Congratulations to Lainee Mercer of Springstead HSfor being the girls' POTW for Seven. Mercer crossed the line in 18:24.70 for the win at the 2nd Wild Bulldog Invitational, topping the field by 30.3 seconds.
The girls' runner-up was Eva McMenemy-Hoang of Viera HS, who won by 88.7 seconds at the Lakewood Ranch XC Invite in a time of 17:53.96
The poll closes Friday at 2 p.m. ET.
Check out this week's nominees and cast your vote below.
Note: Athletes who have been nominated in the past two weeks are not eligible. Previous winners are excluded for the rest of the season.
This Week's Nominees:
Jillian Jakab, Bishop Kenny HS (Florida): Winning by 20.1 seconds at the 2026 JAC Cross Country Invitational, a 19:22.20 over 5K was good enough to top a field of 129 finishers and claim first place. The time stands as the fastest in MileSplit's database at William F. Sheffield Regional Park since 2023 among 301 athletes, and the fastest senior there among 83 senior athletes over that span.
Audra Quinn, Dwyer HS (Florida): Covering the Jupiter Invite #2 5K in 20:23.24, she crossed first among 83 finishers and pulled away by 27.2 seconds. The mark places her No. 60 of 1,762 athletes in MileSplit's database at Okeeheelee Park since 2002, and No. 18 among 588 sophomores there over that span.
Kate Ryan, Winter Park HS (Florida): Ran 20:07.80 for 1st place among 79 finishers in the 5K at Wildwood MH School Invitational. The mark is No. 12 of 513 athletes overall in MileSplit's database at this course since 2019. It is also No. 4 of 152 sophomore athletes in MileSplit's database at this course since 2019.
Kendall Parrott, St. Thomas Aquinas HS (Florida): At BCAA _MSAA Champioship, first place out of 125 finishers at the BCAA_MSAA Championship came via a 20:08.16 over 5K, good for a 9.1-second margin. The performance ranks No. 41 of 2,642 athletes in MileSplit's database at Markham Park since 2002 and No. 12 among 972 sophomores there, and it came 25.5 seconds faster than the prior mark on this course, which stood at 20:33.70.
Kaylynn Ulrich, Melbourne HS (Florida): Topping a 91-runner field at the Osceola (Kissimmee) XC Festival, a 20:49.71 over 5K earned first place by 20.1 seconds. The time sits at No. 118 of 1,625 athletes in MileSplit's database at Osceola High School (Kissimmee) since 2000, and No. 34 among 535 sophomores there over that span.
*** If a Girl wins one of the weekly polls, they will not be considered in subsequent polls until the end of the season FL MileSplit Cross Country Athlete of the Year poll.
Congratulations to Lainee Mercer of Springstead HSfor being the girls' POTW for Seven. Mercer crossed the line in 18:24.70 for the win at the 2nd Wild Bulldog Invitational, topping the field by 30.3 seconds.
The girls' runner-up was Eva McMenemy-Hoang of Viera HS, who won by 88.7 seconds at the Lakewood Ranch XC Invite in a time of 17:53.96
