The Kansas Indoor season was ruled by the Washburn Be Your Best series, Prentice Gudgen Invitational, Rock Chalk Open, and several other out of state meets. With no State championship meet, the indoor rankings are reserved for the athletes who choose to compete unattached or with a club team. Nevertheless, several of the State's best performed admirably this winter.
Here are the six nominees for Kansas Indoor Performer of the Year. Voting will close on Friday March 28th at 12:00pm.
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Katelyn Rupe - Salina Central - Rupe competed twice this winter, once at Washburn's third Be Your Best meet and the other time at New Balance Indoor Nationals. She ran 9:56.55 for 3K and 16:32.88, finishing second at NBNI with the latter time.
Ryin Miller - Topeka Seaman - Miller continued her incredible junior campaign with a 4:55.20 1600 and 9:50.27 mark in the 3K. Both performances were tops in the state in their respective event.
Aria Pearce - Unattached (Rock Creek) - The super sophomore had a busy indoor season this winter. Though she was unable to set a personal best in either of the 60, 200, or 400, she did finish the season with the top marks in the State: 7.57, 23.93, and 55.23.
Jessa Losew - Hutchinson-Central Christian - Losew, a three-time gold medalist in 1A last spring, hit the top marks in the high jump and triple jump this winter. She cleared 5-5 in the former and 36-9.25 in the latter.
Ashley Lehman - Hesston - Lehman's KS No. 1 mark came in the pole vault where she cleared 12-1.75, just a shade off the 12-3 mark she posted last spring. She could make her hay in any of a half-dozen events this spring, but with 7.92, 26.00, and 57.88 indoor personal bests in the 60, 200, and 400, our guess is as good as yours as to which events she puts her focus on this spring.
Audrey Brown - Blue Valley North - Brown's junior season came to an abrupt end due to injury, but she has climbed back into the driver's seat in the long sprints/middle distance events. She ran 56.90 and a KS No. 1 2:14.20 in the 400 and 800, respectively, the latter being a 6-second lifetime best.