ALL-USA PRESEASON

The All-USA preseason girls track and field team for the 2018-19 season was selected by Fred Baer, the founder of Track and Field Writers of America, and Mike Kennedy, the high school editor for Track & Field News.

What can returning All-USA girls track and field athlete of the year Katelyn Tuohy do for an encore following one of the greatest seasons of high school distance running as a sophomore?

Expectation are high since the North Rockland (Thiells, New York) junior has already set a national high school indoor record at 3,000 meters this winter, running 9:01.81 on Jan. 26 in the Dr. Sander Invitational to smash the mark of 9:04.51 set by All-USA TODAY star Mary Cain of Bronxsville (New York) in 2013. In March, Tuohy won the New Balance Indoor Nationals 2-mile in 9:51.05, No. 2 on the all-time performance list to Cain’s record of 9:38.68 in 2013. She ranks high on the all-time lists for every outdoor race from 1,500 through 2 miles. In December, Tuohy successfully defended her Nike NXN cross country national title in Portland (Oregon), bettering her own course record.

A pole vaulter is off to the fastest start in girls field events this season. Chloe Cunliffe, a senior at West Seattle (Seattle), has set all-time high school records, both indoors (14-9) and outdoors (14-8), all within less than a month’s time.

There should be an emphasis on speed again. Three All-USA first-team sprinters return — Tamari Davis of Gainesville (Florida), Brianna Williams of Northeast (Oakland Park, Florida), and Arria Minor of East (Denver) — joining rising freshman star, Kayla Davis of Providence Day (Charlotte, North Carolina).