Meet the T&G Hometeam high school girls' track and field team for spring 2024

The Central Mass. High School Sports Awards is proud to announce the player of the year nominees for girls' track. The winners were announced during the live show that took place June 26 at the Hanover Theatre.

The Central Mass. High School Sports Awards show is part of the USA TODAY High School Sports Awards, the largest high school sports recognition program in the country.

This award is sponsored by Boundless Adventures .

Athlete of the Year

Haley McCormack

Tantasqua Regional

Junior, High Jump

As the meets got bigger, McCormack got better. She cleared 5 feet, 4 inches to win the Central Mass. Division 1 championship and three days later made the same height to finish first at the Southern Worcester County League championships for the second straight season. McCormack then topped 5-6 to three-peat at the Division 3 state championships before jumping 5-8 to claim the gold medal at the Meet of Champions. That effort, which ranked first in the state this spring, both bested the field and was a personal/school record by 2 inches. The multi-talented McCormack also took fourth in the triple jump and seventh in the 100-meter hurdles at the D2 state meet while advancing to the Meet of Champions in the triple jump. She is the daughter of Diana and Shawn McCormack of Sturbridge.

Haley Bilodeau

Blackstone Valley Tech

Junior, 400 Hurdles

Bilodeau excelled in the 100-meter hurdles and the javelin for the Beavers, winning both events at the Colonial Athletic League and state vocational championships. She was at her best in the 400 hurdles. Bilodeau, in her most memorable moment of the season, broke the meet record while finishing first at the Division 3 state championships before taking fifth — an improvement of six spots over her sophomore season — at the Meet of Champions. She concluded her terrific campaign by placing 10th in the 300 hurdles in her debut at the New Englands. Bilodeau’s top time of 1 minute, 3.28 seconds in the 400 hurdles ranked seventh in the state this spring, while her best throw of 122 feet, 11 inches in the javelin checked in 11th. She is the daughter of Kadie and Christopher Bilodeau.

Kathryn Cahill

Uxbridge High

Senior, Multi-Event

Cahill did it all for the Spartans. She finished first in her debut in the pentathlon — which was her most memorable moment of the season — successfully defended her title in the 100-meter hurdles and placed third in the long jump at the Division 6 state championships. Cahill then took seventh in the pentathlon and 13th in the 100 hurdles at the Meet of Champions. It was her fourth state finals appearance in the hurdles. An accomplished triple jumper, her top effort of 37 feet, 8 inches ranked seventh in the state this spring. Cahill, who aspires to become a nurse, will continue her academic and athletic careers at the University of Rhode Island. She is the daughter of Celeste and John Cahill of Uxbridge.

Caroline Collins

Nashoba Regional

Senior, Mile, 2 Mile

Collins won the mile and the two-mile for the second straight season at the Division 4 state championships while, in her most memorable moment of the season, helping Nashoba win a state team title for the first time in 49 years. This eight-time T&G Super Team selection then took fourth in the two-mile at the Meet of Champions and concluded her accomplished career with an appearance at the New Balance Nationals Outdoor. Collins’ top times of 4 minutes, 53.17 seconds in the mile and 10:37.2 in the 2 mile were both school records and ranked third in the state among MIAA competitors this spring. Collins will continue her academic and athletic careers at Boston University, where she’ll major in communications. She is the daughter of Kristen and Fred Collins of Stow.

Savannah Gao

Hudson High

Senior, Discus, Javelin

This two-time T&G Super Team selection was a dual threat in the field events. Gao placed second in the discus and the javelin at the Division 5 state championships. Due to a conflict with graduation, she declined to participate in the Meet of Champions after finishing third in the javelin as a junior. Gao’s top efforts of 113 feet, 2 inches in the javelin and 118-7 in the discus ranked third and 13th, respectively, in the state this spring. A strong sprinter, her most memorable moments of the seasons came when she ran the 400-meter relay. Gao, who aspires to become a physician assistant, will major in human physiology and continue her track career at Boston University. She is the daughter of Rong Lin of Hudson.

Rahma Giwa

Wachusett Regional

Junior, 400

This is the fifth T&G Super Team selection for Giwa. She finished second in the 400-meter run at the Division 1 state championships for the second straight season before placing sixth at the Meet of Champions and 18th at the New Englands. It was the fifth time in six seasons of running indoor and outdoor track that Giwa qualified for the New Englands. She also helped the 1,600 relay team place second at the D1 state championships and fifth at the Meet of Champions. Her top time of 57.13 seconds in the 400 checked in eighth in the state among MIAA athletes this spring. She is the daughter of Bashiru Giwa of Holden.

Avery Glidden

Whitinsville Christian

Senior, 400, 400 Hurdles

This is the third T&G Super Team selection for Glidden. She placed second in the 400-meter hurdles and the 400 at the Division 5 state championships before finishing — for the second straight season — third in the 400 hurdles and fourth in the 400 at the Meet of Champions. Glidden went on to post a pair of top-20 finishes at the Nike Outdoor Nationals. Her top times of 1 minute, 1.25 seconds in the 400 hurdles and 55.98 in the 400 ranked third and fifth, respectively, in the state this spring. Glidden, who aspires to become a physician assistant, will major in biology and continue her running career at William & Mary College. The Douglas resident is the daughter of Theresa Arpin and Matthew Glidden.

Kinsley Kline

Parker Charter

Sophomore, Pole Vault

What a sensational spring it was for this superb sophomore. Kline cleared 10 feet in the pole vault to finish third and earn a medal for the second straight year at the Division 6 state championships. Then, in her Meet of Champions debut, she vaulted 11 feet to place fourth as one of just two underclassmen in the top 10. That was far and away her most memorable moment of the season. Kline, a team captain and the Panthers’ leading point scorer and team MVP, capped the season by finishing 20th overall and third among underclassmen in a field of 39 in her inaugural appearance at the New Englands. She is the daughter of Heather and Kenton Kline of Boxborough.

Norah Kobaly

Littleton High

Senior, Javelin

It was thrice as nice for Kobaly as this three-time T&G Super Team selection won the javelin at the Division 6 state championship for the third straight season while adding to her medal haul by placing fourth in the discus. That was among her many memorable moments of the season. Kobaly then advanced to the Meet of Champions, where she finished fourth to medal for the third time, having previously placed eighth as a junior and first as a sophomore. Her top throw of 130 feet, 6 inches extended her school record and ranked fifth in the state this spring. Kobaly will continue her track career, with a goal of throwing 150-plus feet, and major in business at the University of Rhode Island. She is the daughter of Sheila and Michael Kobaly of Littleton.

Olivia LaBelle

Algonquin Regional

Senior, 100 Hurdles, 400 Hurdles

It was a medal-collecting and record-setting campaign for this multi-sport, four-time T&G Super Team selection. LaBelle finished first in the 100-meter hurdles and the 400 relay and second in the 400 hurdles to help, in her most memorable moment of the season, the cohesive and resilient Titans finish second as a team at the Division 2 state championships. LaBelle then took second in the 100 hurdles and collected a gold medal in the 400 relay at the Meet of Champions. This two-time captain graduated with four school records, including in the 100 hurdles (14.57 seconds) and 400 hurdles (1:03.45). LaBelle, who aspires to become a physical therapist, will major in biology and minor in neuroscience and continue her track career at Williams College. She is the daughter of Melissa and Phil LaBelle of Southborough.

Nyah Santana

Wachusett Regional

Senior, 200

This is the sixth T&G Super Team selection for Santana. She finished first in the 200-meter dash at the Division 1 state championships after placing third as a junior and taking top honors at the Central/Western Mass. D1 championships as a freshman. Santana, in her fourth appearance in the state finals, then raced to seventh place at the Meet of Champions. Santana concluded her decorated high school career by finishing 14th at the New Englands. Her top time of 25.28 seconds ranked 11th among MIAA competitors in the state this season. Santana will continue her academic and athletic careers at the University of Rhode Island. She is the daughter of Nyoka and Wilfredo Santana of Holden.

Katelyn Winchester

Westborough High

Senior, Pole Vault

Winchester soared to new heights this season. She cleared 10 feet, 7 inches to take top honors and lead the Rangers to a 1-2-3 sweep at the Division 3 state championships for the second straight year. That was her most memorable moment of the season while her vault ranked seventh in the state among MIAA competitors this spring. Winchester then placed sixth at the Meet of Champions to earn her first trip to the New Englands. This team MVP and two-time track captain was also a point-producing 100-meter hurdler for the Rangers. Winchester, who aspires to become an athletic trainer, will major in exercise science at Sacred Heart University. She is the daughter of Ericka and David Winchester of Westborough.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Meet the T&G Hometeam high school girls' track and field team for spring 2024