IHSAA athletes to watch for in ’24 outdoor season

There is a lot of talent in girls track and field. Let’s take a look at the top teams and athletes to watch going into the 2024 outdoor season:

IHSAA girls track and field athletes to watch

Hannah Alexander, Noblesville, Sr. – Alexander, an Indiana recruit, played a major role in the Millers winning the state championship by a point last season. She collected 17 points by herself, winning the discus (158-8) and taking third in the shot put (45-8 1⁄2). She took second in the shot put to Bloomington North’s Hadley Lucas at the large school Nike Hoosier State Relays last week.

Ahniyah Bennett, Connersville, So. – Bennett came on strong as a freshman, winning the 200 meters (24.50 seconds) at the state meet and taking fifth in the 100 (12.00). Bennett, an allconference basketball player for Connersville, took second in the 60 meters (7.63 seconds) at the large school Nike Hoosier State Relays last week.

Olivia Cebalo, Carmel, Jr. – Cebalo was part of Carmel’s state champion and school record 4x400 relay team (3:47.86) and state runner-up 4x800 relay team (9:12.74). She also placed 12th in the 400 (57.34) at the state meet. Cebalo is an all-state soccer player. She in the state in the 400 as a freshman, setting a school record (55.61) at the regional.

Kya Crooke, Heritage Christian, Jr. – Crooke is one of the most-decorated athletes in the state already and still has two outdoor seasons to go. She won the state championship in the long jump last season (19-10 3⁄4), took second in the 300-meter hurdles (42.85), third in the high jump (5-9) and eighth in the 100 (12.38). Crooke won the 60 meters (7.76 seconds), high jump (5-6) and long jump (19-2) at the Nike Hoosier State Relays in the small school division last weekend.

Lucy Hauser, Westfield, Jr. – Hauser

set four school records last season, including in the 100 hurdles and 300 hurdles, along with the 4x100 and 4x200 relay teams. She finished third at state in the 100 hurdles (14.23 seconds) and was on the fifth place 4x100 relay team.

Addison Knoblauch, Homestead, Sr. – Knoblauch took fourth at the state cross-country meet in the fall to help her team to its first state championship in the sport. The Notre Dame recruit was second at the state outdoor meet in June in the 3,200 meters (10:19.75) behind Park Tudor senior Sophia Kennedy. She is coming off a first place finish at the Nike Hoosier State Relays large school division last week in the 3,200 (10:17.10). Her team also won the distance medley relay.

Hadley Lucas, Bloomington North, Sr. – The Wisconsin commit won the shot put (49-5) at last year’s state meet and took second in the shot put (157-7) after winning both events as a sophomore. Lucas is coming off a title in the shot put (49-9 3⁄4) at the indoor Nike Hoosier State Relays in the large school division.

Emarie Jackson, Greensburg, Sr. –

The Delaware commit won the New Balance Nationals Outdoor championship in the shot put (47-9 1⁄4) last June. Jackson was second at the state meet in the shot put (48-0 1⁄2) and third in the discus (146-10) as a junior. She took first last weekend in the shot put (49-4) at the indoor Nike Hoosier State Relays in the small school division.

Emily Norris, Carmel, Jr. – Norris was part of Carmel’s state champion 4x400-meter state champion at last year’s state meet, setting a school record (3:47.86) and winning by seven seconds. Norris also finished fourth in the 200 (25.02), ran on the fourth-place 4x100 relay team (47.76) and was 10th in the 100. She took sixth in the 60 meters (7.73) at the indoor Nike Hoosier State Relays large school division last weekend.

Josie Page, Wood Memorial, Sr. –

The Indiana recruit, also a standout in basketball, won the high jump state championship last season (5-10), edging Noblesville’s Malina Miller and Heritage Christian’s Kya Crooke.

Joey Rastrelli, Warsaw, Sr. – The Indiana commit finished second last June in the 1,600 meters (4:49.49) behind Delta’s Nicki Southerland. She finished 11th last fall at the state cross country meet.

Laya Lapri Ratney, Gary West Side, Sr. – Ratney took fifth in last year’s state meet in the 100 hurdles (14.42 seconds). She took second at the indoor Nike Hoosier State Relays large school division last weekend in the 60 hurdles (8.78 seconds) in a tight race with Warren Central senior Laila Smith.

Julia Score, Bishop Chatard, So. – Score was one of the top distance runners in the state as a freshman, finishing fourth in the state meet in the 1,600 meters (4:56.28) and seventh in the 3,200 (10:49.81). Score took third in the state cross-country meet in the fall. She competed on Chatard’s winning 4x800 relay team at the Nike Hoosier State Relays small school division last weekend.

Laila Smith, Warren Central, Sr. – Smith returned after missing her sophomore year due to injury and had a breakout season. At the state meet last June, she finished second in the 100 hurdles (14.19), second in the long jump (19-5), third in the 300 hurdles (42.97) and third on the 4x400 relay team (3:54.66). At the Nike Hoosier State Relays large school division this spring, Smith was first in the 60 hurdles (8.74 seconds).

Nicki Southerland, Delta, Sr. – The Notre Dame commit won state in the 1,600 meters (4:43.73) last spring and took second in the 800 (2:05.06). That was a year after winning state in the 3,200 (10:22.82) and finishing second in the 1,600. Southerland finished second in the state cross country meet in the fall. She is coming off a victory in the 3,200 meters (10:17.85) in the Nike Hoosier State Relays large school division last weekend.

Lyric Steele, Jeffersonville, Sr. – The Indiana recruit was injured last year but was a star as a sophomore at Charlestown, finishing fifth in the 100 meters (11.95) and fourth in the 200 (24.74) at the state meet. Steele proved she is ready for the season with a victory in the 60 meters (7.50 seconds) at the large school Nike Hoosier State Relays in indoor meet this spring.

Maya Taylor, Fishers, Sr. – Taylor was second in the 200 meters (24.78 seconds) at the state meet last June behind Connersville freshman Ahniyah Bennett. She was also on the Tigers’ second-place 4x100 relay team (47.01 seconds) and was sixth in the 100 (12.02 seconds).

Delaney Teachnor, Noblesville, Sr. – Teachnor won the pole vault (12-6) at the indoor Nike Hoosier State Relays in the large school division. She was fourth last year at the state meet.

Jila Vaden, Warren Central, Sr. – Vaden took third in the long jump (18-11) at last year’s state meet and ran on the Warriors’ third-place teams in the 4x100 relay (47.44 seconds) and 4x400 relay (3:54.66). Vaden won the long jump (20-0 1⁄2) at the large school Nike Hoosier State Relays in indoor meet and ran on the third place 4x400 relay team.

Lariah Wooden, Crispus Attucks, Sr. – The Eastern Kentucky commit won the sectional and regional and then finished fifth at the state meet in the shot put (44-1 1⁄2) as a junior. Her personal best of 45-10 should put her again in the mix for a high finish at state. Wooden also competes in the discus.