By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Here are 11 storylines to follow at the New Balance Nationals Outdoor championships at Aggie Stadium on the campus of North Carolina A&T in Greensboro. 

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Taking It To A New Level

Justin Robinson set himself apart this year as the best quarter-miler in the country back when he won the New Balance Nationals Indoor title in March by running 46.55 seconds on the oval The Armory in New York. But what the Hazelwood West junior and Missouri state champion did last weekend at the Great Southwest Classic was otherworldly. Robinson ran 44.84 seconds to break the junior class national record and move to No. 2 on the all-time U.S. high school list. 

UPDATE - Robinson is not running the 400 meters at NBNO, but is entered with his team in the 4x200 relay.

Pursuit Of The Girls 2K Steeplechase Record

It's not often that the 2,000-meter girls steeplechase final is in the limelight at Greensboro, but this year is different. At a low-key meet earlier this spring, Sarah Trainor from Franklin D. Roosevelt NY broke Maddie Meyers' 2011 national record when she ran 6:29.08 on her home track in Hyde Park, N.Y.  The reason that this race could be even faster is because the defending champion, Taylor Ewert of Beavercreek OH, is back. This would be the perfect opportunity for Ewert to try to break the national record in the 2K steeplechase so that she can focus her 2020 efforts on racewalking. 

Arlington MA Moving To The Front In Boys DMR

Without Loudoun Valley VA (Jungle TC) in the event this year, all eyes could turn to the Spyponders of Arlington MA. Senior Ryan Oosting ran a US#1 time of 4:03.90 at the Adrian Martinez Classic on Thursday. If Oosting can replicate that sort of speed on an anchor leg in the Distance Medley Relay championship, Arlington should be in great shape to win the event. A 4:03.90 mile converts to about 4:02.0 for 1,600 meters. 

Newcomer Ramiah Elliott Makes Debut

Indiana freshman Ramiah Elliott has risen up as another Lynna Irby-level talent in the Hoosier state. At the recent Indiana girls state meet, Elliott was the star of the show while leading North Central (Indianapolis) to the team championship. She won the 400 meters in 53.30 seconds and won the 200 meters in 23.67. She also helped her team break the all-time state record in the 4x400 (3:43.99) and come really close in the 4x100 (45.77). 

In Greensboro, Elliott will get a chance to test herself against some of the best athletes in the country and see if she can drive down her PRs even lower. 

All Eyes On Athing Mu

Athing Mu's performance at the USATF Indoor Championships in late February remains one of the most sensational of the year. The 16-year old from the Trenton Track Club of New Jersey crushed a professional field, broke the American and World U-18 and World U-20 records, and became a senior national champion in the women's 600 meters. 

At that moment, it appeared that Mu could suddenly go to any track in the world and compete for a global medal. But the 600 meters isn't an Olympic event and Mu just recently turned 17 years old. She is still growing into her talent and into the sport. Mu owns the US#1 in the 800 meters this spring, with 2:01.38 from the Music City Distance Carnival. 

UPDATE - Mu does not intend the 800 meters at NBNO, but is entered in the 400 meters. (The 400-800 double is nearly impossible with Sunday's tight schedule).

Cunliffe Aiming Toward 15 Feet

National pole vault record holder Chloe Cunliffe from West Seattle WA has made the trip East in order to try and surpass the 14-8 that she made April 6 at the Arcadia Invitational. Cunliffe has been over 14 feet on three occasions during the outdoor season, but hasn't matched her season-best height. A big effort in Greensboro, and a national title, could validate her status as the greatest high school female pole vaulter in history. 

Triple Threat In Pursuit of '45'

Jasmine Moore of Mansfield Lake Ridge TX is already well-established as one of the all-time high school greats in the girls triple jump. UPDATE - Moore intends to shut down her season and will not compete at NBNO or USATF U-20 Championships.

Bully On Bullis

The boys and girls teams from The Bullis School in MD, always a threat to win any of a handful of national titles in the sprint/hurdles relays, is still seeking a signature moment for 2019. The boys team, which features Ashton Allen, Ryan Willie, Andre Turay and Jay Pendarvis Jr., suffered a calamatious exchange in the 4x400 relay at New Balance Nationals Indoor. The same group lamented a third-place finish in the Championship of America final (3:14.40) at the Penn Relays and vowed to learn from the experience. Back in January, when this quartet broke national records in the 4x200 and 4x400, it seemed that this was going to be a magical year. It still can be if things break right this weekend. 

The girls come in with high hopes as well and will be tested at every turn by national powers such as Western Branch VA and Nansemond River (WAR TC) and Union Catholic NJ. A healthy Shaniya Hall in the open 400 meters, Swedish Relay, 4x200 and 4x400 bodes well. Leah Phillips, Lauryn Harris and Sierra Leonard form a nucleus that could do something special. 

Davis In The Dashes

New Balance Nationals has been good for Tamari Davis of Empire Athletics (Oak Hall FL), who already owns five national titles indoors and out. The sophomore is out claim two more this weekend, in the 100 meters and 200 meters. As a freshman one year ago, she doubled with 11.19 in the 100 meters and 22.98 in the 200. 

Davis will no doubt be looking to make some progress, with an eye on her standing against the best women in the United States, either later this summer or next year in the build-up to the Olympic Trials. Davis comes in to Greensboro with season-best times of 11.27 and 23.06.

A Minnesotan In The Sprints 

It's not too often that Minnesota makes a splash in the national sprint rankings, but keep an eye on Joseph Fahnbulleh of Hopkins MN this week. There's a reason he's headed to the University of Florida. 

Fahnbulleh has run 10.23 seconds for 100 meters and 21.23 for 200 meters. He was a dominant presence in Minnesota this spring and will test himself against many of the best sprinters in the country this weekend in Greensboro. Fahnbulleh is entered in the 100 and 200, and he'll compete with his team in the 4x100 and 4x200 relays.  

Star Turn For Starliper?

We know that Katelyn Tuohy won't be participating at NBNO this year. And Taryn Parks is not on the start list, either. Marlee Starliper would probably wish that both were in this weekend's meet to ensure a high level of competition and fast times. Starliper, a junior at Northern PA, seeks her first New Balance Nationals title after losing the indoor mile in a photo finish to Parks in March.

Starliper is entered in the mile. She ran 4:37.45 in another close loss to Parks in the 1,600 at the Pennsylvania state meet, and she was second to Victoria Starcher in the Penn Relays mile in 4:42.30. Starliper also ran 9:54.75 for 3,200 meters to win at the Loucks Games.