Aurora Central Catholic

Coach: Leah Bohr

Top returners: Molly Russelburg, jr., pole vault; Cecelia Hilby, sr., mid-distance; Annalyse McCarty, jr., jumps

Top newcomers: Kassie Kuttner, fr., pole vault; Kaelyn DeMars, fr., sprints/distance; Lauren Dallas, fr., sprints/distance; Ashley Watter, sr., throws

Worth noting: The Chargers will take the “small but mighty” approach into the season, with just 14 athletes on their roster. One of those is Russelburg, who took fifth in the Class 2A pole vault a season ago, and cleared 3.89 meters (12-9) during indoor season, the second-highest mark across the state. Hilby, a DePaul commit, will be looking to secure her fourth All-State honor in the 800 after taking sixth a season ago.

Aurora Christian

Coach: Mayra Johnson

Top returners: Grace Knight, sr., sprints; Payton Jewell, sr., sprints/jumps; Emily Scudieri, sr., sprints; Dylan Coley, sr., throws

Top newcomers: Kaylee Becvar, fr., sprints/hurdles

Worth noting: Johnson is stepping into her first season as the track and field coach. She said to keep an eye out for Knight, who Johnson said is determined to make it to state in the 100, 200 and 400 after just missing the mark a season ago. “I am so excited for their desire to do well and aim for state,” Johnson said. “So many of them were so close last year but just fell short. This year, programming has changed a bit in regards to the level of training and technique, bringing in new resources for athletes to use.”

Batavia

Coach: Justin Allison

Top returners: Avery Hacker, jr., distance; Elizabeth Wende, sr., sprints; Abby Wirth, jr., jumps/sprints; Brooke Berggren, so., sprints; Madeline Cassidy, sr., distance; Gwendolyn Krodel, jr., distance

Top newcomers: Avery Haney, jr., throws; Ingrid Wit, so., throws; Molly Kuhn, jr., jumps/sprints; Temperance Carter, fr., sprints; Gracie Rozonsits, fr., sprints/jumps; Yaniya Anderson, fr., sprints; Elin Olmstead, fr., sprints

Worth noting: The Bulldogs will have a good mix of veteran leadership and bustling newcomers in the season. The sprint team will be the prime example of that with Wende, a DePaul commit who’s qualified for state in four events in each of the past two seasons, leading an otherwise young team. The distance team will have a bit more experience, with Hacker coming off an eighth-place finish in the 3,200 last summer, while also picking up a second-place finish at state in cross country over the fall. Wirth also broke both the in indoor and outdoor school record in the triple jump and took 13th at state last season. “The young athletes are beginning to tap into their potential,” Allison said. “Part of the fun is the challenge of helping them to unlock it. Add our senior leaders and All-Staters in Avery Hacker, Elizabeth Wende, and Abby Wirth, and our Bulldogs have both leadership, proven talent, and depth all looking to build a great and promising season.”

Burlington Central

Coach: Vince Neil

Top returning athletes: LaRaiya Cunningham, so. (long jump/triple jump/sprints); Cailen O’Brien, jr. (high jump/sprints); Julia Scheuer, jr. (distance/sprints); Gracelin Turschman, so. (pole vault); Emilie Anderson, sr. (throws)

Top new athletes: Callie Gates, fr. (triple jump/long jump/sprints); Addy Davis, fr. (middle distance/long distance)

Worth noting: The Rockets should be particularly strong in the field events. As a freshman last spring, Cunningham won the triple jump in the Fox Valley Conference Meet and took sixth in the event at state (Class 3A). Turschman already has vaulted over 10 feet, and Neil says thrower Anderson is stronger and faster than a year ago. “We return quite a few of our top athletes and have added some new freshman athletes who will have an impact on our program and team scoring,” Neil said. “With us transitioning from [Class] 2A to 3A just two years ago, each year we continue to progress in the right direction and strive to set the bar higher. ... This indoor season has already been shaping into one of the most successful indoor seasons that we have ever had. The girls are not only competitive and hungry for success, but they are a supportive group as well. Look for some great things out of this team and the continued success over the course of the outdoor season.”

- Joe Aguilar

Geneva

Coach: Peter Raak

Top returners: Sofia Borter, sr., distance; Taylor Peahl, sr., mid-distance; Alyssa Flotte, jr., sprints/hurdles; Ava Mehren, sr., pole vault; Lexi Weber, sr., pole vault; Leah Friede, jr., pole vault; Caitie Potvin, sr., throws; Isa Sida, sr., throws; Nia Flotte, so., sprints/hurdles; Harper Kobbeman, so., sprints

Top newcomers: Elena Hamilton, fr., sprints/mid-distance; Vivian Schreiber, fr., sprints

Worth noting: The Vikings are set to return some key pieces across their lineup, especially on the track. Borter took 11th in the 3,200 at the Class 3A state meet last season, and is coming off a cross country season where she took sixth at state. She’s off to a strong start, running a 10:49.30 at the indoor conference meet. Alyssa Flotte won the 55 hurdles at indoor conference, setting a meet record of 8.65 at the event. “This team has many seniors in a variety of events who take pride in the sport, their event, and are great leaders to set the tone for everyone on the team,” Raak said. “With this strong senior leadership, this team is looking to be competitive in the big end of season meets.”

Kaneland

Coach: Trevor McKeown

Top returners: Ellie Olp, jr., sprints/jumps; Amani Meeks, jr., sprints/jumps; Delainey Baran, sr., pole vault; Kyla Schulz, jr., throws; Danielle Bower, sr., mid-distance; Noelle Putzler, so., pole vault

Top newcomers: Grace Brunscheen, so., jumps/sprints; Allainna Siwy, so. jumps; Sydney Davis, fr., jumps; Avery Zwick, fr., throws

Worth noting: McKeown is in his second year of coaching the Knights and has bought on three new coaches to try to help the team build off of some momentum from his first year. Baran and Putzler both qualified for state in the pole vault a season ago.

Rosary

Coach: Katherine Kelley

Top returners: Katie Kostro, sr., jumps; Peyton Saltijeral, sr., sprints

Top newcomers: Aleah Luna, fr., sprints; Campbell Caruso, fr., sprints; Eva Rowe, so., sprints

Worth noting: Kostro, a Notre Dame track and field commit, will be looking to defend her Class 2A state title in the high jump, while also extending her school record after jumping 1.7 meters just a season ago. Kelley said she’s looking the most forward to seeing the performance from the relay teams. “Our track and field team is ready for the upcoming outdoor season with strength, unity, and faith,” Kostro said. “With bedazzled spikes and pink ribbons flying, we bring spirit and style to every meet. Each athlete runs with determination, discipline, and heart, striving for excellence on and off the track.”

St. Charles East

Coach: Bradley Kaplan

Top returners: Mady Piekarz, sr., sprints; Siri Forsell, so., sprints/jumps; Luca Ketter, jr., sprints; Fiona Post, so., sprints/jumps; Nicole Mayer, jr., sprints/mid-distance; Adley Wilson, so., distance; Ruby Garcia, jr., distance

Top newcomers: Leah Sutherland, so., distance

Worth noting: The Saints are coming off of a strong indoor track season, where they beat out St. Charles North for the DuKane Conference indoor title, their first conference title since 2015. Their strongest events are set to be in the sprint relays, with Piekarz, Forsell, Ketter and Mayer all returning after earning All-State honors in the 4x400 last season. Piekarz, a Butler commit, set meet records in the 55-meter sprint and 200 to win the individual conference titles, while Mayer set the meet record in the 800. “The Saints are looking to continue the great start we’ve had indoors,” Kaplan said. “We will look to see our top athletes continue to lead this team at major meets in many different events. They will be ready to their bests come sectionals in May.”

St. Charles North

Coach: Anthony Enright

Top returners: Maddie Brolsma, sr., throws; Kara Glenn, so., distance; Alexzandria Richardson, jr., sprints; Gwen Hobson, jr., distance; Julia Rodney, jr., distance; Reese Thomas, sr., distance; Alana Gupta, jr., sprints/hurdles/distance; Elise Pimsner, sr., sprints

Top newcomers: Katie Shook, fr., sprints/jumps/hurdles; Brianna Leycock, so., throws; Emma Kobylinski, fr., jumps; Maria Giangrasso, fr., jumps; Sofia Bongiorno, fr., mid-distance

Worth noting: The North Stars are coming off their most successful season in school history, winning their first-ever DuKane Conference title, Kane County title and sectional title in the season, and carry over a lot of potent figures from that team to this season. Glenn, who took 10th in the 3,200 at state last season, has been one of the top distance stars in the state, running a 4:50.69 in the 1,600 and a 10:48.60 in the 3,200 during indoor season. The North Stars also return all four legs from their All-State 4x800 team from last year in Hobson, Rodney, Thomas and Gupta, with Hobson also coming off an eighth-place finish at state in cross country in the fall. “The team is strong in every event except pole vault and is currently ranked in the top 10 in Illinois in five events,” Enright said. “The girls are very determined and committed to each other. The team is excited to work together to achieve their goals.”

St. Francis

Coach: Joline Andrzejewski

Top returners: Margaret Andrzejewski, sr., distance; Erin Hinsdale, jr., distance; Elena Mamminga, jr., distance; Allie Sheldon, sr., sprints/mid-distance

Top newcomers: Abby Yaruso, fr., distance

Worth noting: After not retaining their crown in the 4x800 a season ago, the core of Margaret Andrzejewski (Georgetown commit), Hinsdale, Mamminga and Sheldon will be aiming to get back atop the podium. Individually, Joline Andrzejewski, who is in her first year at coach, expects big things out of the five, with Margaret Andrzejewski and Hinsdale expected to make a bump up to the 1,600 after mainly focusing on the 800 last season, while Mamminga and Yaruso are expected to hold down the 3,200.

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