HS Track Returns To Vanderbilt With KYA Indoor Classic

KYA HS Indoor Classic
Ben Thompson

Almost Three Years Ago

The last time a high school indoor track and field competition was contested at Vanderbilt was February 22nd, 2020 roughly a month after the first case of COVID-19 was detected in the United States. A sense of uncertainty cast a shadow over the entire competition. For most, it was the last high school track competition that would occur that year. For some, it was their last high school event ever. Indoor track and field competitions were seemingly restricted to just the CrossPlex Facility in Birmingham the following year. In 2022, Tennesseans bounced between Johnson City, Louisville, and Alabama again. On Saturday, almost three years later, Knoxville Youth Athletics will bring high school indoor track back to Nashville and the over 1000 entries are teeming with Tennessee's finest. Here's are just the athletes who have won an outdoor state title that are scheduled to compete on Saturday. 

Schedule | Performance List | Heat Sheets

State Champion Entries

Girls Sprints & Hurdles

  • Alima Kassim - 60m, 200m (2022 DII Class A 200m State Champion)
  • Danielle Dunning - 60m, 200m (2022 DI Class A 100m Dash State Champion)
  • Avia Lane - 60m, 200m, 400m (2022 DI Class AA 100m, 200m Dash State Champion)
  • Erica Douglas - 60m, 200m (2022 DII Class AA 100m, 200m Dash State Champion)
  • Maddox Mayfield - 60m, 200m, 400m (2022 DI Class AA 400m State Champion)
  • Denver Winters - 60m Hurdles, 200m Dash (2022 DI AAA 300m Hurdles State Champion)
  • Evie Culbreath - 60m Hurdles (2022 DII Class AA 100mH, Pentathlon State Champion)
  • Aubrey Lane - 60m Hurdles (2022 DII Class A Pentathlon State Champion)

Girls Distance

Girls Field

  • Mensi Stiff - Shot Put (2022 DII Class AA Shot, Discus State Champion)
  • Halli Olivo - High Jump (2022 DII Class AA High Jump State Champion)
  • Caroline Weems - Pole Vault (2022 DII Class AA Pole Vault State Champion)
  • Alyssa Raymond - Long Jump (2022 DI Class AA 400m State Champion)

Boys Sprints & Hurdles

  • Jordan Ware - 200m (2022 DI Class AAA 100m, 200m State Champion)
  • Courtland Noble - 200m, 400m (2022 DI Class AAA 400m State Champion)
  • Aiden Carter - 60m Hurdles (2022 DI Class AAA Decathlon State Champion)
  • Sam Fisher - 60m Hurdles (2022 DII Class AA Decathlon State Champion)

Boys Distance

  • Keegan Smith - 800m, Mile (2022 DII Class AA 1600m State Champion)
  • Hugh Carlson - Mile (2022 DII Class AA 3200m State Champion)
  • Isaac Kirby - Mile (2022 DI Class AA 1600m State Champion)
  • Garrett Wilson - Mile (2022 DII Class A 800m State Champion) 

Boys Field

  • Drake Carlson - Shot Put (2022 DII Class AA Shot Put, Discus State Champion)
  • Kyler Nichols - Pole Vault (2022 DI Class AAA Pole Vault State Champion)
  • Zavien Wolfe - Long Jump (2022 DI Class AAA Long Jump, Triple Jump State Champion)

Tennessee Domination? 

Participation in indoor track has exploded since 2020 even amidst all the pandemic restrictions. When I used to cover these meets prior to 2020, I was having to frantically look up all the sprinters distance runners out of Georgia, Kentucky, and Missouri who would descend on Music City and take victories over the handful of Tennessee competitors that entered. This field is much stronger than I've ever seen and if things go close to seeding, I expect I'll be talking to more athletes that I'm already familiar with versus ones I'm meeting for the first time. Tennesseans are hungry for indoor track and the KYA Indoor Classic is set to be an amazing event to bring the sport back to Vanderbilt.  Safe travels. See you Saturday.