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Who are the Southwest Florida girls track and field athletes to watch in 2024?

Dustin B Levy, Fort Myers News-Press
·6 min read

The girls track and field talent in Southwest Florida continues to shine.

As the season gets underway, there's a long list of athletes primed for success.

Several contenders have stood out at the early meets this year, including the Dunbar Tiger Classic, the CSN Invitational, the Loretta Purish Invitational and the Lady Viking Classic.

Here are some names to know:

Sprints (100, 200, 400)

Kayla Hopkins, center, from Dunbar wins the 200 meters during the FHSAA 3A District 11 track & field meet at Dunbar High School on April 20, 2023.
Kayla Hopkins, center, from Dunbar wins the 200 meters during the FHSAA 3A District 11 track & field meet at Dunbar High School on April 20, 2023.

Kayla Hopkins, Dunbar, senior

Hopkins put together a stellar campaign last season, sweeping districts and regionals in the 100 and 200 and earning state medals in both events. Expect Hopkins to ramp up come postseason for the Tigers.

Liusmar Rivas Velasquez, Barron Collier, junior

A standout in the 400 meters and 100 hurdles, Velasquez has started this season with a bang. She swept the events at the CSN Invitational and Lady Viking Classic, recording PRs in both events.

McKenzie Travis, ECS, senior

Travis is likely to make her senior season count. The South Carolina commit is impossible to ignore, especially coming off an indoor season where she set the U.S. record in the 55m with a 6.85 and won the title at 60m at the VA Showcase.

Kala Valarias, Gulf Coast, sophomore

Valarias captured the CCAC titles in the 100 and 200 in her freshman season. She is continuing to improve, setting PRs in both events at the CSN Invitational, where she took the double gold.

ALSO WATCH: Destyni Devine, North Fort Myers; Torri Gary, Lehigh; Dariona Gray, Dunbar; Mi'Kayla Witter, North Fort Myers

Hurdles (100, 400)

Grace Coggins, SFCA, senior

Coggins earned a pair of state medals last season, coming in sixth in the 400 hurdles and eighth in the 4x800 relay. She is off to a good start this year with first and second-place finishes in the 400 hurdles at the CSN Invitational and Lady Viking Classic, respectively.

Joslyne De La Nuez of Canterbury School and Keymani Dillingham of St. Stephens Episcopal compete in the 100 meter hurdles during the FHSAA Class 1A, Region 3 track meet at Community School of Naples on May 6, 2023. Dillingham won and De La Nuez placed second. Both move on to the state meet.
Joslyne De La Nuez of Canterbury School and Keymani Dillingham of St. Stephens Episcopal compete in the 100 meter hurdles during the FHSAA Class 1A, Region 3 track meet at Community School of Naples on May 6, 2023. Dillingham won and De La Nuez placed second. Both move on to the state meet.

Joslyne De La Nuez, Canterbury, sophomore

In the 100 hurdles, De La Nuez came in sixth at states after finishing as runner up at regionals and champion at districts. Performing like that as a freshman, she is an obvious hurdler to keep on the radar.

Joelle White, Fort Myers, junior

White looks poised to have a strong season for the Green Wave. The LCAC and district champion in the 400 hurdles last year, she recently swept the hurdling events at the Loretta Purish Invitational.

ALSO WATCH: Bria Brocklington, Fort Myers; Aniston Newman, First Baptist

Distance (800, 1600, 3200)

Tara Watkins of Naples High wins the 800 at the FHSAA Class 3A District-12 track and field meet at South Fort Myers High School on Saturday, April 23, 2022.
Tara Watkins of Naples High wins the 800 at the FHSAA Class 3A District-12 track and field meet at South Fort Myers High School on Saturday, April 23, 2022.

Mackenzie De Lisle, Bishop Verot, junior

De Lisle is building off a decorated season that culminated in a fourth-place medal in the 3200 at states. A competitor in all the distance races (in which she holds district titles in each), she recently set a PR of 2:19.89 in the 800 at the CSN Invitational.

Masha Dorofeev, Fort Myers, junior

Dorofeev has been fast out of the gate to start this track season, setting PRs in each of the distance races. She took first place in the 3200 at the Loretta Purish Invitational with a time of 10:56.80.

Jazlyn Forbes, Oasis, sophomore

Forbes was a double champion at the Lady Viking Classic, coming in first place in the 1600 and 3200 with PRs in both events. She is coming off a cross country season where she won a state medal after coming in sixth.

Gianna Del Pizzo, Lehigh, senior

A season ago, Del Pizzo earned a district title in the 1600 and came in fourth in the event at states. At the CSN Invitational earlier this month, she set PRs in her first-place finishes in both the 800 and 1600.

Tara Watkins, Naples, junior

Watkins took gold in the 800 and 4x800 relays at districts and regionals before earning medals in each at states last year. Look for this distance threat, who has already notched wins at the Eagle Invitational and Lady Viking Classic, to continue racking up the hardware.

ALSO WATCH: Isabella Adams, Village School; Sienna Audrey, Community School; Giana D'Altrui, Fort Myers; Annabelle Daley, Naples, senior; Ansley Kelley, Riverdale

Jumps (long, triple, high)

Shamoya Clemetson, Barron Collier, senior

A stellar athlete who has won state medals in the long jump since her freshman year, Clemetson is poised to add to her accolades. She had a couple first-place finishes at the Lady Viking Invitational in the long jump and 4x400 relay.

Sanaa Geter, Lehigh, senior

Competing in a strong field at the Dunbar Tiger Classic, Geter came in first place in the long jump and triple jump. As a two-time state runner up in the long jump, she'll surely have her sights set on gold this year.

V'Davrielle Johnson, Gateway, junior

With Fort Myers last year, Johnson qualified for the Class 3A state meet in the high jump after winning regional and district titles. She might be wearing a different uniform, but her talent is not to be underestimated, as evidenced by first-place finishes in the 200 and 400 dashes at Loretta Purish.

Naples’ Genesis Surlin completes in the triple jump Friday, May 19, 2023 during the FHSAA Class 3A Track & Field State Championships at the University of North Florida’s Hodges Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. Surlin placed eighth with 11.35 meters.
Naples’ Genesis Surlin completes in the triple jump Friday, May 19, 2023 during the FHSAA Class 3A Track & Field State Championships at the University of North Florida’s Hodges Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. Surlin placed eighth with 11.35 meters.

Genesis Surlin, Naples, senior

Surlin was a double regional champion in the long jump and triple jump last year and came away from states with a medal in each event. She is already adding to her hardware with golds in triple jump at the Lady Viking Classic and Dunbar Tiger Classic, plus another in the long jump at the Eagle Invitational.

ALSO WATCH: Maleda Azunque, First Baptist; Elise Bolgiano, Bishop Verot; Noel Davis, North Fort Myers

Throws (discus, javelin, shot put)

Cloelle Altaratz, Barron Collier, junior

Altaratz placed seventh in the discus at states last year. She took first place in the event at the CSN Invitational, looking like she will once again be one of the best discus throwers in Collier County.

Fort Myers High Schools’ Julia Lemmon throws the discus during a practice session at the school.
Fort Myers High Schools’ Julia Lemmon throws the discus during a practice session at the school.

Julia Lemmon, Fort Myers, junior

Lemmon put together a dominant season in the discus last year, winning everything in sight including a state title with a PR. She already bested that figure with a 46.23m throw at the Loretta Purish Invitational.

Cherldine Paul, Barron Collier, sophomore

A year after qualifying for states and capturing a district title in shot put, look for Paul to improve. She had the farthest throws at the Dunbar Tiger Classic and the CSN Invitational, where she posted a PR of 11.46m.

Sierra Sharp, ECS, senior

Sharp earned an eighth-place medal at the Class 1A state meet last season. So far this track season, she has come in first at the Dunbar Tiger Classic, Lady Viking Classic and CSN Invitational in the event.

Barron Collier’s Rebecca Van't Hoff competes in the javelin Friday, May 19, 2023 during the FHSAA Class 3A Track & Field State Championships at the University of North Florida’s Hodges Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. Van't Hoff placed third with a 34.74 meter throw.
Barron Collier’s Rebecca Van't Hoff competes in the javelin Friday, May 19, 2023 during the FHSAA Class 3A Track & Field State Championships at the University of North Florida’s Hodges Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. Van't Hoff placed third with a 34.74 meter throw.

Rebecca Van't Hoff, Barron Collier, senior

The javelin thrower enjoyed plenty of success last year, winning district and regional titles before coming in third at states. Expect Van't Hoff to go out on a high.

ALSO WATCH: Aleah Baron, LaBelle; Catherine Daly, Fort Myers

Vault (pole vault)

Cameron Bates, Barron Collier, junior

A state-qualifying vaulter last year, Bates earned the CCAC title in the pole vault and came in second at districts. This season, she has continued that success, winning the Dunbar Tiger Classic and recording a PR at the Lady Viking Classic.

Madison Bates, Barron Collier, junior

Bates qualified for states — and tied for 11th with her sister — after winning the pole vault district title last season. She's off to a fantastic start in 2024, grabbing victories at the Eagle Invitational and Lady Viking Classic with a PR of 3.41m.

ALSO WATCH: Giovanna Molloy, North Fort Myers; Elizabeth Peltz, Naples; Lindsay Podos, Gulf Coast

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: The Cape Coral, Fort Myers Naples area girls track and field athletes to watch in 2024