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Top 20 sprinters in Texas high school girls track: Meet the state's best track & field athletes

Ahead of the UIL state championships next week, here's a closer look at the top girls sprinters in the Lone Star State

With the 2022 Texas high school track and field state championships taking center stage next weekend in Austin (May 12-14), SBLive is highlighting the top boys and girls track and field athletes in the state.

Here's an inside look at the top girls sprinters in Texas.

There are hundreds of outstanding sprinters in Texas, and these lists are not intended to be comprehensive. Tag us on Twitter or Instagram @SBLiveTX and let us know about other sprinters worthy of fans’ attention.

TOP 20 GIRLS SPRINTERS IN TEXAS HIGH SCHOOL TRACK & FIELD

(The list is in alphabetical order)

Leah Anderson, Sr., Midlothian Heritage

Personal bests: 100-meter hurdles, 14.09 seconds; 300 hurdles, 43.96; Long jump, 18 feet, 10¾ inches; Triple jump, 40-8

The Georgia signee qualified for the UIL 4A state meet in the same four events she ran as a junior last spring, when she won titles in the 100 hurdles and triple jump, took second in the 300 hurdles and sixth in the long jump. She went 3 for 4 in winning Region II titles last week, finishing second only in the long jump, and set PRs in all but the 100 hurdles.

Mfoniso Andrew, Sr., Fort Bend Elkins

Personal bests: 100, 11.78; 200, 24.68; 400, 53.76

mfoniso andrew fort bend elkins

The Harvard commit returns to the UIL 6A state meet this spring looking to improve upon her seventh-place finish in the 400 last year. She placed second at the Region II meet while also anchoring the 4x400 relay to victory.

Simone Ballard, Sr., Katy Mayde Creek

Personal bests: 100, 11.77; 100 hurdles, 13.28; 300 hurdles, 40.68.

Ballard missed out on the UIL 6A state meet last spring, but she more than made up for it with her summer run — second-place finishes in the high hurdles at the AAU National Junior Olympic Games and the USATF National Youth Outdoor Championships. The Baylor signee opened the year by breaking the state record in the 300 hurdles at the Clyde Littlefield Relays, and she won the Region III titles in both hurdles last weekend.

Aniyah Bigam, Jr., Carrollton Smith

Personal bests: 100, 11.54; 200, 23.51; 400, 55.46

Bigam has gone undefeated this season in the 100 and 200 and over the past month in the 400 to qualify for all three events to the UIL 5A state championships in two weeks. She ran a personal-best time to win the Region II title in the 400, in which she placed eighth at state a year ago.

Jaiya Covington, Sr., Houston Eisenhower

Personal bests: 100, 11.98; 100 hurdles, 13.28; 300 hurdles, 43.69; High jump, 5-6

Perhaps the biggest shock of the spring is that Covington, a Texas A&M signee and national champion in the 100 hurdles at the AAU Junior Olympic Games last August, failed to qualify for the UIL 6A state championships. She finished third in a blanket finish at the Region II meet and did not earn a wild card entry.

Camryn Dickson, Sr., Clear Brook

Personal bests: 100, 11.28; 200, 23.28; 400, 57.85

camryn dickson clear book texas track and field

The Texas A&M signee looked forward to improving upon her third-place finish in the 100 and runner-up showing in the 200 from last year’s UIL 6A state championships. However, a false start in the Region III final in the 100 means the UIL state leader in both events will contest only the 200 at state in two weeks after winning the regional title.

Saniya Friendly, Sr., Schertz Clemens

Personal bests: 100, 11.36; 200, 23.63; Long jump, 19-0½

With Camryn Dickson out of the 100 at the UIL 6A state meet, Friendly enters the meet with the top 6A time in the state, which she ran in the prelims of the Region IV championships. She won regional titles in both sprints and now looks ahead to improving upon her runner-up finish in the 100 and fifth-place showing in the 200 at last year’s state meet.

Sidney Green, Jr., Allen

Personal bests: 100, 11.96; 200, 24.58; 400, 55.52; 100 hurdles, 13.90; 300 hurdles, 40.82

Allen qualified for the UIL 6A state meet in the high hurdles as a sophomore, placing eighth in her first go-round. This spring, she didn’t make it out of regional in the high hurdles but will be among the favorites in the lows after winning district, area, and regional titles in the 300s.

Rylee Hampton, So., Houston Cypress Ridge

Personal bests: 100 hurdles, 13.69; 300 hurdles, 41.67

Hampton kicked off her career with a bang, reaching the UIL 6A Region III final in the 300 hurdles and doing one better in the highs, qualifying for state and placing fifth. She enters the state meet this spring as the No. 2 seed in both races after runner-up finishes to state-leader Simone Ballard at the regional meet.

Magi Harris, Sr., Humble

Personal bests: 100 hurdles, 14.33; 300 hurdles, 41.92

Harris nearly was the odd hurdler out in a deep UIL 6A Region III field despite having the fourth-fastest 300 hurdles mark in the state this spring. She finished fourth in the 100 hurdles regional final and third in the 300s, earning the wild card in the latter to the state meet in two weeks.

Tairah Johnson, Sr., Fort Bend Marshall

Personal bests: 200, 25.22; 100 hurdles, 13.71; 300 hurdles, 46.08; Long jump, 19-11½

Johnson returns to the UIL 5A state meet in two weeks ready to defend the championship she won last year as a junior. The North Carolina A&T signee also anchored the 4x100 to the title and took eighth in the long jump last spring, and she’ll compete in all three — plus the 4x200 relay — after winning Region III titles last week.

Tiriah Kelley, Sr., Plano East

Personal bests: 100, 11.40; 200, 23.15

Kelley placed in both the 100 (seventh) and 200 (fourth) at last year’s UIL 6A state championships. The Louisville signee enters this year’s meet as the top seed in each after sweeping the Region I titles last weekend, running a personal-best in the 200 final.

Macklynn Land, Sr., Panhandle

Personal bests: 100, 11.98; 200, 23.87; 400, 54.80

Land is a two-time UIL 2A state champion in the 400 who also placed second in the 200 as a freshman. She also ran legs on the title-winning 4x100 and 4x400 relays. She will run the 200 and 400 at state in two weeks after winning Region I titles in each.

Lauren Lewis, Jr., Prosper

Personal bests: 200, 23.15 400, 53.92

Lewis had a disappointing end to her sophomore season, failing to finish the 400 at the UIL 6A Area 5-6 meet. She’s looking for a happier ending this spring, having won the Region I title in the 400 in a personal-best time and taking second in the 200 to top seed Tiriah Kelley.

Christine Mallard, Sr., Mansfield Legacy

Personal bests: 100, 11.47; 200, 23.22; 400, 53.75; Long jump, 19-6¼

Mallard has lost once all season in the three sprints — the UIL 5A District 8 final in the 100. She swept the Region I titles last week, and the USC signee now hopes to improve upon her finishes at last spring’s state meet (second in the 200, sixth in the 100).

Kaycee McCoy, Sr., Katy

Personal bests: 100, 11.73; 100 hurdles, 13.67

McCoy qualified for the UIL 6A Region III meet in the 100 and 100 hurdles and advanced to her first state meet by earning the wild card spot in the 100 hurdles field one week after running a personal-best at the Area 19-20 meet.

Rachel Nelson, Jr., Fort Worth Country Day

Personal bests: 100, 11.95; 200, 24.36; 400, 56.68

Nelson repeated as Southwest Preparatory Conference champion in both the 100 and 200 last weekend and added the 400 to her resume.

Taylor Nunez, Fr., Universal City Randolph

Personal bests: 100, 11.31; 200, 23.96; Long jump, 20-0

Nunez broke the UIL 3A state record in the long jump at the Area 25-26 meet two weeks ago and the 100 in the prelims of last week’s Region IV meet, then secured her march toward potentially four state titles as a freshman by winning regional titles in the 100, 200 and long jump while anchoring the victorious 4x100 relay.

Haley Tate, Sr., Katy Seven Lakes

Personal bests: 100, 11.81; 200, 23.98; 400, 52.97

The University of Georgia signee has been one of the top quarter-milers in the state the past two years, finishing second at the UIL 6A state meet as a junior (with the fourth-fastest 6A time in state history) while anchoring the Spartans’ 4x100 and 4x400 relays to state titles. She improved upon her state-leading time in the 400 in winning the Region III title last weekend.

Autumn Wilson, Sr., St. Dominic Savio

Personal bests: 100, 11.19; 200, 23.14; Long jump, 18-6

The defending TAPPS 6A state champion in the 100 and 200 has won titles at the Bluebonnet Invitational and Arcadia Invitational in both events this spring and the Clyde Littlefield Relays 100 title as well. The University of Georgia signee will defend her state titles this weekend at Panther Stadium in Hewitt.