Who was the top girls track and field athlete in the Class of 2026? Below are four candidates looking for your votes. These candidates all rank among absolute elite nationally in the class in their respective events and among the best in CA regardless of class. 

MileSplitCA Athletes of the Year candidates are selected based off criteria to include performances at the State Meet, section championships, and rankings within the class in CA and nationally. 

This poll is open until Tuesday at 3 p.m. 

MileSplitCA Freshman Girls AOTY Candidates

Athletes are listed alphabetically

CHIARA DAILEY

La Jolla (SD)

Chiara is an elite 1600-800 runner who ranks among the nation's best in the Class of '26 as well as Cone CA's best regardless of class. She concluded her breakout freshman year with a U.S. No. 1 time in the class for the mile of 4:44.47 with a U.S. No. 1 time in the class 1600m split of 4:42.43. Her 800m PR of 2:09.23 from Nike Nationals ranks U.S. No. 4 in the class. She won the 1600m and 800m at the San Diego Section Division 3 Finals, running a meet-best 4:42.69 for 1600m and a then-PR 2:12.93 for 800m. She ran 4:49.73 for 1600m at State Prelims, the

ELLIE MCCUSKEY-HAY

St. Ignatius (CC)

Ellie concluded a spectacular freshman season with four first-place medals at the Central Coast Section Championships, and two at the State Meet. There she placed second in the 100 meters, running an 11.52 (1.6) PR, and sixth in the long jump with a 19-7.25 (1.7) PR. At the CCS Finals, whe won the long jump (18-9.50), 200-meter dash (24.76), 100m dash (11.92), and anchored the winning 4x100m relay team (48.18). She ran at State in all four events, making the final in two of them. Her 100m PR from State ranks U.S. No. 1 in the class (CA No. 4 overall, No 3 wind-legal), and her long jump PR ranks U.S. No. 2 in the class for wind-legal marks (U.S. No. 4 all-conditions; CA No. 6 overall all-conditions).

RAYAH RODRIGUEZ

Oaks Christian (SS)

Rayah is among the nation's elite long sprinters in the Class of '26. She qualified for the State Meet in both the 200m and 400m and earned an eighth-place medal in the 400. Her 200m PR of 24.03 from Southern Section Masters ranks CA No. 9 overall and U.S. No. 9 in the class. Her wind-legal 200m best of 24.13 (2.0) for second place at the SS Division 4 Finals, ranks U.S. No. 7 in the class. Her 400m PR of 54.41 to win the SS D-4 title ranks CA No. 6 overall and U.S No. 8 in the class. She also ran on the Oaks Christian 4x100m relay team that placed fifth at State.

JAELYN WILLIAMS

Eastlake (SD)

Jaelyn is the nation's top combo 1600-3200 distance runner in the class. She ran a U.S. No. 1 time for 3200m of 10:11.01 for fourth place at the CIF-State Finals. Her 4:46.26 to win the 1600m at the San Diego Section Division 1 champions ranks U.S. No. 2. She ran her mile PR of 4:55.10 for fourth place at Arcadia (U.S. No. 6 in the class). She won nine of 11 races for 3200m and 10 of 11 races at 1600m.