She currently sits sixth on the national leaderboard in the 60mH, and is the 13th sophomore in history to run 8.40 or faster.
ABDINASIR HASSAN
Great Strides Track Club (Colo.)
Class of 2028
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Just like Armstrong, Hassan took his talents to the "Big Apple" for the 118th Millrose Games, where he finished third in the mile. Hassan was less than a third of a second shy of breaking the tape, and three-hundredths of a second from finishing runner-up in his 4:10.19 showing. In his second mile of the indoor season, the sophomore shaved four seconds off of his PB from the 2025 RunningLane Track Championships, making him the sixth-fastest sophomore in high school history, and No. 5 all-classes in the Colorado record books.
BELLA-MARIE BLACK
Mallard Creek (N.C.)
Class of 2028
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Out on the East Coast in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, the sophomore sprinter opted for the 55m-300m double, finishing second and third, respectively. Black finished in 6.98 and 40.02, nearly winning the 55m over an upperclassman. The Tobacco Road & Meck Power Six Conference Championships were the perfect place to continue testing her fitness, especially considering her 300m mark was three-quarters of a second faster than her previous PB.
GARRETT FAUGHT
Crater (Ore.)
Class of 2028
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After his 24th-place finish at Nike Cross Nationals in December, the next star in line at Crater High School opened up his indoor campaign with a double at the UW Invitational/Mile City meet. Finishing 47th and 12th in the mile and 3000m, Faught threw down a pair of PBs, running 4:10.77 and 8:17.20. After just one meet, he owns the state's mile and 3000m record for the sophomore class, ahead of plenty of legends that came before him. With plenty of time left to move up on the all-time lists, Faught is No. 9 in sophomore history in the mile, and less than half of a second from breaking Marcelo Mantecon's sophomore class record of 8:16.86.