POLL: MileSplit LA Boys' Preseason Athlete Of The Year!

JOSH "TURBO" BROWN IS ONE OF THE TOP RETURNING SPRINTERS IN LOUISIANA

Here are a few of the top returning boys in Louisiana. Select the athlete you feel is most deserving of the title-- MileSplit LA Boys' Preseason Athlete Of The Year.

 PHILLIP WRIGHT (DESTREHAN)-- The No. 1 returning sprinter with a 2024 season best of 6.76 in the 60m. That time came in the semifinal round of the 60m at the New Balance Indoor Nationals last March. Wright, who has signed with the LSU Football program during the early signing period, is tied for the No. 6 returning sprinter in the nation. 

FERZELL SHEPARD (SCOTLANDVILLE)-- Sheppard is Louisiana's No. 1 returner in three events-- 400m (49.60), LJ (24-0.25), and TJ (47-5). In the latter two, Shepard, who is committed to play wide receiver for Mississippi State University, is ranked No. 5 in the nation. 

BRENNAN ROBIN (PARKWAY)-- Louisiana's top returner in the mile with a season best during the indoor season of 4:22.25. That time came at the 2024 LHSAA State Indoor Meet where Robin finished second to Jesuit's Michael Vocke, who is now running LSU. It was the same song, second verse outdoors where Vocke won and Robin had a repeat of his runner-up finish. Robin's time was 4:14.76. That time is the fastest time ever run by a freshman in LHSAA history. It surpassed Jesuit's Leland Crawford who ran a 4:15 at the Texas Distance Festival as a freshman in 2022. 

AIDEN MONISTERE (PARKVIEW BAPTIST)--Monistere is coming off an incredible cross country where he made history on a couple of fronts. First, he set a new Highland Road Park Course record at the St. Joseph's Invitational with a time of 14:12. To put the icing on the cake of his final high school cross country season, Monistere qualified for NXN in Eugene, Oregon finishing No. 25 against the best in the nation. His 5K was 15:27 on a course which was largely under water.  Monistere is Louisiana's No.1 returner in the 3200m coming into the 2025 indoor season. The Parkview Baptist senior had a season best of 9:16 at last year's LSU Last Chance Qualifier. Monistere (14:23) is also ranked No. 2 among all returners in the 1600m. 

BRADY MULLEN (JESUIT)--Mullen, who usually opts out of the indoor season to concentrate on his training for outdoors, may see more indoor action during 2025. The senior Blue Jay is coming off a history-making cross country season where he qualified for NXN in Eugene, Oregon. During the cross country season, Mullen led the Blue Jays to their fourth consecutive state championship while also winning his second straight XC title with a time of 14:44. Like the season before, it was the fastest time turned in on that day at the LHSAA State Cross Country Championships. 

JOSH BROWN (HOLY CROSS)-- Brown is the No. 3 returner in the 60m with a 2024 best of 6.88. Outdoors, "Turbo" is the leading returner in both the 100m (10.35), and 200m (21.0). Both of those times came at the LHSAA Class 5A State Outdoor Championships. 

JAIVYN WASHINGTON (DUTCHTOWN)--Washington is the leading returner in the 60m hurdles. He had a season best of 8.24 in his runner-up performance at the LHSAA State Indoor Championships. 

GIONNI WILTZ (SLIDELL)--Wiltz had the best high jump in Louisiana in 2024 going 6-10 at the Region 2-5A Championships in late April. 

LUCAS OWENS (Acadiana Renaissance)--Owens is Louisiana's leading returning pole vaulter. Owens had an indoor best of 14-4.75 at the LSU Last Chance Qualifier. Outdoors, Owens was the only underclassmen jumper in the state to surpass the 15-0 barrier as he jumped 15-3 at the Snooks Relays. 

KADEN ADAMS (CENTRAL LAFOURCHE)-- Adams is Louisiana's top returning shot putter. He had and indoor best 55-0. Outdoors, Adams had a best of 57-0.5. In Adams' 12 meets in 2024 there was only one where a Louisiana athlete had a better throw than he did. That was the LHSAA Class 5A State Outdoor Championships where Adams finished second to Barbe's Michael Fulton. 

KYZER DUNBAR (ST. AUGUSTINE)-- Dunbar is ranked No. 1 among returners outdoors in the 800m. He ran a 1:52.95 to win the Region 3-5A Championships in one of the most epic half mile races in LHSAA history.