CLASS 2A GIRLS TRACK ATHLETES TO WATCH IN 2026
 

JORDAN BARTLETT, BENNINGTON
 
Bartlett’s bid to go back-to-back in the Class 2A javelin came up 3 inches short against Smith Center’s Alexis Koelsch at last year’s state meet. But her throw of 132 feet, 6 inches still placed second, giving Bartlett her third career state medal in the event. Bartlett defended her Heart of America League title last season, then won the Marion regional to return to state, where she finished sixth as a freshman before winning the 2A title in 2024 with a toss of 139-0, which stands as her personal best. Bartlett was also part of a 2A champion 400 relay team two seasons ago. The Bulldogs’ 400 relay set a school record (50.03) last year in winning the HOA title.
 

ROSE BUCK, EUREKA
 
Buck, a senior, parlayed Tri-Valley League and regional titles into a second-place finish in the Class 2A 1,600 meters and a seventh-place showing in the 2A 800 last May. Buck’s personal-best time of 5:13.13 in the 1,600 was nearly 10 seconds behind champion Madison Howland of Smith Center but more than 8 seconds ahead of Wabaunsee’s Payton Wurtz. Buck ran 2:21.84 in the state 800 after qualifying with a PR of 2:20.39 in a Eureka regional victory. The Tornado standout, who finished third at the 2A state cross country meet in November, has been one of the top small-class distance runners throughout her career, winning four league cross country titles.
 

HANNAH CANNY, STANTON COUNTY

Canny left the state meet with three medals last year, finishing third in the 400, fourth in the 200 and fifth in the 100. She owns the school records in the 100 (12.55) and 200 (25.48). Canny is eyeing Stanton County’s record in the 400, which stands at 57.52, after posting a personal-best 58.09 last season. Now a junior, Canny was also the Hi-Plains League champion in the 200 last year.
 

TAYLOR FROESE, INMAN
 
Froese, a junior, nearly made it out of the Class 2A discus circle with a state title last spring before TMP-Marian’s Paige Schlyer topped Froese by 5 feet on her final throw. Still, Froese, who led the competition by one inch before Schlyer delivered, claimed the runner-up spot with her season-best throw of 124-10. Froese missed out on state in the discus after throwing a PR of 130-3 midway through her freshman season. But she did win Heart of America and Eureka regional shot put titles that season – the latter with a personal-best throw of 37-7 – and took eighth at state.
 

CAMRYN GOURLEY, HOXIE

Gourley starred as a freshman last season, helping lead the Indians to a team state championship. Her standout meet was highlighted by a state title in the 300 hurdles, where she clocked a personal-best 45.74. She was also runner-up in the 100 hurdles at 15.34, and added a fourth-place finish in the 400 and an eighth-place showing in the 200. Gourley was the Mid-Continent League champion in the 300 hurdles and runner-up in her three other events.
 

MADISON HOWLAND, SMITH CENTER

After sweeping the 1,600 and 3,200 titles as a freshman in 2024, Howland completed the distance triple crown last year by adding the 800 title. She won the 3,200 by nearly a minute and the 1,600 by nearly 10 seconds. Howland edged Wabaunsee senior Payton Wurtz in the 800 by just over a second for her third title. She set personal records in the 800 (2:16.23) and the 1,600 (5:03.47) at state, while her 3,200 PR of 10:51.88 came at the Kansas Relays last year. Howland, a junior, will go for her fourth straight cross country state title next fall.
 

ELEANOR JOINER, ELLINWOOD 

Joiner was a double Central Prairie League champion last season as a freshman, winning the 800 (2:25.06) and 1,600 (5:37.66). She also anchored Ellinwood’s state runner-up 3,200 relay team, which finished in a school-record 9:59.76. Joiner took fourth at the Class 2A cross country state meet last fall.
 

JULIA KILGORE, STERLING
 
Kilgore has encountered worthy challengers since winning double gold three years ago in her state meet debut. But the Black Bear standout heads into her senior season as a three-time champion in the 400 meters. Kilgore set a Class 2A meet record last year, sliding under 57 seconds for the first time with a time of 56.40 to win by more than a second over Marion’s Dylan Kraus. Kilgore also led last year’s preliminary qualifying in the 200, which she won as a freshman. But after taking second in the event to Oxford’s Makhila Maupin as a sophomore, Kilgore settled for second again as Ellinwood newcomer Reagan Wirtz ran a meet-record 24.98 to top Kilgore’s 25.50. Still, Kilgore’s prelim time of 25.24 was a personal best.
 

ALEXIS KOELSCH, SMITH CENTER

Koelsch pulled off an upset to win the Class 2A state javelin title last year, knocking off defending champion Jordan Bartlett of Bennington by three inches with a throw of 132-9. That came after Koelsch set her personal record at regionals with a 133-6. She was the Mid-Continent League champion and also won meets at Phillipsburg, Hill City and Smith Center. Now a junior, Koelsch also competed in the long jump last year.
 

DYLAN KRAUS, MARION
 
Kraus highlighted a four-medal state performance last year with her second straight runner-up finish to Sterling’s Julia Kilgore in the Class 2A 400 meters. Kraus ran a personal-best 57.71 in the finals for the silver behind Kilgore, who set a 2A meet record. While the 400 produced Kraus’ lone state medal two years ago as a freshman, last spring she added fourth-place finishes in the 800 – running a personal-best 2:18.85 – and as the anchor on Marion’s 1,600 relay. Kraus also tied for eighth in the pole vault, clearing 9-0. The start of Kraus’ junior campaign has been delayed as she heals from a broken wrist.
 

BRONWYN LEWIS, SYRACUSE

After finishing runner-up in the pole vault as a freshman in 2024, Lewis took the top spot at state last year with a winning vault of 10-6. That capped a sophomore season in which Lewis also won the event at six other meets. She is a two-time Hi-Plains League champion. Lewis has already set her personal record this season, clearing 11-0 at both the Stanton County Invitational and the Pre-Hi-Plains League meet.
 

EMILY O’BRIEN, REMINGTON
 
O’Brien certainly has the credentials to entertain thoughts of a Class 2A hurdles sweep in her senior season after getting one of the two a year ago. The Remington standout edged Hoxie’s Camryn Gourley in the 100 hurdles in a personal-best time of 15.20 for her first individual state track title. Gourley, now a sophomore, returned the favor in the 300 hurdles, winning by .21 despite another O’Brien PR of 45.95. O’Brien, a Northeastern State (Okla.) basketball commit, medaled at state in both hurdles events as a freshman, but a false start at regionals cost her a state spot in the 100s as a sophomore, when she took fifth in the 300s. O’Brien also has been part of state-placing relays, bringing her career 2A medal count to nine.
 

PIPER SIMPSON, TMP-MARIAN

A school record holder in the pole vault, Simpson capped her freshman season with a state runner-up finish. Champion Bronwyn Lewis of Syracuse won on misses after both she and Simpson cleared 10-6. Simpson was also a regional and Mid-Continent League champion, winning five meets last season. Her sophomore season is off to a strong start with three victories. She set a personal record of 10-7 at the Hays Invitational.
 

BRILYNN TRUMPP, PLAINVILLE

Trumpp’s strong freshman season was highlighted by a state runner-up finish in the 3,200 with a personal-best 11:46.40. She added a fourth-place medal in the 1,600 at 5:25.60 and also competed in the 800, placing 13th. Trumpp swept the 800 and 1,600 at the Norton Invitational early last season. She also turned in a strong cross country season last fall, finishing eighth at the state meet.
 

CAMMI UNRUH, MOUNDRIDGE
 
Unruh, a volleyball and basketball standout for the Wildcats, has been equally successful in track and field. The Moundridge senior won the Class 2A long jump title two seasons ago and while she finished third last year in her title defense, Unruh added another gold as part of a 1,600 relay with Avery Schrag, Baylee Schriner and Halle Hecox. Unruh also finished sixth in the 100 – her third career state medal in that event – and led off for the Wildcats’ runner-up finishing 400 relay. Unruh set PRs in the 100 (12.36), 200 (25.28) and 400 (1:00.57) as a sophomore. She took second in the 2A 100 two years ago and is a two-time state medalist in the 200.
 

ALEXA WEISER, OAKLEY

Weiser capped her freshman season by winning the state triple jump title, leading Oakley’s 1-2 finish with Jade Beckman. Weiser recorded a 36-1.50 to win by 3.25 inches over Beckman, who is out with a torn ACL suffered during volleyball. Weiser was also the Mid-Continent League and regional champion in the triple jump last year and added a fifth-place state finish in the long jump. Weiser is the school record holder in the triple jump (36-11) and is eyeing Oakley’s long jump record of 17-4. She helped lead Oakley’s volleyball and basketball teams to state tournament berths this year. 
 

MADELYN WILSON, CHASE COUNTY

A three-sport standout for the Bulldogs, Wilson captured a state championship as a sophomore when she won the Class 2A shot put title with a throw of 40-3, that coming a week after she PRed with a toss of 40-8.5 at regionals. Wilson also placed fourth at state in the javelin and was 16th in the discus as a sophomore. Last year, her bid for a repeat title was foiled by Phillipsburg’s Callie Leidig, who threw 38-10.5 during prelims. Wilson managed just a best of 37-6.5 and was sitting third before her final throw when she nearly won the title, but fell just an inch and a half away with a final throw of 38-9. It was her best mark of a somewhat down junior season and Wilson will get a late start to her senior season after suffering an injury that ended her basketball season early. She also placed seventh in the javelin and ninth in the discus at state last year.
 

REAGAN WIRTZ, ELLINWOOD

Wirtz put on a show in her debut state track meet as a freshman, winning titles in the 100, 200 and long jump. She set a 2A meet record in the 200 with a personal-best 24.98 to beat Sterling standout Julia Kilgore. In the 100, she clocked a 12.24 to edge Bennington’s Rori Miles by .24 seconds. She went 18-1 to secure her long jump title. Wirtz was undefeated in the 100 and long jump last year and won all but one race in the 200. Her personal best in the long jump is 18-9.75, and her best 100 is 12.18.