Allegany-Limestone graduate, national high school record holder and New Balance 2,000-meter steeplechase champion joins Tuohy as only New York female athletes, N.C. State signees to receive award since its inception in 1986

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Angelina Napoleon, a North Carolina State-bound senior at Allegany-Limestone High in New York and the national high school and American Under-20 record holder in the 2,000-meter steeplechase, was recognized Thursday as the Gatorade Girls Track and Field National Player of the Year.

Napoleon clocked 6 minutes, 18.41 seconds June 10 at the New York Federation Championships to elevate to the No. 2 competitor in American history. She ran 6:19.53 to win the New Balance Nationals Outdoor title June 16 at Franklin Field in Philadelphia.

Napoleon, who boasts a 3.99 cumulative grade-point average, is the first prep female athlete from New York to receive the award since North Rockland graduate Katelyn Tuohy in 2018. Napoleon and Tuohy are also the only North Carolina State signees to receive the nation’s top girls track and field honor since its inception in 1986.

Napoleon is the only American female competitor to produce three sub-6:20 performances in the 2,000 steeplechase, including her 6:19.75 effort May 27 at the Section 6 Class C Championships.

She went unbeaten against fellow New York standouts Sheridan Wheeler of Saratoga Springs (6:20.80) and Karrie Baloga of Cornwall Central (6:21.31), who are the Nos. 2 and 3 all-time prep competitors.

Wheeler and Baloga are also the Nos. 5 and 6 athletes in American history.

Napoleon, who lowered the national prep all-time mark from 6:24.32 last year, ranks No. 16 all-time among World Under-20 competitors and is No. 64 in global history in the event.

Napoleon also became the first U.S. female competitor to run under 6:20 in the 2,000 steeplechase, along with sub-2:04 in the 800 meters, achieving the feat in the same day.

Napoleon ranked No. 3 among prep athletes nationally this year with her 2:03.97 performance June 10 at the New York Federation meet. She finished second June 18 at New Balance Nationals in 2:05.53.

Napoleon also won the mile at the Loucks Games in a personal-best 4:46.38, ran 10:39.04 in the 3,200 at the Raleigh Relays and cleared 5-6 (1.68m) in the high jump June 3 at the Section 6 qualifying meet.

She is scheduled to race in the 3,000-meter steeplechase July 8 at the USATF U20 Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.

The all-time prep mark in the 3,000 steeplechase is 10:00.72, established in 2012 by Brianna Nerud of North Shore High in New York at the World U20 Championships in Barcelona, Spain.

Madie Boreman, a former Colorado All-American, achieved the American U20 record of 9:46.48 at the 2017 NCAA Division 1 Championships at Hayward Field.

Napoleon is one of six female student-athletes eligible for the Gatorade National Girls Athlete of the Year at a July 11 ceremony in Los Angeles.