Photo by Maxx Bradley of The Lead Pack
After four years of hard work, the class of 2023 has completed their high school careers. Kansas MileSplit has selected an elite group of seniors to highlight in our "Senior Salute" summer series. Across all six classes and eighteen events, we will release seven articles featuring an individual senior, and three videos featuring a pair of seniors linked in some way. After fighting through a COVID year as freshmen, and embracing the releases of the next generation of 'super' spikes, the class of 2023 has seen it all. Now, it's time to look back on the remarkable careers of Kansas' best.
Today, our salute turns to Olathe North graduate, Ka'Liyah Jordan. One of over 2000 students at Olathe North, Jordan has shown to be the best of the best. A pure speedster, she's been the Ace for the Eagles since her high school debut in 2021. A dedicated tracklete, she's spent time with the Hot Feet & KC Novas track clubs in the KC Metro, attending indoor club meets and outdoor USATF & AAU championships.
Kaliyah's first results were uploaded to MileSplit in 2019, for the AAU summer postseason. She competed in the 100, 200, and long jump in El Dorado for the Missouri Valley District Qualifier. In the 100 & 200, she qualified all the way through districts, Region 16, and to the AAU Junior Olympic Games. She was 4th in her 100 & 200 heats that included girls upwards of 2 years older than her, including Leavenworth standout Dhakiya Blake.
As a freshman, Jordan was able to get a few indoor races under her belt before the pandemic, including winning her first 60m at Northwest Missouri State in February. After that, it was a long 11 months before she would compete again. In January of 2021, she found a few more indoor meets, both in Kansas City's HyVee Arena and at Northwest Missouri. Up to this point, though, she was still competing for Hot Feet. On March 25th, however, she donned the red & blue of Olathe North for the first time at their home Preseason Classic. Not only did she compete, but she won the 100 & 200, setting the tone for her entire career as an Eagle.
She won her first 7 races during that sophomore season, before getting her first taste of defeat from Blue Valley Southwest Senior Emily Ervin in the 200. Ervin would go on to become the 5A champion in that event. Jordan would continue to shine throughout the season, though, winning the 100-meter at the renowned SM North Relays, and the 200-meter at the Sunflower League. She would finish her high school season as state runner-up in both events. That summer, she continued her pursuit of excellence, breaking 25 for the first time in the 200 at the AAU Games, and setting her all-time long jump PR at the Sunflower Games.
As a junior, Jordan found her way to Washburn, Northwest Missouri, HyVee Arena, and KU's Anchutz Pavilion during the indoor season. In her best indoor season to date, she PR'd right away in the 200, set her lifetime best in the 60 at 7.54, and even showed her range with a 400m.
Outdoor for Olathe North, she never lost. Undefeated in both the 100 and 200 all season, she was a champion at SM North, Sunflower League, and 6A State. Her regional 100m time of 11.62 is still her all-time best. She even went on to the USATF Junior Championship, placing 3rd in the 200 with a lifetime best of 24.23 and winning the 100m.
As a senior, she competed indoor at the Arkansas Invitational, seeing many of the nation's best high schoolers. Outdoor, she had another perfect season, capping off a high school winning streak of 31 straight. To cap it all off, she went to the Track Mecca of the USA: Eugene, Oregon, for Nike Outdoor Nationals, where she placed 16th in the 200 and qualified for finals to place 9th in the 100. Looking into the future, Jordan has chosen to become an Oklahoma Sooner for her college career. The Crimson & Cream have one more year in the Big 12 before heading to the sprint-heavy SEC. Regardless of the conference, though, Ka'Liyah Jordan is sure to shine.