Northern Arizona signee joins fellow Nike Cross Nationals champion Tuohy as only athletes in 35-year history of awards program to be recognized with top honors in cross country and track and field in the same year

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Nico Young already has twin brothers.

Now, the recent graduate of Newbury Park High in California also has a matching pair of trophies after making even more history Thursday in Big Bear.

Young was surprised during a break from altitude training with his rising sophomore brothers Lex and Leo, along with his former high school teammates and Newbury Park coach Sean Brosnan, with the Gatorade Boys National Track and Field Athlete of the Year, making him the first male competitor in the 35-year history of the awards program to capture individual honors in two sports in the same year.

NICO YOUNG PRESENTATION VIDEO

“Especially with the whole canceled track season, I wasn’t sure it was going to happen,” said the Northern Arizona-bound Young, who was honored by Gatorade in February with the national boys cross country award.

“It’s amazing to get the two most prestigious awards in high school sports this year, and being the first (male athlete) to do it. I can’t really explain it. It’s hard to describe.”

Katelyn Tuohy, a recent graduate of North Rockland High in New York, was the first athlete to sweep the Gatorade cross country and track and field national awards in 2018. Tuohy, a North Carolina State signee, was also recognized that summer as the overall Gatorade Female Athlete of the Year.

“The track and field award means that much more because it’s not only comparing distance runners to one another like the cross country award did, but it’s also comparing sprinters and jumpers to us as well,” said Young, who had his final outdoor season shut down as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic.

“It’s even more special for that reason.”

For the first time since 2008, not only the two cross country national honorees, but both of the top track and field athletes recognized by Gatorade were distance runners, including girls winner Taylor Ewert of Beavercreek, Ohio, who was announced Tuesday.

Chris Derrick of Naperville, Ill., and Ashley Brasovan of Wellington, Fla., were the first national cross country honorees selected by Gatorade in 2008, joined by track and field winners German Fernandez of Riverbank, Calif., and Chanelle Price of Easton Area, Pa.

“I think everyone has been talking about how amazing this class is, and they’re comparing it to other (distance) classes from years back that have been really amazing, too,” Young said. “It means that much more to have a crazy competition, which also has made me run faster because of it.”

Young ran only two track races during the past six months, but both were record-setting performances, just like his 14:52.3 effort on the 5-kilometer layout Dec. 7 at Glendoveer Golf Course in Portland, Ore., that secured both individual and team championships for Newbury Park at Nike Cross Nationals.

Young eclipsed the absolute national high school record in the 3,000 meters with his 7:56.97 indoor performance Feb. 8 at the NYRR Millrose Games at The Armory in New York, lowering the 2016 standard of 7:59.33 achieved by Drew Hunter of Loudoun Valley, Va.

Although he was unable to take down the 2004 national prep 5,000-meter mark of 13:37.91 established by Galen Rupp, a former star at Central Catholic High in Oregon, Young still elevated to the No. 4 all-time high school performer with his 13:50.55 effort June 23 at Franklin High in Portland.

“It’s hard to put it in perspective because I look up to all those people and just knowing that I’m on that same track that they were, it’s hard to realize,” Young said. “It takes a while to sink in and for me to really realize that and for me to be proud of all my accomplishments and know that I’m on the same track as all the greats.”

In addition to being mentioned among the elite distance athletes in prep history, Young also tied the past and the present of the Gatorade national boys track and field award together with his selection.

The first honoree to be recognized in 1986 was Eric Mastalir of Jesuit High, who set the California state 5,000 record that year by clocking 14:01.40, which Young eclipsed on his way to also passing another Oregon prep legend, Marshfield High graduate Steve Prefontaine, to move into the top five in history.

“I guess I didn’t realize that he was the first one to win it,” Young said. “It’s really cool that I broke his record this year and he was the first one to get this award, and now I got the award, so it’s really cool to learn about that history and see the progression.”

Although Young would have liked an opportunity to lower his 8:40 mark in the 3,200 meters from last year’s Arcadia Invitational, or defend his state title in the event, he still ranks as the No. 8 all-time prep performer in the event, giving him top 10 recognition in high school history in three events following his final race in Oregon.

“I think I definitely have closure. I think the 5K was what I had planned to be training for most of the time during the pandemic, so I knew that was going to be my end goal,” Young said. “After running that, I’m ready to move on to my summer training now and getting ready for college.”