Events: Distance
Classification: Senior
Reason to consider
With just over 50 days until the 2020 cross country announcement for Gatorade POY, Brynn Brown could could soon win POY for her 2020 cross country season accomplishments. But, this is about the upcoming 2021 track season and Brown should be considered the favorite to win it as well.
Brown won the award last track season despite it being a short lived season due to the COVID-19 shutdown. Her indoor performances last year, a 9:58 3,200m, and her time trial results were all contributing factors to helping the University of North Carolina signee capture the award, but hopefully we will all see more track and field action for her and the others to prove themselves.
What needs to be done
How can Brown can capture it again this season? By winning the UIL 6A state titles in the 1,600m and 3,200m races again would be a big boost, but doing it with big performances would all but assure her the award. Brown is fully capable of big performances and in fact has been consistently dropping impressive performances and fast times.
The defending champion in both distance races from her 2019 sophomore season, Brown set the UIL 6A state meet 3,200m record with a 10:09.91. She already ran 9:51.00 in the indoor two mile at the The VA Showcase back in January.
Challenges
The competition in the distances is just as strong as ever and there are a couple of girls who will look to beat Brown this season. With talented girls like Sophie Atkinson, Heidi Nielson, Natalie Cook, Aubrey O'Connell, and several others who are big time distance runners and fabulous on the track, a loss to any of them would limit Brown's chances to win and increase theirs.
In 2019, Heidi Nielson took Brown to the line in the 1,600m and last year before the shutdown she ran 4:47.90 - - in early March. As good as Nielson is in cross country, she is special on the track. The University of Arkansas signee could be on this list herself if she can put together a special season.
Atkinson will also be a challenge for Brown depending on her choice of events. Last year, before the shutdown, she ran 4:48.95 in the 1600m and has displayed great fitness over the last 12 months. She was the biggest challenge to Brown during the 2020 cross country season and finished second to her at the UIL 6A state meet and consistently dropped the fastest times all season long other than Brown. The University of Virginia signee is also very potent on the track and depending on her races with and against Nielson and if she beats Brown or not will depict if she is in the running for POY herself.