Louisiana Rising Stars: A Look To The Present And Future


This past year has been a big year for young runners in Louisiana. Several runners have surpassed expectations and set up for a strong season just based on track times from the Spring. We took a look into some of the top prospective talents in the state on both the boys' and girls' sides and found some of the best runners that could have a long-standing presence on the state level.

Kicking off this list is Michael Vocke of Jesuit. He entered his sophomore year this season and has already garnered an impressive resume. Last year he had one of the most impressive freshmen seasons in Louisiana history, with his times rivaling that of Eric Coston's freshman season.

Vocke was not only one of the most dominant figures in the state, but the nation as well. In relation to the national freshman rankings, Vocke placed #13 in the 800m,  #5 in the 1600m, and #20 in the 3200m. Not to mention how Vocke recently performed at the Southern Showcase with a time of 15:22 for 5k. 

Personal Bests:

800m: 1:57.43

1600m: 4:17.27

3200m: 9:28.30

5k: 15:22



Next up is Michelle Daigle of St. Joseph's Academy. She surprised most of the field at the Episcopal Round Table Run by finishing second with a time of 18:53. This was her first race for St. Jo's as well as high school competition. She could very well turn into another young talent from St. Joseph's that has a dominating career over the state.