Hiltz edges Hurta-Klecker in thrilling finish by 4:17.10 to 4:17.26 margin, with NAIA freshman standout Wiley finishing fourth after leading early against strong professional field

By David Woods for DyeStat

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – A 19-year-old freshman from an NAIA university was not overmatched in her first senior nationals against pros. Then again, she is the fastest high school miler in U.S. history.

Addy Wiley, after leading through 1,100 meters, was overtaken by three pros in the 1,500-meter final Saturday at the USATF Indoor Championships at the Albuquerque Convention Center. She finished fourth in 4:18.84, despite a 60.87 closing 400 and 30.02 last 200.

Experience paid dividends for Lululemon athlete Nikki Hiltz, who captured a national title for the first time at age 28. Hiltz’s time, 4:17.10, was slowest for the winner since 4:19.46 by Morgan Uceny in 2010, also at Albuquerque’s 5,300-foot elevation.

INTERVIEWS | PHOTOS | RESULTS | EVENT VIDEOS

It would be revealing to see how Wiley would fare in Albuquerque in three weeks at the NCAA Division 1 Championships, but that is not the path she chose last year.

Wiley enrolled at hometown Huntington University in Indiana, where a civil lawsuit has alleged emotional and sexual abuse in the program and doping administered by former coach Nick Johnson. Separately, there are allegations of recruiting violations.

https://www.indystar.com/in-depth/news/investigations/2022/10/04/women-say-huntington-university-running-program-marred-by-sex-drugs/69520439007/

Huntington fired Johnson in December 2020 after he was arrested on felony charges. The university promoted his wife, Lauren Johnson, to the position of distance coach. Lauren was placed on administrative leave last October and has also left the program.

Wiley said she chose Huntington because of Lauren Johnson. The new distance coach is Josh Neideck, who was in Albuquerque with Wiley.

“The only thing I want to comment in regards to that, I’m in a position with all my athletes where I have to learn them, and they have to learn me,” Neideck said. “Everybody goes at a different pace. Me building a relationship with Addy to where she can trust me that I’m coming here to help her thrive.”

She is thriving so far. Wiley has set NAIA indoor records at 600 meters (1:29.77), 800 (2:02.33 on oversized oval) and the mile (4:32.15). Her 1,500 is an unofficial NAIA indoor record, according to the limited marks available in the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association database.

Wiley acknowledged “altitude makes everything burn.” Neideck said part of her training is to sleep in an altitude tent.

Wiley declined to be interviewed by David Woods, who investigated the Huntington program while at The Indianapolis Star. Wiley told DyeStat’s Erik Boal her “driving force” is to race the collegians and pros she met here.

Wiley skipped this weekend’s Crossroads League meet, where Huntington finished fifth. Neideck said teammates reasoned it would be better to have the Foresters’ jersey displayed at a national level.

“I can’t be thankful enough for my team rallying behind me in this,” said Wiley, who won the USATF U20 Outdoor title in the 1,500 in June in 4:15.53 in Oregon, before clocking 4:11.43 in August at the World U20 Championships in Colombia.

“They wanted me here more than anybody.”

Wiley will run multiple events in two weeks in a bid to deliver an NAIA team title to the third-ranked Foresters in Brookings, S.D.

Wiley was second in the NAIA nationals in cross country, and Huntington was 13th. The Nos. 2, 3 and 4 runners from that team have all transferred to other colleges.

Neideck said Saturday’s race played out perfectly for Wiley to use her closing speed, except there was no plan to lead.

“It takes guts to go out there and lead,” Hiltz said. “So hats off to her. I hope she has a great career.”

Neideck said he has not addressed Wiley’s future past 2023, or whether she would go pro. The coach said Huntington wants to enter her in other top races and cap the season at the USATF Outdoor Championships in July.

“Being able to inherit a runner like that is unbelievable,” Neideck said. “And working with someone who loves the Lord is great.”

For Hiltz, this was a breakthrough  – a third one, really, after making worlds in 2019 and also winning Pan American gold that year.

Hiltz ran the closing 400 in 58.86 to beat On Athletics Club athlete Sage Hurta-Klecker, who has 1:57.85 credentials in the 800. Hurta-Klecker was third in 4:17.26 and Krissy Gear of HOKA Northern Arizona Elite took third in 4:18.21.

“I was like, ‘I think I have one bullet. I think I have one move,’” Hiltz said.

Hiltz has endured “a lot of mental health setbacks and doubt” since 2019, but some of that confidence has been restored by training in Flagstaff, Ariz., under Northern Arizona coach Mike Smith.

“This sport is brutal,” Hiltz said. “You win some, and you lose a lot more.”

Contact David Woods at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter: @DavidWoods007.