Athlete of the Year: Rai Benjamin

School: Mount Vernon

Year: Senior

It was a special moment whenever Mount Vernon’s Rai Benjamin stepped on the Armory oval. You knew he would run fast, but how fast? And what records would he break?

His best performance came during the Armory Track Invitational where he ran 33.17 in the 300m (US #2 all-time) and just shy of the national record of 33.05.

Or was his best performance at New Balance Nationals Indoor where he ran 46.61 to take the 400m title and shortly after went 21.09 for third in the 200m?

The UCLA bound athlete collected ten other wins at The Armory during this past indoor season, including 300m victories at the Bishop Loughlin Games, New Balance Games and Armory Track Invitational and a 400m win at the Hispanic Games.

The funny thing is that he literally hasn’t even gotten started yet, since he considers himself a 400m hurdler after running 51.86 last year.

Members of this year’s Armory All-Star team were selected based off of their performances at The Armory throughout the 2014-15 indoor track and field season.

 

55m/60m Dash: Ryan Clark

School: Banneker, GA

Year: Senior

Ran a blazing time of 6.65 for the 60m dash win at New Balance Nationals Indoor (ranked US #1) before taking second in the 200m in 20.85 (ranked US #2).

 

55m/60m Hurdles: Grant Holloway

School: Grassfield, VA

Year: Junior

Won the NB Nationals Indoor 60m hurdles in a meet record-breaking time of 7.59 (ranked US #1) after clearing 6’ 11.5” (ranked US #2) in the high jump for second place.

 

200m: Noah Lyles 

School: T.C. Williams, VA

Year: Junior

Broke the 200m meet record at New Balance Nationals Indoor in 20.83 (ranked US #1) after taking second in the 60m dash in 6.65. Won the EmblemHealth Hispanic Games 200m in 21.47 and 55m dash in 6.32.

 

300m: Rai Benjamin

School: Mount Vernon, NY

Year: Senior

Lowered the US #1 300m time from 33.81 at the Bishop Loughlin Games to 33.40 at New Balance Games and ultimately 33.17 at the Armory Track Invitational.

 

400m: Izaiah Brown

School: Amsterdam, NY

Year: Senior

Ran 47.32 (ranked US #4) to take second in the 400m at New Balance Nationals Indoor and won the EmblemHealth Hispanic Games with 48.46.

600m: Richard Rose

School: Boys & Girls, NY

Year: Senior

His meet record-breaking 1:18.40 clocking during December’s Bishop Loughlin Games remained the US #1 ranked time throughout the rest of the 2014-15 indoor season. He came close to lowering the time at the Armory Track Invitational where he won in 1:18.43.

 

800m: Brian Bell

School: Dunbar, OH

Year: Senior

Anchored his sprint medley relay team to a national record-breaking time of 3:24.16 at New Balance Nationals Indoor and returned the next day to win the 800m in 1:51.08 (ranked US #4).

 

1,000m: James Asselmeyer

School: Arlington, NY

Year: Senior

Stopped the clock at 2:25.86 to win the Section 1 State Qualifier (ranked NY #1). Won the Section 1 Class AA/C Championships in 2:26.53, was fourth at the Armory Track Invitational in 2:27.58 and second at the Molloy Stanner Games in 2:27.60.

 

Mile: James Burke

School: Port Jefferson, NJ

Year: Senior

Took second at New Balance Nationals Indoor in 4:08.48 (ranked US #2), won the NYRR Millrose Games in 4:11.25 and Bishop Loughlin Games in 4:17.51. Also, won the 1,000m at the Armory Track Invitational and Molloy Stanner Games in 2:26.75.

3,200m/2-Mile: Mike Brannigan

School: North Point, NY

Year: Senior

Won the Molloy Stanner Games 3,200m in 9:09.77. Also, took third in the NYRR Millrose Games and EmblemHealth Hispanic Games miles in 4:12.69 and 4:13.20 and was a close second at New Balance Nationals Indoor in the 5,000m in 14:42.33.

 

High Jump: Tariq Adams

School: Pleasantville, NJ

Year: Senior

Reached 6’ 8” to take third at Eastern States and won the EmblemHealth Hispanic Games and Bishop Loughlin Games by clearing 6’ 4”.

 

Pole Vault: Deakin Volz

School: Bloomington South, IN

Year: Senior

Soared to new heights at New Balance Nationals Indoor, clearing a new national record of 17’ 11.25”.

 

Long Jump: Ja’Mari Ward

School: Cahokia, IL

Year: Senior

Won New Balance Nationals Indoor with a meet and Armory high school record-breaking long jump of 25’ 7.25” before breaking the Armory high school triple jump record with 51’ 7.75”.

 

Triple Jump: Jared Lovelace

School: Archbishop Molloy, NY

Year: Senior

Was the first triple jumper to reach 50’ this season with his 50’ .5” effort at December’s Bishop Loughlin Games. Lovelace’s other great Armory performances include taking third at New Balance Nationals Indoor with 49’ 7.75”and winning the Molloy Stanner Games with 50’ 1.75”.

 

Shot Put: Eric Favors

School: North Rockland, NY

Year: Senior

Recorded 10 victories at The Armory this indoor season including wins at the Molloy Stanner Games with 61’ 0” and Bishop Loughlin Games with 62’ 00” and threw 64’ 3” (ranked US #2) to take second at New Balance Nationals Indoor. 

 

Weight Throw: Adam Kelly

School: Barrington, RI

Year: Senior

Took this year’s NYRR Millrose Games weight throw with a US #1 ranked throw of 83’ 3.25”, won New Balance Nationals Indoor with 81’ 5.25” and defended his New Balance Games title with 82’ 5”.

 

4x200m Relay: Newburgh Free Academy, NY

Lowered the US #1 ranked time throughout the season; starting at 1:29.31 at the Bishop Loughlin Games, 1:28.29 at the EmblemHealth Hispanic Games, 1:28.89 at the Molloy Stanner Games and 1:27.64 at the NYRR Millrose Games. 

 

4x400m Relay: Cheltenham, PA

Won the EmblemHealth Hispanic Games in 3:20.08, Armory Track Invitational in 3:18.41 and New Balance Nationals Indoor in 3:17.38.

 

4x800m Relay

School: Fordham Prep, NY

Fordham’s best Armory performances included a second place finish at New Balance Nationals Indoor in 7:43.61 (ranked US #2), first place finish at the Armory Track Invitational in 7:51.53 and third place finish at the NYRR Millrose Games in 8:00.0.

 

Sprint Medley Relay: Dunbar, OH

Broke the national record at New Balance Nationals Indoor with their 3:24.16 performance.

 

Distance Medley Relay: Xavier, NY

Ran several great Armory performances, but had their best moment at New Balance Nationals Indoor, where they took eighth in 10:16.35 (ranked US #8). 

Shuttle Hurdle Relay: Archbishop Molloy, NY

Won the Marine Corps Holiday Classic in a blazing 31.84.

 

Photos by Karthik Adimula, John Nepolitan and Justin Gaymon