Vote: Who will win IndyStar 2026 Boys Track Athlete of the Year?
· Yahoo Sports
From state record holders to athletes on a quest for a podium finish, the 2026 IHSAA boys track season features dozens of electrifying athletes who all have potential to be named IndyStar Track Athlete of the Year! Vote in the poll at the bottom of the article for who you believe will claim the honor!
The poll will close Friday, April 17, at noon.
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Evan Williams, Lawrence Central
The Lawrence Central senior has put on a clinic to start the season. Williams has the best time in the 60 (6.71) and 60 hurdles (7.57) in the state. He registered the times during his first-place finish in both events at Hoosier State Relays on March 28. Williams hasn’t finished below second this season in either race. Williams finished second in the 110 hurdles at state last season.
Blake Larrison, Pike
The Plainfield senior has the fifth-best 60 time in the state at 6.84. Larrison placed first at Mid-State Indoor on March 7 and finished third in the large-schools final at HSR. Larrison finished third in the 100 at sectional last year.
Rylan Hainje, Franklin Central
Rylan Hainje has reminded everyone why he’s one of the nation’s best track stars. Hainje finished second at HSR in the large-schools 60 hurdles with a time of 7.72. He recorded a season’s best of 7.58 in a first-place finish at Brownsburg Hoosiers Crossroads Conference Indoor. The Franklin Central senior placed first in the 60 hurdles at Fall Creek Pavilion Qualifier on March 17 and at the Warren Central Qualifier on March 4, when he also posted a season’s best 6.84 in the 60 meters. Hainje won a state title in the 110 and 300 hurdles last season. He broke the state record in both events.
Graham Adams, Ben Davis
The Ben Davis sophomore failed to advance to the 60 meters large-school state final at HSR after posting a 13th-place time of 7.02. However, Adams has managed to put together a solid early start to the campaign. He placed fourth at the Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference Indoor Championships on March 20 with a time of 6.93, the second highest time among Central Indiana underclassmen. Adams also finished fourth in the event at the Whiteland HSR qualifier. Adams finished fifth in the 100 at sectional last season but failed to advance past regional.
Kiren Oliver, Pike
Oliver has the 15th-fastest 60 hurdles time in the state after posting a time of 8.19 at MIC Indoor, where she finished second. The Pike sophomore placed second at Red Devil Rumble HSR Qualifier on March 14 with a time of 8.30. At the Red Devil Classic HSR Qualifier on March 7, Oliver finished second with a time of 8.39. Oliver placed fourth in the 300 hurdles at sectional as a freshman.
Ashton Hultman, Brownsburg
Although the Brownsburg sophomore finished 22nd in the 3,200 meters at HSR, it shouldn’t take away from the success the young Bulldog star has experienced so far this season. Hultman placed second with a season’s best time of 9:39.00 at Brownsburg Last Chance. He finished fourth at Brownsburg Individuals with a time of 9:47.11.
Tanner Sparks, Bishop Chatard
The Chatard freshman finished sixth in the small-school 60 hurdles final at HSR with a time of 8.41. He placed fifth at the Fall Creek Pavilion HSR Qualifer No. 2 (8.47) on March 17, seventh at the Warren Central HSR Qualifier (8.86) on March 11, second at the Whiteland HSR Qualifier (season’s best 8.27) on March 6 and third at the first Fall Creek HSR Qualifier (8.60) on March 3.
Sam Irish, Hamilton Southeastern
The HSE sophomore failed to advance to the large-schools 60 hurdles final at HSR, but was able to register a personal best time of 8.49. He captured third place at Brownsburg Last Chance and fifth at Brownsburg Hoosiers Crossroads Conference Indoor with a time of 8.71. Irish finished third at Blue and White Relays with a time of 8.69.
Lucas Bartlett, Carmel
Bartlett showed why he’s one of the best long-distance runners in Indiana when he finished third in the large-schools 3,200 final at HSR with a season’s best time of 9:10.07. He’s on track for a podium finish at state after finishing 13th in the 3,200 last season.
Jamarion Lane, Avon
The Avon junior didn’t advance to the large-schools 60 hurdles final at HSR, but he has still managed to put together an impressive start to the campaign. Lane finished second at Brownsburg HCC Indoor on March 11 with a time of 8.07. Lane aims for a state appearance after failing to qualify for regional last season.
Brayden Jake, Warren Central
Jake secured a podium finish at state last year after the Warriors placed eighth in the 4x100 relay. This year, the Warren Central junior hopes to capture an individual medal. His performances this season should give him the confidence to accomplish his goal. He placed third in the 60 with a time of 6.92 at the Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference Indoor Championships on March 20. Jake followed a second-place finish in the first Whiteland HSR Qualifier with a victory at the second qualifier meet on March 13.
Banner Barnes, Noblesville
Barnes has the fourth-fastest time in the 3,200 this season at 9:08.29, which he posted in his first-place finish in the large-schools final at HSR. The Noblesville junior, who finished fifth in the 1,600 at state last season, also placed first at the IWU/Marion HSR Qualifier on March 7.
Liam Powers, Hamilton Southeastern
Powers has the ninth-fastest time (9:10.38) in the 3,200 this season. He registered the time in the large-schools final at HSR, where he finished fourth. The HSE senior placed second at HCC Indoor and helped lead the Royals to victory in the distance medley relay at Blue and White Relays on March 7. He finished ninth in the 3,200 at state last season.
Seffrin Smith, Guerin Catholic
The Guerin Catholic senior finished first in the small-schools 60 hurdles final at HSR, clocking 8.10. Smith also placed first at the Whiteland HSR Qualifier on March 13 and at the Brownsburg Individuals on March 7 to start the season.
Joseph Jefferson, Zionsville
Jefferson placed first in the 60 hurdles with a time of 8.15 at the Red Devil Last Chance HSR Qualifier on March 21. He produced the same result two weeks earlier at the IWU/Marion qualifier in 8.25. The Zionsville senior registered a fourth-place finish at HCC Indoor. Jefferson aims to advance to state this season after placing eighth in the 110 hurdles at regional last year. He placed third at sectional.
Brandon Haas, Brownsburg
The Brownsburg senior has two individual first-place finishes this season. His first came at Brownsburg Individuals, where he ran the 1,600 in 4:26.61. He recorded a time of 9:17.02 in the 3,200 at HCC Indoor. Haas placed sixth in the large-schools 3,200 final at HSR. Haas finished fourth in the 1,600 at regional last season.
Keegan Terry, North Central
The North Central junior hopes to advance to state this season after finishing eighth in the 1,600 at regional last year. Terry finished fourth in the 3,200 with a time of 9:34.38 at the Fall Creek Pavilion Qualifier on March 3. Terry has raced in mostly relays this season, but has fared well in individual competitions, claiming eight in the large-schools 3,200 final at HSR with a season’s best time of 9:18.20.
Carter Chitwood-Bedolla, Franklin
Chitwood-Bedolla placed fifth in the 60 meters at Mid-State Indoor on March 17 with a time of 7.14, the same time he produced in a sixth-place finish at the Warren Central HSR Qualifier on March 11. Chitwood-Bedolla posted a season’s best time of 6.98 in a fifth-place performance at the Whiteland HSR Qualifier on March 6.
Cameron Berry, Cathedral
Berry’s time of 6.96 in the 60 meters at Fall Creek HSR Qualifier is the 27th-best is the state. He finished third at the meet. On March 13, the Cathedral freshman finished fifth with a time of 7.02 at the Whiteland HSR Qualifier. He placed 16th in the large-school prelims at HSR.
Emmanuel Armstrong, Brownsburg
Armstrong placed 21st in the large-schools 60 hurdles prelims. The Brownsburg sophomore finished seventh with a time of 9.51 at Brownsburg Last Chance. He placed a season’s best of 8.44 in the prelim at Brownsburg HCC Indoor. He finished sixth in the final with a time of 8.80. Armstrong captured third place at Brownsburg Individuals with a time of 8.60. Armstrong finished fifth in the 100 at sectional last season.
Blake Matthews, Center Grove
The sophomore’s time of 6.87 in the 60 meters posted at the Whiteland Hoosier State Relays Qualifier on March 13 is the best among Indy-area underclassmen. Matthews placed first in the prelims at the qualifier meet before finishing eight in the final with a time of 8.23. Matthew placed fourth in the 100 and third in the 200 at sectional last season.
Grant VanNahem, Carmel
The sophomore Greyhound finished 12th in the 3,200 large-schools final at HSR with a time of 9:24.56. VanNahem helped lead Carmel to second place in the distance medley relay at the Brownsburg Bulldog Last Chance meet on March 21. He finished fourth in at the IWU/Marion HSR Qualifier on March 7 with a time of 9:36.62.
Marshall Stout, Brownsburg
The Brownsburg freshman posted a fifth-place time of 9:42.36 in the 3,200 meters at Last Chance. His performance slotted him top 50 in the state. Stout finished third at Brownsburg Individuals on March 7 with a time of 9:45.78.
RaShaud Alexander, Warren Central
The Warren Central sophomore holds the ninth-best time in the 60 hurdles this season at 8.12, which he posted in a second-place finish at MIC Indoor. Alexander has had an active second year, placing second at the Red Devils Last Chance HSR Qualifier, fourth at the Whiteland HSR Qualifier No. 1 and third at the second Whiteland HSR Qualifier. Alexander placed seventh in the 110 hurdles at regional and third at sectional.
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This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Vote: IndyStar 2026 Boys Track Preseason Athlete of the Year poll