High school track and field: Meet 13 athletes to keep an eye on this spring

With over 32,000 Minnesota student-athletes competing last year, track and field is by far the largest high school sport in the state. That means there are plenty of talented sprinters, distance runners and field athletes to watch as this year’s spring season kicks off.

St. Michael-Albertville, senior, sprint

On a Knights team full of strong sprinters, Keefer is one standout, with Division I offers to run and to play volleyball. She placed second in the 100 meters at state last year with a time of 11.96 seconds and third in the 200 (24.98).

Minnetonka, senior, sprint

Though her personal best is 24.41 seconds, a time of 24.52 was more than enough to win the future Gophers sprinter the 200 state title in Class 3A last June.

Fridley, junior, hurdles

Last year, the Tigers hurdler was the only sophomore in both the Class 2A state meet’s 110 and 300 hurdles finals. He won the 300 hurdles with a time of 37.66 seconds, helping Fridley to the boys team state title.

Bagley/Fosston, senior, sprint

Committed to run track at North Dakota, Phrakonkham won Class 1A state titles in the 100 (11.8 seconds), 200 (24.60 seconds) and 4x100 relay last summer.

Hopkins, senior, sprint

Before she runs track and cross country at Nebraska, Drevlow will look to top last season’s state-best 800-meter time, 2:09.44, set at the Nike Outdoor Nationals after she won a state title in the event.

Brainerd, senior, triple and long jump

Committed to South Dakota State’s track and field team, Nelson won a Class 3A triple jump state title last June with the state’s season-best distance of 47 feet, 7.5 inches.

Forest Lake, junior, discus

Fahey placed first at every one of her meets last year, including Class 3A state, with a personal best of 154-11. She went on to finish third at the USA Track & Field National Junior Olympic Championships in June.

Minnetonka, sophomore, distance

Skilled at everything from the 400 to the 3,200, Malec won the Class 3A state title last year in the 1,600 (4:50.93) and finished second in the 3,200 (10:42.79) before recording multiple top-20 finishes at the Nike Outdoor Nationals.

Perham, junior, pole vault

The 2023 Class 2A state champ finished fifth at state last year, but her personal best of 12-4 was the state’s highest mark last season. She recently placed 13th at New Balance’s indoor national championships.

Roseville, senior, distance

The North Carolina commit has won just about every distance accolade there is in Minnesota, from 2023 and 2024 Class 3A cross-country titles to 1,600 and 3,200 first-place finishes at last year’s state track meet.

Hopkins, senior, sprint

After winning the Class 3A 800 state title, Risser went on to set a personal best in the event at New Balance’s outdoor national championships in June (1:51.66, 14th best in Minnesota history).

Math & Science Academy, sophomore, high jump and long jump

As a freshman, Lewis won Class 1A titles in the long jump and high jump. She cleared 5-5 in the high jump at last year’s state meet, then went on to set a meet record of 19-9 in the long jump. Those aren’t even her best marks — she jumped a state-best 5-8 and 20-1.25 last spring.

St. Peter, senior, discus

Before he finished second at Class 2A state last June, Banks threw last year’s state best of 189-1 in April.