The nominees for athlete of the year include a world champion, two Olympians and numerous record-setters

By Erik Boal of DyeStat

Vote for the DyeStat High School Girls Performer of the Year below after reviewing this year's nominees

It was another fantastic year for high school girls track and field and that was rewarded at the top of the sport when prep stars went head to head successfully against pros. The nominees for athlete of the year include a world champion, two Olympians and numerous record-setters. Please vote for your top choice.

Christina Aragon (Billings Senior MT)

A Montana state champion in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200, she ran US#4 all-time in the 1,500 with her 4:08.71 to earn a bronze medal at the U-20 World Championships. She also placed second in the US Junior Championships and advanced to the semifinals of the Olympic Trials, in addition to running the year’s fourth-fastest time in the 800 at 2:05.65.

Elena Bruckner (San Jose Valley Christian CA)

The only female athlete to rank in the top five in US prep history outdoors in both the shot put and discus throw. She produced a national-leading 186-10 discus, fourth all-time, and set the California state shot put record with her 54-7 to rank as the No. 5 all-time performer. She placed seventh in both events at the U-20 World Championships.

Anna Cockrell (Providence Day NC)

After finishing in the top three in the 60-meter hurdles and the 200 at New Balance Nationals Indoor, she became the national outdoor leader and US#6 all-time in the 300 hurdles in 40.42. She placed fourth in the 100 hurdles in 13.17 at New Balance Nationals Outdoor, tying for 10th all-time. She was second in the 400 hurdles at the New Balance Nationals and US Junior Championships, advanced to the Olympic Trials semifinals and won the gold medal at the U-20 World Championships in 55.20, making her the US#2 all-time prep performer.

Vashti Cunningham (Bishop Gorman NV)

Captured a World Indoor high jump title in Portland by clearing 6-5 after winning the American Indoor championship with a 6-6.25 clearance, setting US Junior and national high school records. After passing on her final season of high school eligibility, she signed a professional contract with Nike, then made the American roster after placing second with a 6-5.50 clearance at the Olympic Trials. She finished 13th in her Olympic debut in Rio de Janeiro.

Emma Fitzgerald (Thayer Academy MA)

After winning New Balance Nationals Outdoor and US Junior titles in the heptathlon, Fitzgerald produced the second-highest score by an American prep female with her 5,577 to place eighth at the U-20 World Championships, missing the national record by one point. She also finished the year with US#4 166-1 in the javelin throw.

Lynna Irby (Pike IN)

After sweeping Indiana state titles in the 100, 200 and 400 meters, she won the US Junior National Championship in the 400, before securing the silver medal at the U-20 World Championships in 51.39, making her the No. 7 all-time US prep performer.

Tia Jones (George Walton Comprehensive GA)

She set the national high school and World Youth records as a freshman in the 100-meter hurdles by running 12.84 in the semifinals of the US Junior Championships, also making her the US#2 Junior performer all-time. She finished second in the US Junior final, before bringing home a bronze medal in 12.89 at the U-20 World Championships.

Weini Kelati (Heritage VA)

In her final year of prep competition, she won New Balance Nationals Indoor and Outdoor titles in both the 2-mile and 5,000, setting a national indoor record 16:08.33 in the latter. During the outdoor season, she also ran 9:53.40 in the 3,200, making the US#8 all-time prep performer.

Claudia Lane (Malibu CA)

She became only the fifth sophomore in the 38-year history of the Foot Locker Nationals to win the girls title, including the first since 2012, running the ninth-fastest 5-kilometer time of 17:04.8 at Balboa Park’s Morley Field. She set sophomore course records at Woodward Park and both the 2.91-mile and 5-kilometer distances at Mt. SAC.

Sydney McLaughlin (Union Catholic NJ)

The youngest American female to make the US Olympic team since 1972 as a high school junior, she set World Junior and national high school records by running 54.15 in the 400-meter hurdles to place third at the US Trials on her way to reaching the semifinals in Rio de Janeiro. She also set the national high school indoor 400 record of 51.84 to win the New Balance National title, in addition to defending her NBNO championship in the 400 hurdles.

Aaliyah Miller (McKinney Boyd TX)

She ran the No. 2 prep 800-meter time in the country this year and ninth all-time at 2:02.96 in the finals of the US Junior Championships, before capturing the silver medal in the U-20 World Championships in 2:05.06.

Kate Murphy (Lake Braddock VA)

The US#3 all-time prep performer in the 1,500 with her 4:07.21 to win the adidas Boost Boston Games, she went on to reach the semifinals of the Olympic Trials. She captured the 3,000 title at the US Junior Championships in 9:10.51 to become the fifth-fastest high school athlete in history, then finished 12th in the U-20 World Championships.

Brie Oakley (Grandview CO)

She won Colorado Class 5A state championships in the 1,600 and 3,200, in addition to a personal-best 10:08.89 to finish third in the Brooks PR 2-mile, before going undefeated throughout the cross country season to set the state record with her 17:07.8 at the Norris Penrose Events Center and capture the Nike Cross Nationals title in 17:10.1 to finish as the country’s No. 1 runner.

Katie Rainsberger (Air Academy CO)

The New Balance Nationals Indoor mile champion in US#3 all-time 4:36.61, she swept outdoor state titles in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200. After becoming the sixth-fastest prep performer in history with her 4:12.62 in the 1,500 at the Portland Track Festival, she placed seventh in the 3,000 at the U-20 World Championships in 9:00.62, the US#2 all-time performance.

Sammy Watson (Rush-Henrietta NY)

During indoor competition, she ran US#2 all-time 2:45.32 in the 1,000 meters, in addition to US#3 in prep history 1:29.53 in the 600 and became the No. 6 high school performer with her 2:05.11 in the 800 to win the New Balance National title. She captured the US Junior outdoor 800 crown in 2:02.91, good for US#8 all-time, and after competing at the Olympic Trials, concluded her junior year by winning the gold medal at the U-20 World Championships in 2:04.52.

Alyssa Wilson (Monsignor Donovan NJ)

She improved to the No. 2 all-time prep performer in both the indoor and outdoor shot put, capturing the New Balance Nationals Outdoor title in the latter with her 55-9.25. After placing third at the U-20 World Championships, she opened her indoor season with a 55-9.50 shot put at the Bishop Loughlin Games.