This year’s awards were tough to narrow down to just one athlete in several of the categories. There were many conversations held about which athlete should be named. Being such, this is really a positive for Kentucky in the long run as it shows the level of our athletes is improving to where more and more elite times/marks are happening during the long wintery season indoors. Congratulations to all the athletes who competed this indoor season and to the named winners below.
Thanks as always for supporting Kentucky Track & Field.
Jonathan Grooms
5th Annual KYtrackXC.com Indoor Awards
KYtrackXC.com is pleased to present the 5th Annual Indoor Track and Field Awards. The awards are in 3 categories regardless of the school classification. The categories are Sprinter, Distance, and Field Event Athletes of the Year.
Indoor Sprinter of the Year –
Alisha Adair (Western Hills) – Frankfort, KY
This freshman only participated in one meet this winter, but she still dominated the sprint scene. At the Wildcat Classic in January, she won the 60m and 200m Dashes. She won the 60m Dash with a time of 7.99 and the 200m in 26.08 besting her competition by nearly a half second. She is the defending Class AA State 200m Dash Champion.
Marcus Winstead (Owensboro) – Owensboro, KY
This senior has always been one of the best in Kentucky, but this winter he took a step up becoming one of the best in the nation. He started his season with victories at the Wildcat Classic (60m Dash 6.96) and then went on to compete side by side with some of the nation’s best at the UK High School Invitational finishing third overall in the 60m Dash with a smoking time of 6.87. He capped off his indoor season with another victory at the Mason-Dixon Games this time in the 55m Dash. He ran a 6.47 this time in the 55m Dash. He finishes the indoor season ranked #13 in the nation in the 60m Dash.
Indoor Distance Runner of the Year
Elizabeth Anderson (duPont Manual) – Louisville, KY
This senior has improved by leaps and bounds this indoor season setting new personal bests every time out. She started her season out normal in the Wildcat Classic in January, but she leaped forward at the UK High School Invitational running a new best time of 5:04.46 in the One Mile Run, then doubling back with an 11:01.10 Two Mile time. She then made her mark on the national competition with a 7th place finish at Nike Indoor Nationals in the Two Mile Run running a time of 10:43.15, just missing All-American honors. Her time ranks #10 overall nationally.
Ryan Eaton (Greenwood) – Bowling Green, KY
This senior put on a show at the Wildcat Classic in January dropping a Kentucky All-time #2 mark of 4:13.40 in the One Mile Run. He doubled back running a best time of 1:59.27 in the 800m that day. The rest of his senior indoor season he went on to win the 1600m at IU, run 4:18/9:33 in the Mile and Two Mile at the UK High School Invitational, and win the 1500m title at the Mason-Dixon Games. This four-time career state champion finished the year ranked #8 in the nation in the One Mile Run.
Field Event Athlete of the Year
Catherine Claywell (Murray) – Murray, KY
Just a sophomore but already a veteran with three Class A State High Jump titles she competed in her first indoor season and it was a dandy. She hit 5-06 twice including a second place finish at the prestigious UK High School Invitational. She finished off her indoor season with a 5-08 performance at the Southern Illinois HS Invitational on March 6th. That jump of 5-08 was good enough to finish ranked #11 in the United States.
Ryan Ramsey (St. Xavier) – Louisville, KY
Last spring, Ryan Ramsey was a member of St. Xavier’s sprint crew and was average at best. Change of season, change of event, and he hit all new heights in the Pole Vault. After a couple weeks of practice he hit 13-06, his second meet ever he hit 14-06. He went on to vault 15-06 finishing second at the UK High School Invitational and then hit 15-08 winning the Mason-Dixon Games on March 6th. His 15-08 finished ranked #11 in the United States.