The national 600 recordsetter as a junior, AOY Athing Mu added the 500 this year. (VICTOR SAILER/PHOTO RUN)
THERE WEREN’T ANY EVENTS in her range where Athing Mu (Central, Trenton, New Jersey) didn’t put her footprints on the yearly list: 300 HSL (and No. 3 ever at 37.36), 400 No. 2 (53.14), 500 HSR (1:10.22), 600 No. 7 (1:31.77), 800 No. 4 ever (2:04.08). She was an easy choice as the Girls AOY.
Honorable Mention status to Tamari Davis (East Ridge, Clermont, Florida), Monique Hardy (Thomas, Webster, New York), Morgan Smalls (Panther Creek, Cary, North Carolina), Marlee Starliper (Northern, Dillsburg, Pennsylvania) and Juliette Whittaker (Mt. de Sales, Catonsville, Maryland).
Davis, a junior, had a limited season, turning pro early, but not before she equaled the national 60 record of 7.19. Hardy whirled the weight 66-11¼ for No. 2 ever. The versatile Smalls led both the HJ (6-0) and TJ (42-10) lists and was No. 2 in the LJ (20-2½). Starliper ended up atop the yearly lists in four events: 1500 (4:19.40 for No. 5 ever), mile (4:37.76 for No. 4 ever), 2000 (6:06.17 for No. 2 ever) and 3000 (9:07.14 for No. 3 ever). Whitaker led the 800 (2:03.01 for No. 3 ever) and 1000 (2:45.49 for No. 6 ever) charts.
Previous HS Girls Indoor Athletes Of The Year
With Katelyn Tuohy falling short in her bid for a record third-straight AOY title, Athing Mu moved to the forefront. This century’s No. 1s:
2020
Athing Mu (Central, Trenton, New Jersey)
300–800
2019
Katelyn Tuohy (North Rockland, Thiells, New York).
distances
2018
——Tuohy .
distances
2017
Sammy Watson (Rush-Henrietta, Henrietta, New York)
500–1000
2016
Vashti Cunningham (Gorman, Las Vegas, Nevada)
high jump
2015
Sydney McLaughlin (Union Catholic, Scotch Plains, New Jersey)
long sprints/hurdles
2014
Raven Saunders (Burke, Charleston, South Carolina)
shot
2013
Mary Cain (Bronxville, New York)
distances
2012
Ajee’ Wilson (Neptune, New Jersey)
800
2011
Aisling Cuffe (Cornwall Central, New Windsor, New York)
