Jane Hedengren, Cooper Lutkenhaus, Jackson Cantwell, Fantastic Sprints And Hurdles Fields Headline Nike Outdoor Nationals

By Oliver Hinson of DyeStat

DyeStat Photos

This weekend, dozens of the best high schoolers in the nation will make their way to Hayward Field to compete at Nike Outdoor Nationals. 

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Jane Hedengren’s Final HS Races

Which national record is the Timpview UT senior going to break this weekend? She already holds top marks in nine events between indoors and outdoors, including the two that she’s running at this meet — the mile and the 3,000 meters — so she’d only be lowering her own records, but her races will still be mandatory viewing.

She broke both of those marks in a four-day span in early June. On the 5th, she torched the mile record in St. Louis, running 4:23.50 to beat a stacked field by 12 seconds. Three days later, she topped that with what may have been the best performance of her career: a 9:17.75 2 mile in Seattle, which she ran completely solo in 88 degree heat. She broke the 3,000 record en route in that race, coming through in 8:40.99.

Lowering either of those times will be a tall order, but she might have a better shot in the 3,000. She’ll be fresh for that event, and it’s projected to be about 30 degrees cooler on Saturday than it was for her run in Seattle. If someone dares to sit on her shoulder, the pacing assistance might be enough to carry her to a sub-8:40 performance.

The field for the 3,000 will be similar to that of her national record run: Rylee Blade (Corona CA), Zariel Macchia (William Floyd NY) and Sophia Rodriguez (Mercer Island WA) are all back. No one tried to run with Hedengren in that race, and it could very well be the same story this weekend.

Her mile record is likely safer. She ran 4:23.50 on fresher legs with much cooler weather, and she had wave lights assisting her. That won’t be the case here. Still, she’s the favorite in this event, too. Other top competitors include her teammate, Lily Alder, as well as Macchia, Blade, Braelyn Combe (Corona CA) and Blair Bartlett (Lawrenceville NJ). 

Can Nauman Challenge Lutkenhaus?

Cooper Lutkenhaus, without question, owns the 800 meters. 

With a 1:46.26 performance at a meet in Seattle on June 8, he broke Michael Granville’s national record, which had stood for nearly three decades. He also owns the indoor record of 1:46.86.

No high school runner has beaten Lutkenhaus during his two years at Justin Northwest High School TX. In Seattle, he was taken to the line by Owen Powell (Mercer Island WA) and Tiago Socarras (Belen Jesuit FL), two of the best mid-distance runners in the country, but even they couldn’t top Lutkenhaus.

It seems silly to suggest anyone could challenge Lutkenhaus, but this weekend, he’ll go up against one of the few runners with as much momentum as him: Quentin Nauman.

On May 22, the Western Dubuque IA junior pulled off one of the most impressive state meet performances by any high school runner in recent memory, winning the 800 meters, 1,600 meters and 3,200 meters and anchoring his team to a win in the sprint medley relay at the Iowa State Championships. 

With times of 1:49.41, 3:59.60 and 8:57.97, Nauman became the first high school runner to break 1:50 in the 800, 4:00 in the 1,600, and 9:00 in the 3,200 in the same meet. Then, to cap it off, he split a 1:47.5 in his 800 leg of the SMR.

Two weeks later, he followed up that performance with a stunning win at a national meet in St. Louis, kicking past one of the best mile fields in high school history to cross the line in 3:58.65, the fastest time in the country this year. 

Nauman has few championship credentials — his win in St. Louis was his first on a national stage — but he clearly has strong racing instincts. This weekend will be his biggest test yet.

Other top contenders in the 800 include Bryson Nielsen (Eastmark AZ), Luke Bone (Austin TX) and Corbin Coombs (Organ Mountain NM).

Loaded Girls 100 Meters Field

The seven fastest high school girls in the country are all making their way to Hayward Field this weekend.

Dana Wilson (Greensboro Day School NC) holds the coveted title of US#1 with a season’s best of 11.02, while Mia Maxwell (Humble Atascocita TX) isn’t far behind at 11.04.

The next five, in order, are Taylor Nunez (Universal City Randolph TX), Kylah Woods (Fort Bend Ridge Point TX), Celeste Robinson (Houston Cypress Ranch TX), Mariah Maxwell (Humble Atascocita TX) and London Jackson Bray (Katy TX). 

Wilson is the favorite; in addition to her US#1 status, she won the 60 meter dash at Nike Indoor Nationals, and she’s run under 11.10 in the 100 four times this outdoor season. This race is far from open and shut, though; with the top seven separated by less than a quarter of a second, it will come down to race day execution.

In addition to chasing the win, they’ll be looking to break Shawnti Jackson’s national record of 10.89, set in 2023. That will certainly be a challenge — the forecast shows chilly temperatures and rain on Saturday night, when the final is scheduled — but if any field can overcome it, it’s this one.

Jackson Cantwell Chases Michael Carter

Most people know Jackson Cantwell from his exploits on the gridiron; the Nixa MO senior is the third-ranked football prospect in the Class of 2026 according to ESPN, and his recent commitment to Miaimi made national headlines.

But the son of the former world record holder may be even better in the ring. Cantwell is No. 2 all-time outdoors in the shot put with a personal best of 76-11.25, and he’s been chasing Michael Carter’s untouchable national record of 81-3.50 for three years. It is possibly the hardest record to break in high school track and feld. The two farthest throws of Cantwell's career have come in his last two performances, and he’s had three weeks to train since tossing his PB at the Missouri state meet.

He’ll be facing off against several of the top-ranked throwers in the country, including US#2 Adam Carter (Katy TX), US#3 McKay Madsen (Clovis North CA) and US#4 Paul Hoekman (Sioux Falls Christian SD).

Triple Threat Jasmine Robinson

The North Cobb GA junior competed in the 200 meters, 400 meters and 60 meter hurdles at Nike Indoor Nationals. The highest finish she earned was fifth, which came in the latter of those events. This weekend, she’s entered in the 200 meters, 100 meter hurdles and 400 meter hurdles, and she’s poised for a much better weekend. 

She’s been especially dominant in the hurdles this outdoor season. She’s ranked second in the nation and third all-time in the 300 meter hurdles, the more common variant of the long hurdle races. At the Arcadia Invitational, she ran 39.81, winning by nearly half a second and becoming the third high schooler to break 40 seconds (Morgan Herbst of Carlsbad SD became the fourth later in the season).

Robinson also took second in the 100 meter hurdles at Arcadia with a time of 13.22. In that race, she came up short to Anisa Bowen-Fontenot (San Diego CA), who is also her main competition in the short hurdles this weekend. Bowen-Fontenot is ranked first in the nation with a season’s best of 13.07, which she ran at the CIF State Track and Field Championships.

Last year, Robinson attempted a similar triple at this meet; she ran both hurdle races and the 400 meter dash. The highest finish she earned in 2024 was third in the 400 meter hurdles.

One Of The Greatest High School Boys 100 Lineups Ever

Three of the biggest characters in the high school track world will line up for the 100 meter dash. Those include US#1 Tate Taylor (Harlan TX), US#2 Maurice Gleaton, Jr. (Langston Hughes GA), and US#3 Brayden Williams (Duncanville TX). 

All three of these athletes have legitimate claims to be the fastest in the country. Taylor is the national record holder with a personal best of 9.92, which he ran to win the 100 meters at the TX UIL 6A State Championships, one of the most prestigious titles in the sport. He’s also the national record holder in the indoor 200 meters; he ran 20.46 to take home a gold medal at Nike Indoor Nationals.

Williams has run under 10 seconds three times this year, but all of those performances have been wind-aided. His best is a 9.82 performance at the UIL 6A Region II Championships, but that came with a massive 6.0 m/s tailwind. 

His wind-legal PB is 10.01, which earned him second place behind Taylor at the Texas state meet. He’ll certainly want to avenge that loss in Eugene.

Gleaton may be the most interesting candidate. He’s undefeated in the 100 meters and 200 meters this year and is the Georgia state champion in both, but hasn’t competed in any national meets so far in 2025. It would have been easy for his name to fall off people’s radar, but then last weekend happened.

At the Star Athletics Sprint Series in Orlando, Gleaton ran 9.87 in the 100 meter prelims and 9.82 in the final, both slightly wind-aided. He false started in the final, but officials allowed him to line up again for the re-race — he’s listed as DQ in the results, but there’s no denying that he ran what he ran.

There’s also no denying that he beat professional stars Brandon Hicklin and Christian Coleman. Hicklin may be listed as the winner, but everyone in attendance saw Gleaton beat both of them by a full tenth of a second. The Georgia commit will be riding high coming into this weekend, and that momentum could carry him to his second straight Nike Outdoor Nationals 100 meter title.

Jessica Oji Seeks 20th Straight Shot Put Win

No one has beaten Jessica Oji in an outdoor shot put competition since the Penn Relays in 2023. That’s over two years of domination by the Livingston NJ senior.

This year, she’s been unstoppable, throwing over 50 feet six times and routinely beating her competition by several feet. On May 2, she threw 55-11, putting her third on the all-time high school outdoor list.

This weekend, a win at Hayward Field would mean several things for Oji. First off, it would be her 20th straight win in the outdoor shot put.

It would also be her first win at Nike Outdoor Nationals. She claimed her first Nike Indoor Nationals title in March, albeit in unconventional style; she threw 49-8.50 on her first throw and then fouled on each of her next five throws.

With a more consistent series this weekend, she could lock up her first win at Hayward and even go for Alyssa Wilson’s national record of 58-1, set in 2017.

Oji will have a stacked field to compete against, including US#2 Addy Stiverson (Montrose MI) and US#4 Jaslene Massey (Aliso Niguel CA).

Jayden Horton-Mims Back In Action

The national record holder in the indoor 300 meters has only raced three times this outdoor season. In those races, though, the Philadelphia native earned himself US#1 status in the 400 meters and US#3 status in the 200 meters.

In his last meet, the East Coast International Showcase on May 3, he ran personal bests of 20.36 in the 200 and 45.24 in the 400. He’s entered in both events this weekend, giving the nation a chance to see whether he’s collected any rust during his time off. 

In the 200, he’ll face off against a flurry of talented Texans, including Tate Taylor, Justin Stewart and Jonathan Simms. In the 400. Taylor broke the indoor national record in the 200 at Nike Indoor Nationals, running 20.46 and beating Horton-Mims by over half a second.

In the 400, Horton-Mims should have an easier road to the championship; his best competitor is Valen Wittenburg (Santa Fe NM), who’s ranked US#5 with a season’s best of 45.66.

Top Vaulters Hannah Grace, Jaicee Jasmer Match Up

The girls pole vault was one of the most thrilling showdowns at Nike Indoor Nationals this March, and it looks to be even more exciting in the outdoor edition. Hannah Grace (Coastal Christian NC) and Jaicee Jasmer (Sulphur Springs TX) went head-to-head at the Armory in March and stole the show; Grace broke the meet record, clearing 14-3.50, while Jasmer was a close second, clearing 14-0. No one else in the meet cleared 13 feet.

Heading into this weekend, the two are tied for US#1, both having cleared 14-4 in the outdoor season. Grace is undefeated in both the indoor and outdoor season, though, and Jasmer has lost four times in 2025. 

Both will be looking for their first Nike Outdoor Nationals title, and unlike this winter, they’ll have some competition along the way. Addison Kleinke is ranked US#3, and the Churchill OR junior will be competing on her home turf. US#4 Lilyana Carlson (Bermudian Springs PA) and US#10 Tierany Neighbors (Mineola TX) are also in the field.

Hurdles Supremacy On The Line Between Ja'Shaun Lloyd And Le'Ezra Brown

Those who tuned in for Nike Indoor Nationals may remember Ja’Shaun Lloyd (Corsicana TX) throwing down the second fastest 60 meter hurdles performance in high school history. He clocked a 7.49, winning the championship by nearly a quarter of a second and coming within a tenth of Trey Cunningham’s national record.

It may be a little more difficult to remember Le’Ezra Brown’s (Dudley NC) performance. He tripped over the last hurdle and somersaulted to the finish line, finishing sixth with a time of 7.80. 

Brown certainly remembers, though, and this weekend, he’ll get his rematch with Lloyd. The two are ranked first and second in the country in the 110 meter hurdles; Lloyd has the top spot with a season’s best of 13.20 (US#2 all time), while Brown isn’t far back at 13.25 (US#5 all-time).

Both have some marquee wins to their name in this event; Brown won at the Florida Relays and the All-American Track Classic, while Lloyd destroyed his competition at the TX UIL 5A Championships, winning by nearly three quarters of a second.

Lloyd may also be looking to put some bad memories behind him this weekend; last year, it was Brown on top in this event, while Lloyd finished dead last in the final.

Other top competitors include US#5 Jasir Fontenot (San Diego CA), US#9 Joshua Kai-Smith (Gar-Field VA) and US#10 Andrew Jones (Klein Collins TX).