USA TODAY International Edition
AMERICAN FAMILY INSURANCE GIRLS ALL- USA TRACK AND FIELD
The 2015- 16 American Family Insurance All- USA Girls Track and Field teams are coordinated by Fred Baer, the founder of Track and Field Writers of America. Girls selections are by Mike Kennedy, high school editor of “Track and Field News.” Criteria included ranking on USA TODAY Sports and “Track and Field News” national lists and the number of top performances along with head- to- head competition during the regular season and in major postseason meets. Athletes are listed alphabetically in each general event area. Races are in meters unless noted. Field events are listed in feet and inches.
ATHLETE OF THE YEAR: Sydney McLaughlin
McLaughlin has spent the last few weeks rewriting the record book in the 400meter hurdles — not just for high school performers but for all teenagers worldwide. The 16- year- old, who has a year left at Union Catholic ( Scotch Plains, N. J.), finished third in the U. S. Olympic trials July 10 in Eugene, Ore., and her time of 54.15 seconds set a world junior ( under age 20) record. She will be the youngest member of the U. S. track and field team since 1972.
COACH OF THE YEAR: Brian FitzGerald
In 36 years coaching track and field at Rio Mesa ( Oxnard, Calif.), FitzGerald has produced some of the USA’s top athletes. They included two athlete of the year sprinters in Marion Jones and Angela Burnham. His latest elite sprinter is Zaria Francis, who jumped onto the all- time top 20 high school list in the 100 meters as a junior last year and was an All- USA selection. She was the California ( CIF) state champion in the 100 and 200.