The 2010 New Balance Nationals, the first year of the involvement of our new title sponsor, New Balance was again the highlight of the high school track and field season.

This year’s meet saw no shortage of stellar performances. On the boys side, Joe Rosa (West Windsor-Plainsboro North, Plainsboro, NJ) let 9 under 9 minutes in the 2-mile, clocking 8:44.06 for #8 all-time and a junior class record. Alex Deir (Honeoye Falls-Lima, Honeoye Falls, NY) ran a nation-leading 5:53.02 for #11 all-time. Hamden, Connecticut, anchored by Chris Fitz Simons in 1:47.15, got the US lead in the 4x800, running 7:35.68, #12 all-time. There was an abundance of US leading performances in many of the other relays as well: 4xmile – Haddonfield, NJ 17:20.21 (#14 all-time), 800m Medley – Newburgh 1:30.76, 1600m Medley – East Kentwood, MI 3:22.99 (#13 all-time), Distance Medley Relay – Hamden, CT 9:56.50 (#6 all-time with a 4:05.70 anchor by Fitz Simons), Shuttle Hurdle Relay - Pioneer, Ann Arbor, MI 59.15. On the field, Marquis Dendy (Middletown, DE) triple jumped 52-7.25 for a HSL, and Alec Faldermeyer (Minisink Valley, Slate Hill, NY) threw the hammer 240-8 (#7 all-time).

The girls meet was no less impressive. Meghan Goethals (Rochester, Rochester Hills, MI) and Aisling Cuffe (Cornwall, NY) had a great 2 mile battle, with Goethals victorious, 10:01.16 (#5 all-time) to 10:02.49 (#7 all-time). Mary Kate Anselmini (Ward Melville, Setauket, NY) got the US lead in the 2000m Steeplechase, run 6:42.78. Fayetteville-Manlius, Manlius, NY scared the national record in the 4x800m, running 8:46.98, #2 all-time, chased the entire race by Garden City, NY at 8:47.90, #3 all-time. Saratoga Springs, NY again dominated in the 4xmile, running 20:04.34. Columbia, Maplewood, NJ ran a nation-leading 1:41.98 in the 800m Medley, #4 all-time. And, anchoring with a stunning 2:00.59 800m leg in the 1600m Medley, Ajee Wilson led her team to a 3:52.74 victory, #4 all-time. Not far behind was Pope John XXII, Sparta, NJ in 3:53.93 (#9 all-time). Mc Donogh, Owings Mills, MD was the winner in the shuttle hurdle relay, in 59.59 (HSL). Many of the above flirted with national records, but Blacksburg, VA actually got one in the Distance Medley Relay. They ran 11:31.26, getting the record by less than .6. The team was comprised of Kathleen Stevens 3:31.46, Dorrell 58.87, Brown 2:12.61 and Joanna Stevens 4:48.14.

Changes for 2011:

Emerging Elite vs Championship

The Championship races are for those who have made the qualifying standards for those events. The Emerging Elite is for those who have not quite made those standards. The Emerging Elite Division is open to any high school athlete who has made the Emerging Elite standards, whether they be Freshman, Sophomores, Juniors or Seniors. The idea is that, eventually, an Emerging Elite athlete will join the elite ranks, but has not yet attained that status. A prime example is that of Kyle Merber. He won the Emerging Elite mile as a junior in 2007 in 4:15.95 (The championship mile was won in 4:03.33). The next year he was New York State 1600m Champion. And, this year, his Sophomore year at Columbia U, he ran 3:58.62 for a mile! Similarly, Megan Goethals was the Emerging Elite mile champion in 2008 in 4:59.26. In 2009, she became the Foot Locker National Champion in cross-country.

Finally, we are extremely happy to welcome New Balance again as the title sponsor for this year's event. It is the start of a multi-year partnership. New Balance again has some exciting functions planned for this year's meet. Stay tuned for details!

Please join us for another spectacular event.