INdoors 2017--Collegiate & HS AOY's

And here's the 2nd half of my Awards Banquet!!
Too little space to cover all 4 of my core groups, I had to split them into 2 posts!
In this, you'll find my AOY's, POY's EOY's, and Personalities of the Year for the College and High School crowds!
Please refer to my World & US post for all the usual Rules & Regs!!
Onward!!

Athlete of the Year--Collegiate Men
CHRISTIAN COLEMAN
A VERY simple choice--and probably not surprising to you at all--especially if you've read my World & US post already!!
Two wins at NCAA's, two fantastic World & US-leading times--two incredibly strong races--both against top Collegiate competition!!

Honorable Mentions
This list is long!
What a year this was for Records broken & great marks making my DDD's!
So I must give honorifics to everyone deserving of them!
We'll start with Fred Kerley, whose legendary season in the 400 has already been described!
But I need to once again say I was most impressed with his Lead-Off Relay leg of 44.96!
Don't believe I've ever heard of a LEAD-OFF leg in a Collegiate Relay being sub-45 seconds!!
It being the 1st leg, it's easier to believe this was his REAL time---not one aided by a running start!
How about the TWO Collegiate Record breakers in the 600--Emmanuel Korir, then Isaiah Harris?!
(Korir's was the WORLD Record---for one week!!)
Then we have the inimitable (& legendary!) Mr Edward Cheserek!!
He of the CR in the Mile--then a week later, FINALLY being revealed as breaking the CR in the 1500 enroute!!--in a race against Pro's!!
Weird that he actually LOST his mile race at the NCAA's!!
Chris Nilsen finally jumped (or I should say Vaulted!!) ahead of his HS PR--as a Collegiate Frosh!
He's now the leading Collegiate PV'er!
Mustafa Hassan suddenly added 3 feet or so to his PR in the SP, almost hitting the 70 foot mark in a fairly weak year for the event--the World round!!
KeAndre Bates won the NCAA Long Jump--yet his specialty is the TJ--where he was 2nd!
Still, consistent in his production of top marks all season!

Performance of the Year--Collegiate Men
CHRISTIAN COLEMAN!!
That good ol' 200 again!!

Honorable Mentions
Sorry for repeating myself, but top athletes produce the leading marks--normally!
So kudos--AGAIN!--to Fred Kerley for his Relay leg & his 44.85 World-leading 400!
To Mr's Korir & Harris--for their fantastic 600 times--Korir's being the 1st under 1:15!!
To King Ches, for his TWO Collegiate Records!!
To Mr Hassan, for his "shot" up the ranks of Collegiate (& World) Shot Putters!
To KeAndre Bates, for possibly becoming the next great American Horizontal Jumps Master!!
To Chris Nilsen, for a solid steady year of top PV marks!
Finally, to a pair of Heptathletes, who produced a real dog-fight in the most important Collegiate meet of the season!
Tim Duckworth was well ahead of Devon Williams leading into the 1000!
But while the British National Record holder jogged his race (Well, maybe HE didn't think he was jogging!!  LOL), Devon raced his!
The result?
A win by the Georgia ace--by 12 points--both getting solid PR's--and for Duckworth, a new NR!!

Event of the Year--Collegiate Men
The 600--of course!
Eight Men added their names to my DDD list with 2017 marks!
The Heptathlon and the Relays added 6 apiece to their lists!
BTW, all 6 Relay marks came in the 4X400!
The DMR struck out this season!!

Personality of the Year
ED CHESEREK
I've often been critical of King Ches's tactics in a race--a younger clone of Sir MoBot's methods!!
But, as he proved with his CR's in the Mile & 1500 against Professional runners, when he WANTS & NEEDS to run fast, he CAN!!
He gets this award NOT solely for those great marks, but for being the core focus of his opponents daily nightmares!!
They seemingly GIVE him the race--knowing always he'll come whizzing by on his way to 10 more points for his beloved Oregon Ducks!
On top of his athletic ability, he's a crowd pleaser!
He PERFORMS---in the way a certain Mr Prefontaine once did!
The crowd just eats it up!
And he's a really NICE dude!!
Can't wait for his US citizenship papers to come through!

Athlete of the Year--Collegiate Women
RAVEN SAUNDERS
Forget the fact that Valerie Adams & Christina Schwanitz were missing this season!
Forget the fact that the American Record holder was almost so!
When a COLLEGIATE athlete leads the WORLD, you forget that she did so in a weakened event!!
By any measurement, that's an impressive place to be for one so young--especially in an event known to be most welcoming to athletes in their late 20's or 30's!!
She's 10 years ahead of her time!!
She led the World most of the year--until Anita Marton (No slouch!!) skipped ahead of her!
Then, just days later, Raven answered the challenge!
With a sixth round effort, she punched the ball out 64-2.25--saying "Take THAT, World!!"!
And that, as they say, was that!

Honorable Mentions!
Again, so many!!
Keturah Orji probably deserves EQUAL billing with Ms Saunders---and I almost gave them BOTH the top prize!!--but in the end, Orji's standing against the World didn't quite match Saunders's!
Jazmin Fray shocked many with her 2:43.15 1000 early in the season!
But the real shocker came a bit later, when she broke the CR in the 800!!
Hannah Cunliffe put down her selfie camera, and took up some HARD training--the result being the CR in the 60, and a solid season of top 60 & 200 times!
Karissa Schweizer also shocked many--maybe including herself!!--with her NCAA Cross Country victory!
She then opened up INdoors with a fast December 5000!
She ended it with a fast 5000 (5th A-T) in the Championship final!!
In a year when the HJ generally took a back seat to most other events, Madaline Fagan jumped 6-4 to win the NCAA's!
No one saw that coming!!
Sha'Keela Saunders LJ'ed 22-7.75--just one-quarter inch away from nabbing the title of "Co-CR holder"!!
And this was a GREAT year for Women in the Collegiate LJ!!
Kendell Williams & Taliyah Brooks put on a good battle for top honors in the Pentathlon!
While Williams won, both deserve HM's!!
Finally, ONE of the Weeks twins had a FANTASTIC year in the Pole Vault---and it wasn't the Rio Olympian!!
Sister Tori took over the event--temporarily???--from Sister Lexi--becoming the latest Collegian to clear 15 feet!!

Performance of the Year--Collegiate Women
KETURAH ORJI & RAVEN SAUNDERS
One broke her own American and Collegiate Records.
The other broke her own Collegiate Record--and led the WORLD!
BOTH get my top prize in this category!!
There was no way I could think to separate them, so I didn't!
(BTW, the Collegiate Coaches Association ALSO gave both their award--but for AOY!!)

Honorable Mentions
Ms's Cunliffe, Fray, Schweizer, Williams, and Tori Weeks get listed here--for reasons stated above!
But add Sha'Keela Saunders for her ALMOST getting the LJ CR!!

Special Mention
Deajah Stevens was DQ'ed in her 200 race at NCAA's!
She didn't win, she didn't place, she didn't get the Collegiate Record!
Yet she accomplished all three---UNTIL videos showed her blatantly running out of her lane--several times!
But her time--even if not legal--of 22.28 was so phenomenal--It would have shattered the CR by 0.12 seconds!!--that I can't NOT make mention of it here!
If only!

Another Special Mention goes out to the UO Women's DMR time of 10:48.77, as well as USC's 4X400 Relay time of 3:27.03--both of which get the title of Collegiate Record holders!!

Event of the Year--Collegiate Women
The Relays!!
While the 4X400 has 7 Schools with 2017 times, while the DMR has 3, BOTH get the prize for EOY!
But the 800 and 60H got 5 each!
Top field events were the PV and SP, with 4 apiece!

Personality of the Year--Collegiate Women
RAVEN SAUNDERS & HANNAH CUNLIFFE
Both are great athletes, as noted above!
But both have personalities to die for!
Saunders just EXUDES a dynamic that EXPLODES in your face!!
Yet her smile & energy & genuine humanity tell you she's been a WINNER all her life, and will continue to be!!
As for Cunliffe, I first became aware of her MOSTLY through her ubiquitous presence on Twitter during her last year of High School!
She would post these glamorous selfies--all showing an exotic brunette who thought so much of herself, she couldn't stop sending all these photos of herself out to the world!
Nothing "bad"---but definitely at least PG-13 rated!
Segue to College, where she suddenly leaves Oklahoma to go to Oregon, erupting into this still-glamorous--but now HUGELY talented Woman ready for MAJOR advances in her running career!
She might still LOVE the camera, but now that side of herself has emerged into a crowd-pleasing attitude that just screams "I'm the BEST, and that's why you LOVE me!"!!
She just might be the next Lolo Jones-Maggie Vessey-Michelle Jenneke combined!!

Athlete of the Year--High School Men
ARMAND "MONDO" DUPLANTIS
Just one friggin' word--INCREDIBLE!!
What more need be said about a guy who's been breaking PV records since he was a lad in knickers--and who has broken Age & Class & HS (and now National!!) Records with endless rapidity!
Even though short in stature, he's the fastest rising (pun intended!!) PV'er EVER!!
From 16-1 as a Frosh--just 2 short years ago--to 19-1--as a Junior in HS, this son of former elite Vaulter Dad Greg, has simply rewritten the Record Book!!
Where will it end?
Representing Sweden (through his Mom being Swedish!), he wants to MEDAL in the London World Championships this summer!
Don't doubt him!!

Honorable Mentions
What a year it's been for HS'ers!!
While most of the HSR's went to the Women, the Men did quite well too, thank you!
Besides the 6 produced by our AOY, Trey Cunningham took care of 3 of them--two in the NBIN alone!
(He also got some 55H records, but I don't have those in my Record Book!!)
Then there's Tyrese Cooper!
Breaking records since Age 14 at least, he's been improving ever since!
Just this year, he got Soph Class records in the 200 and 400--the latter just 0.09 seconds shy of the HSR!!
At age 16!!
Then there's Jordan Geist!
While he didn't quite reach Ryan Crouser's INdoor HSR with the 12 pound SP, he DID sort of "nip" Mr Crouser's HSR with the 16!!
Like maybe by FOUR FEET FIVE INCHES!!!
At one time, that made him WORLD LEADER!!
And he's still one of the best--despite throwing that weighted ball in just ONE meet--back in December!!
Others worthy of mention include--
Tripp Piperi, who was shadowed only by Geist in the SP!
DJ Principe, who ran a Mile in 4:00.97, and had a good steady year!
Jacob Wickey, who powered the WT out to the high-70's all season--and beat Geist in a great NBIN showdown!
Kyle Garland, who shocked with a 4150 score in the NBIN Pentathlon!
Brodey Hasty--he of the wild flowing hair (echoes of Evan Jager??)--who took the NBIN Deuce!
Cameron Cooper, who beat a heavy fave in the 800 at The Armory in the number 2 time INdoors in history!

Performance of the Year--High School Men
MONDO DUPLANTIS & JORDAN GEIST
For the 19-1 and the 68-4!
No contest--and no way to break the tie!

Honorable Mentions
To BOTH Cooper's (Ty & Cameron)!
To Principe & Hasty!
To Garland & to Cunningham!!
All incredible, and all who--in most other years--might have been number one!

Special Mentions go to the DMR HSR of 9:56.18 by the Carlisle TC of Pennsylvania, and to the East Orange (NJ) team that shattered the Shuttle Hurdle Relay HSR!!

Event of the Year--High School Men
The 1500 and Mile share the top spot with 6 apiece!
The 3000 had 5--in a year when, obviously, the distances took top billing for the Men!
Best field event was the PV--with 3.

Personality of the Year--High School Men
MONDO DUPLANTIS
This is NOT given for his athletic exploits!
But for what happened AFTER his latest HSR!
He bounced up from the Vault pad, raised his arms in victory--the crowd going apeshit!!--then ran over to Dad Greg, sitting in the stands, and hugged him!!
THAT--to me--spoke volumes!
Such a humble, popular, and loving person!!
Beyond his Vaulting, he'll be a STAR for life!!

Athlete of the Year--High School Women
SAMANTHA "SAMMY" WATSON
Who else?
Beginning by nipping 0.20 off the HSR in the 600, that was the first of FIVE High School Records she destroyed this season!!
Against Professionals, she smashed that 600 mark by 1.54 seconds!
Then, also against Pro's, she first broke Sarah Bowman Brown's HSR in the 1000, then got THAT record by another 2.46 seconds in the final!!
But hold on!
Remember a certain Mary Decker Slaney?
Well, Sammy took care of a record Ms Decker first set 43 years earlier--the 800--by just 0.02 seconds!!
She ran the Mile at NBIN, but decided to just jog it!

Honorable Mentions
Like the Men, LOADED with great athletes!
Sydney McLaughlin breaking her own HSR in the 400, while also getting the amateur HSR in the 300.
Alyssa Wilson, who happened to smash the HSR of Raven Saunders, who had, in turn, smashed the HSR of Michelle Carter!
Where does that place Wilson??
Brie Oakley, the first HS'er to go sub-16:00 in the INdoor 5000, while becoming the SEVENTH consecutive women to break the NBIN Meet Record!!
She added a 9:56.06 Two Mile as icing on the cake!
Lauren Harris, HS's best Walker--EVER!!
Jill Shippee, who invaded Shelby Ashe territory in the WT!
Tara Davis & Chanel Brissett, the season's two best 60H'ers!
But Tara deserves Special Mention, as she broke the HSR in the LJ, and won 2 of 3 events at NBIN--all against top competition!!

Performance of the Year--High School Women
SAMMY WATSON
So much to choose from, but when you crack a HSR set in 1974--and it's 2017!--well, you get the picture!!

Honorable Mentions
Watson's---well, ALL of them!!
Sydney's pair!
Oakley's double dip!
Tara's duo!
And Ms Shippee's explosion forward in the WT--after Gianna Rao had been the dominant  force in that event all season!!

Special Mention goes to Western Branch's (of VA) crushing of the Shuttle Hurdle Relay HSR---by 0.59 seconds!!


Event of the Year--High School Women
The 3000!!
Surprised?
So many ran fast in the NBIN Two Mile--and all got enroute times at 3000!
So THAT helped make this event the winner here, with 7 marks!
The 300 & 400, as well as the WT and PV, each got 5 spots on my DDD's!

Personality of the Year--High School Women
SAMMY WATSON
Breaker of 5 HSR's, this shy-appearing, beautifully-dimpled powerhouse made fans root for her by her humble and ever-ready smile, while hiding in the guise of a fearsome animal once she stepped on the track!
What I most love about her is that she WANTS to  break records, so doesn't seem the type who will sit & kick---even in future Professional races!
And don't count her out as a potential London TeamUSA member this summer!!

Before I close---FINALLY!!--I need to speak of my HS PRO Division!!
This year, it consisted of just ONE member--Candace Hill!
So--obviously, she wins ALL the awards in this category!!
But let me state her credentials!
In her final year of HS--amateur or Pro--Hill ran some of the fastest 300 times by HS girls!
Of course, none of them can count as HSR's!
That's why I created my HS PRO division!!
Anyway, her time of 36.56 came in a race against--sic!--Professionals!
That broke her earlier best of 36.86!
She added a 400 of 53.05 and a 60 of 7.30, the latter of which broke her own HS PRO record from 2016!!
She'll still be a HS PRO OUTdoors, but when she graduates in June, will anyone fill in the gap??

Friends, that is IT!!
But this INdoor season series of Wrap-Ups aren't done yet!
I have one more coming!!
And I'm calling it an "extra" post--as it will detail the numbers behind me saying this was maybe the GREATEST EVER INdoor season for Record Smashing!!
Look for that one in a day or two!!

Then I'll begin my series of OUTdoor Previews!!
Yep, the SUNSHINE Season is UPON us!!

See you soon!