US Track and Field Olympic Trials start Friday. Here are Indiana athletes to watch.
Two Indianapolis Olympians from 2021, Cole Hocker and Lynna Irby-Jackson, will try to make it to Paris when the U.S. track and field trials open a 10-day run Friday at Eugene, Ore.
Hocker, a Cathedral High School graduate, finished sixth in the 1,500 meters at Tokyo. He is coming off his first global medal, a silver at March’s World Indoor Championships.
Irby-Jackson, winner of a record 12 state titles for Pike, won two relay medals at the Olympics after finishing sixth in the 400 meters at the trials.
More: It's an Olympic year, and Cole Hocker put folks on notice after dominant national title
Other Indiana athletes best positioned to earn Olympic berths include Notre Dame runners Yared Nuguse and Olivia Markezich, fast-improving Butler graduate Angelina Ellis, and four-time Olympic javelin thrower Kara Winger, a Purdue graduate coming out of retirement.
Among absentees are Ashley Spencer, a 2016 bronze medalist in the 400 hurdles who did not qualify; steeplechaser Andy Bayer, who came out of retirement but was sidelined by knee surgery; Jesse Hamlin, a Butler runner barely missing the 5,000 cut, and Hobert’s Cody Johnston, an Illinois freshman who was first one out in the pole vault.
Hoosiers to watch:
Men
Seth Allen, Purdue. Pan American under-20 gold medalist and Big Ten champion in discus. Allen, 20, has best of 199-11.
William Cuthbertson, Butler. NCAA qualifier set school record of 1:46.51 in 800.
Kamyren Garrett, Indianapolis. After transferring from Kansas State, he became Big Ten indoor runner-up for Illinois, high jumping 7-3. As a state and national champion at Lawrence Central, he competed at 2021 Olympic Trials.
Cole Hocker, Indianapolis. Cathedral graduate won silver medal in 1,500 at March’s World Indoor Championships. Sixth at 2021 Olympics, seventh at 2023 worlds. No. 6 American of all time (3:30.70) in 1,500, No. 4 (3:48.08) in mile. Hocker, 23, also qualified in 5,000 with Indiana high school alumni record of 12:58.82. He lowered 800 best to 1:45.63 on June 9.
Scott Houston, IU. Former Big Ten indoor champion in pole vault. Houston, 34, is a coach at High Point University. Entry mark is 18-6.5.
Dylan Jacobs, Notre Dame. After winning NCAA 10,000 title for Notre Dame, he transferred to Tennessee. Jacobs, 24, ranks 13th among Americans in 5,000 this year at 13:10.66.
Cameron Marshall, Corydon/IU. Former state champion made NCAA final in 800 but tripped and fell. Big Ten champion indoors and second outdoors. His 1:45.48 is IU and Indiana high school alumni record. Ranks 11th in United States.
Daniel Michalski, IU. Joined Air Force’s World Class Athlete program to extend career. He finished fourth in steeplechase at 2021 trials, one spot away from Tokyo. Silver medalist at 2023 Pan American Games. Ranks 20th among Americans this year at 8:28.07.
Cameron Miller, Purdue. Transfer from Louisville won Big Ten 200 in wind-aided 19.97. Clocked 20.25 this year but missed NCAA final.
Christian Noble, Mt. Vernon. Blossomed at NCAA Division II Lee University (Tenn.). Miler has run steeplechase in 8:27.75, which is 19th among Americans this year.
Yared Nuguse, Notre Dame. Became global medalist with silver in 3,000 at March’s indoor worlds. Fifth in 1,500 at 2023 worlds. Holds American records in 1,500 and mile, 3:29.02 and 3:43.97. Ranks first this year at 3:31.51 and 3:46.22.
Zach Panning. Fort Wayne. Concordia Lutheran graduate led Olympic Trials marathon from the sixth through 23rd miles before finishing sixth. Former NCAA Division II champion at Grand Valley State. Panning, 29, has 10,000 best of 27:51.20 from May 2023.
Nate Richartz, Notre Dame. The 29-year-old was fifth at February’s indoor nationals at 18-10.75. Former ACC champion.
Brion Stephens, Indianapolis. Warren Central graduate has high jumped 7-3.75 as Louisville sophomore. New Balance nationals champion.
Jason Swarens, Terre Haute. Wisconsin thrower was second in NCAA shot put at 66-10.75. State champion for Terre Haute South.
Ben Veatch, Carmel/IU. Qualified in 5,000 with time of 13:22.68 at Portland, Ore., June 9. Won a mile in 3:56.04 at St. Louis May 30. Former state champion won five Big Ten titles.
Futsum Zienasellassie, Indianapolis. He is being inducted Saturday into Indiana Track and Field Hall of Fame after running in 10,000 Friday night. Zienasellassie, 31, ranks 20th among Americans this year at 28:10.46. He was 14th in Olympic Trials marathon. Seven-time state champion at North Central, including four-year sweep of 3,200.
Women
Angelina Ellis, Zionsville/Butler. After 16-second improvement a year ago that resulted in ninth place at NCAAs, she has lowered her steeplechase time another 19 seconds to 9:25.25. She ranks seventh among Americans. Ellis, 25, won a 1,500 in 4:08.59 on June 9.
Liz Evans, North Knox/Rose-Hulman. Fifth at 2021 trials with high jump of 6-2.75. Evans, 33, jumped 5-11 or higher in every year from 2013 through 2023. Former NCAA Division III champion is a jumps coach at Rose-Hulman.
Micaela Hazlewood, Linton-Stockton/Purdue. Hazlewood, 29, finished second in the discus at 2021 trials but lacked the Olympic qualifying standard. Ranks 15th in United States this year at 194-11.
Charity (Griffith) Hufnagel, Rushville/Ball State. After winning NCAA high jump at 6-4 for Ball State last year, she transferred to Kentucky. Only two U.S. jumpers have gone higher this year. Hufnagel, 23, has jumped 6-1.5 this year. She was seventh in NCAA heptathlon with
Tacoria Humphrey, Indianapolis. Once a high jump state champion for Warren Central, she became a Big Ten long jump champion at Illinois. Although she failed to qualify for NCAAs, Humphrey’s jump of 22-3.75 ranks sixth among Americans and 16th in the world.
Lynna Irby-Jackson, Indianapolis. Won record 12 state titles for Pike High School. If she is among eight finalists in 400, she likely will be selected for Olympic relays. Won two relay medals at 2021 Olympics. Gold medalist in 4x400 mixed relay at World Relays. The 25-year-old ranks 15th among Americans at 51.01.
Katie Isenbarger, Zionsville. Former Western Kentucky volleyball player is tied for fifth among U.S. high jumpers at 6-2 this year. Qualified for NCAAs as sixth-year senior. Two-time state indoor champion and twice outdoor runner-up.
Semira Killebrew, Indianapolis. At Brebeuf Jesuit, she set high school state record of 11.24 in 100 in 2019. NCAA qualifier with wind-aided 11.09 for Texas A&M. Fifth in NCAA indoor 60.
Olivia Markezich, Notre Dame. After winning NCAAs last year, she lowered time to 9:17.36 – fastest ever by American collegian -- in finishing second June 8. She ranks third among Americans and 10th in world.
Sophie Novak, Notre Dame. Seventh in NCAA steeplechase in 9:40.54.
Jadin O’Brien, Notre Dame. Two-time NCAA pentathlon champion was second in NCAA heptathlon with 6,234 points. She ranks fourth among Americans.
Erin Reese, Indiana State. Reese, 28, nearly set world indoor record in 20-pound weight in February. She was seventh in hammer at 2021 trials, and she ranks seventh among Americans at 234-5. Former NCAA runner-up.
Janelle Rogers, Ball State. Fifth in NCAA heptathlon last year, fourth this year. Best of 6,018 points.
Rachel Tanczos, Notre Dame. After never placing in top eight of hammer throw at NCAAs, the 24-year-old has improved 25 feet since college – to 245-6. She ranks fourth among Americans and No. 7 in the world.
Jayden Ulrich, IU. After two years at IU, where she was a Big Ten discus champion, she transferred to Louisville. NCAA runner-up in 2024. Fourth among Americans this year at 210-11.
Addy Wiley, Huntington. Twenty-year-old has entered 800 and 1,500. Former state champion from Huntington North went on to win eight NAIA titles for Huntington University in 2023, setting 1,500 collegiate record of 3:59.17. Second in nationals 800 to qualify for March’s indoor worlds. Her 1,500 of 4:02.78 this year ranks eighth among Americans.
Allie Wilson, Indianapolis. Monmouth University graduate, 28, relocated to Indiana this year. Sixth in 800 at 2021 Olympic Trials and fourth at 2022 nationals. Won February’s U.S. title to qualify for indoor worlds. Her 2:00.59 ranks eighth among Americans.
Kara Winger, Purdue. The 38-year-old goes for a fifth Olympics in javelin. She announced retirement after 2022, a year in which she won a world silver medal (on last attempt), set an American record of 223-5 and ranked No. 1 in the world. Winger returned to competition June 9 and won at New York with throw of 207-5. She has won nine national titles, two off the record in women’s javelin.
Contact IndyStar correspondent David Woods at dwoods1411@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter: @DavidWoods007.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: US Track and Field Olympic Trials: Indiana athletes to watch
