Several locals put their athleticism on full display during the season – in regular season meets, region/area, and again at state. Here are the BLITZ Girls Track & Field Athlete of the Year nominees. Coaches were permitted to nominate up to a max of 3 athletes per team (no relay groups). We have 18 nominees for Athlete of the Year.

Next, BLITZ will carefully whittle down the nominee list into a finalist group to be up for Athlete of the Year. The public will then get to vote for a last finalist from a handful of select nominees who didn’t make our finalist cut.

Paden Bell – Commerce SR

300 MH: 1A DI State 6th & Region 3rd (47.94 PR); Long Jump: State 7th & Region Champion (16-11.5 PR); High Jump: Region 7th (4-2); 4×400 Relay: State Runner-Up & Region RU

*Nominated by BLITZ as top Commerce performer at state and region combined; no response from Commerce*

Kaylee Caldwell – Lumpkin County SR

Long Jump: 3A State 9th & Region Champion (16-4 PR); Triple Jump: State 12th & Region Runner-Up (33-6 PR)
*Nominated by BLITZ as top Lumpkin performer at state and region combined; no response from Lumpkin*

My’Angel Carter – Stephens County SR

Triple Jump: Region 4th (32-5 PR); 4×100: 3A State 13th & Region Champion (50.38 PR); 4×200: State 14th & Region Runner-Up (1:47.6 PR & School Record)

Amayah Dooley – Habersham Central JR

Triple Jump: 6A State 15th & Region Runner-Up (35-5.75 PR); Long Jump: Region Runner-Up (17-1 PR)

Rusty Dye – White County SR

Shot Put: 3A State Champion & Region Champion; Discus: Region Champion

Rileigh Harrison – Jefferson FR

Long Jump: 5A State 5th & Region Champion (18-3.5 PR); 100: Region 6th (12.64 PR)

*Nominated by BLITZ as top Jefferson performer at state and region combined; no response from Jefferson*

Audrey Hotard – Habersham Central SO

1600 & 3200: 6A State 9th & Region Champion (5:19.24 & 11:30.86 PRs); 800: State Qualifier & Region 3rd (2:22.56 PR)

Lola Hunter – Union County FR

1600: 2A State 6th & Region 3rd (5:23.86 PR); 3200: State 6th & Region Runner-Up (11:52.90 PR)
*Nominated by BLITZ as top Union performer at state and region combined; no response from Union*

Ella Kulniszewski – Jefferson JR

Pole Vault: 5A State Runner-Up & Region Champion (11-6 PR)

*Nominated by BLITZ as top Jefferson performer at state and region combined; no response from Jefferson*

Anna LeCave – Dawson County JR

800: 3A State 3rd & Region 3rd (2:23.10 PR); Pole Vault: Region 5th (7-6 PR); 4×800 Relay: State Runner-Up & Region RU; 4×400: State 6th & Region RU

*Nominated by BLITZ as top Dawson performer at state and region combined; no response from Dawson*

Landrey Pike – Habersham Central SR

Shot Put: 6A State 12th & Region 4th (25-8.75 PR); Discus: Region Runner-Up (118-2 PR)

Julianne Shirley – Tallulah Falls JR

400: State 3rd & Region Champion (51.75 PR); High Jump: State 5th & Region 4th (5-1 PR/School Record); 200: State Qualifier & Region Runner-Up (24.47 PR); 4×400 Relay: 1A DI State Champion anchor & Region Champion (4:07.70 PR/School Record)

Shelby Speed – Banks County SR

Discus: 2A State Champion & Region Champion (153-1 PR); Shot Put: State Champion & Region Champion (43-7 PR)

Camden Thomason – Commerce FR

Pole Vault: 1A DI State Runner-Up & Region Champion (10-1 PR)

*Nominated by BLITZ as top Commerce performer at state and region combined; no response from Commerce*

Kiley Turner – Rabun County SR

100 MH: 1A DI State 10th & Region Runner-Up (16.83 PR); 300 MH: State 16th & Region 3rd (51.41 PR); 4×400: State 11th & Region 4th (4:22.42 PR)

Itzia Vasquez – Rabun County JR

800: 1A DI State 15th & Region 4th (2:30.99 PR); 1600: State 21st & Region 3rd (5:55.73 PR); 4×400: State 11th & Region 4th (4:22.42 PR); 4×800: State 5th & Region Runner-Up (10:19.94 PR)

Ermay Vazquez – Commerce SR

800: 1A DI State 6th & Region RU (2:25.48 PR); 1600: State 11th & Region RU (5:32.95 PR); 3200: State Qualifier & Region RU (12:32.79 PR); 4×400 Relay: State Runner-Up & Region RU

*Nominated by BLITZ as top Commerce performer at state and region combined; no response from Commerce*

Molly Jo Wright – Rabun County SR

Pole Vault: 1A DI State 6th & Region 3rd (9-0 PR); 3200: State 17th & Region 3rd (13:16.58); 1600: State 24th & Region 4th (5:58.11 PR); 4×800: State 5th & Region Runner-Up (10:19.94 PR)