Michael Phillips (Senior - Chiles High School)
How He Got Here: Runner-up at Foot Locker South Regional in 14:59.00.
His Resume: Phillips cemented himself as one of the best distance runners in recent years with two sub 15 minute performances, both of which came in the state of North Carolina. The Chiles senior ran 14:58.20 to finish runner-up at Great American. He went onto sweep the state series with wins at districts, regionals, and his second consecutive 3A Cross Country Finals championship. His time of 15:14.69 was the fastest of any classification. Two weeks later he became one of the fastest Floridians ever at Foot Locker South punching his ticket to San Diego in 14:59.00.
National Outlook: The best finish by a Floridian in the last decade was by Jimmy Clark and Ryan Pickering in 2011 when they crossed the line in 7th and 9th respectively. Florida athletes may not get the respect of other distance heavy states, but Phillips is the real deal. He is ranked in the top 25 in the country and will prove why he should move up. Don't be surprised if he runs his way into the top against the nation's best.