Youth movement: Recent DS alums rising to the world stage for U.S. 

Mary Cain may have received most of the ink for cracking the U.S. track and field team lineup at such a young age (17), but she was really just the tip of the iceberg for recent Dyestat Alums who are making their way into the international scene.

Cain was one of six American athletes who competed at the IAAF World Junior Championships just a year ago in Barcelona. (More on them in a moment).

But the changing of the guard that was evident this summer didn't stop there.

Consider for a moment the 22-year-olds on this year's team who were former high school stars: Chris Derrick (10,000 meters), Sam Humphreys (javelin), Omar Craddock (triple jump), Kimberlyn Duncan (200 meters).

And the 21-year-olds: Brianna Rollins (100 hurdles GOLD MEDALIST), Jordan Hasay (10,000), Octavious Freeman (100), English Gardner (100), and Cory McGee (1,500).

All of these athletes could foreseeably make U.S. teams for the next decade. Or more.

But there are seven athletes 20 or under that demonstrate the most immediate link between high school elite and U.S. national team membership. None of them is more than two years removed from contending for a state championship.

Mary Cain

Bronxville (N.Y.) Class of 2014

Her story is well-known. She was already one of the best middle distance runners in U.S. history by the time she broke the national record in the 1,500 at the conclusion of her sophomore year at Bronxville. She has competed unattached since last fall, training with Nike coach Alberto Salazar. She has broken U.S. high school records from 800 meters to 5,000. In Moscow, she ran sub-4:10 three times in five days, made the final and finished 10th.

Ajee Wilson

Neptune (N.J.) Class of 2012

In HS: She was a dominant 800-meter runner for four years in New Jersey, with a progression that went 2:07.08 (freshman) to 2:04.18 (sophomore) to 2:02.64 (junior) to 2:00.91 (senior, fastest in the U.S. in 30 years). She capped her prep career by taking gold at the World Junior Championships after advancing to the semifinal round at the U.S. Olympic Trials.

Since HS: She made a somewhat controversial decision to leave Florida State within a week of arriving and she turned pro over the winter by signing with adidas. It was a move that didn't hurt her performance. She continued to bring her times down, to 1:59.55, and made her first U.S. senior team. In Moscow, she finished sixth in the final and clocked 1:58.21 to strip more than a second off the U.S. junior record.

Arman Hall

St. Thomas Aquinas (Fla.) Class of 2012

In HS: He was a sensational talent who was part of a Big Three nationally in the 400 along with Najee Glass and Aldrich Bailey. As a senior he won Great Southwest (45.59), was second at U.S. Junior Nationals (45.77) and took silver at the World Junior Championships (45.39).

Since HS: He enjoyed a great first season at Florida, running on NCAA championship teams in the 4x100 and 4x400 and placing third in the 400 (45.02) to help the Gators snare a piece of the team title. In Moscow, he advanced to the second round of the 400 meters. Then he helped Team USA win a gold medal in the 4x400 relay.

Gunnar Nixon

Edmond Santa Fe (Okla.) Class of 2011

In HS: He was a jumps, hurdles and sprints standout in his home state but poured his attention into the decathlon, where he broke every HS record on the books. He left high school as a 7-foot high jumper, 14-11 pole vaulter, 48-second 400 runner, 24-5 long jumper and 13.83 110-meter hurdler.

Since HS: He started off at Arkansas and placed fifth at the NCAA Championships as a freshman, and then set the American junior record (8,018) while winning the World Junior Championships decathlon in Barcelona. By January of his sophomore year he was academically ineligible and left school to focus full-time on the dec. In Moscow, he was the leader after four events and finished 13th overall with a new personal best 8,312 points. 

Ashley Spencer

Lawrence North (Ind.) Class of 2011

In HS: Believe it or not, she was a hurdler in high school who didn't travel outside of her home state, where she won seven individual state titles.

Since HS: As it turned out, Spencer has special talent for the flat races. At the University of Illinois, it quickly came together. She was sixth in the 200 meters at the 2012 NCAA Indoor meet and then won the 400 meters at the Outdoor Championships with a huge personal best (50.95). As a sophomore, she won it again in 50.28. In Moscow, she advanced to the semifinals before being eliminated. In the 4x400 relay she had a bit of difficulty getting the hand-off to Francena McCorory but did win a silver medal.

Erica Bougard

Byhalia (Miss.) Class of 2011

In HS: Mississippi's premier long and triple jumper, she did the AAU Junior Olympic heptathlon in the hot New Orleans summer of 2011 and won the Young Women's age group with 5,270 points to crush the meet record. (Kendell Williams won the intermediate title with 5,170).

Since HS: She stayed home and went to Mississippi State, where placed fourth in the SEC heptathlon as a a freshman in 2012 (5,537 points). Then, she won the NCAA Indoor pentathlon in 2013, placed second in the SEC meet with 5,736 points and fourth in the NCAA Outdoor heptathlon with 5,976. She improved again to 5,990 at the U.S. Championship to place third and make the national team. In Moscow, she placed 24th.

Marquis Dendy

Middletown (Del.) Class of 2011

In HS: As a senior he won the New Balance Indoor triple jump, the Arcadia Invitational long jump, the Penn Relays triple jump, the Great Southwest Classic triple jump and the USATF Junior Olympic triple jump. He missed qualifying for Junior Pan Ams by one spot. He broke the New Balance Outdoors meet record in the triple jump as a junior. He was No. 3 all-time in the indoor long jump (25-9.50).

Since HS: He went to Florida, where he made it to the finals of the men's long jump at the 2012 Olympic Trials. He won the NCAA Indoor title in the long jump with a stunning 27-2 but did not fare well at the end of the outdoor season. In Moscow, he did not advance out of the Group B prelims.