Nico Young

Nico Young (born July 27, 2002) is an American distance runner competing as a senior for Northern Arizona University. He grew up in Camarillo, California and attended Newbury Park High School. He competed in the United States Olympics Trials in 2021.[1][2]

Nico Young
Personal information
NationalityAmerican
Born (2002-07-27) July 27, 2002
Home townCamarillo, California
Sport
Country United States
SportTrack and Field
Event(s)
University teamNorthern Arizona Lumberjacks
Coached bySean Brosnan
(2016-2020)
Michael Smith
(2020-Present)
Medal record
Men's athletics
Representing the  United States
Representing
Northern Arizona Lumberjacks/
Big Sky Conference
NCAA Cross Country Championships
Gold medal – first place2020 Stillwater Team Gold
Gold medal – first place2021 Tallahassee Team Gold
Gold medal – first place2022 Stillwater Team Gold
Silver medal – second place2022 Stillwater 10 km
NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships
Bronze medal – third place2022 BirminghamTeam 4th place
Bronze medal – third place2022 Birmingham5000 meters
NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships
Bronze medal – third place2022 Eugene5000 meters

Athletic career

High School Career

Young ran for Newbury Park High School in Newbury Park, California. He broke the 3 mile cross country American high school record at the 2019 Woodbridge Invitational, running a time of 13:39.7,[3] and lowered the American high school indoor 3000m record (previously held by Drew Hunter), running a time of 7:56.97.[4] At the 2019 Nike Cross Nationals, Young won the race and set the course record with a time of 14:52[5] and led Newbury Park to the team victory. Young was named the 2019-20 XC National Gatorade Player of the Year[1] and the 2019-20 Track and Field National Gatorade Player of the Year.[1] He was the first to sweep both awards in the same season. His brother Leo picked up the California version of the Cross Country award in 2022.

Collegiate career

During the 2020 cross country season, Young placed 4th place at the 2020 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships with a time of 29:58.3[6] at the 10 km distance, the highest a true freshman has placed since 2001. He set an American junior record in the 5000m at the 2021 Drake Relays with a time of 13:24.26.[7] With this time he qualified for the 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials, where he ran 13:35.94 and finished 9th.[8]

Later that year, Young placed only 11th at the 2021 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships with a time of 28:57.5, but he also would lower the American junior record in the indoor 5000m with a time of 13:22.59 at the BU Season Opener on December 4, 2021. The next year, Young placed 3rd in the 5000m and 7th in the 3000m at the 2022 NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships.

Young ran 13:11.30 at the Sound Running Track Meet in San Juan Capistrano, which is the fastest 5000m ever run by an American teenager and the 3rd fastest outdoor 5000m in collegiate history.[9] He would end up placing 3rd in the 5000m at the 2022 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships. At the 2022 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, Young placed 8th in the 5000m, running a time of 13:19.15.

During the 2022 cross country season, Young would set a 10 km personal best of 28:01 at the NCAA Division I Mountain Region Cross Country Championships on November 11, 2022, before placing 2nd at the 2022 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships with a time of 28:44.5. Two weeks later, Young lowered his indoor 5000m personal best to 13:15.25 at the BU Season Opener on December 3, 2022, finishing 5th in a field of collegiate and professional runners.

Personal Achievements

High School Personal Bests
Event Time Date Location Notes
Outdoor 800 m2:06.8hApril 23, 2018Newbury Park, California
1600 m4:07.33+March 23, 2019Azusa, California
Mile4:08.82March 23, 2019Azusa, California
3000 m8:11.02+April 6, 2019Arcadia, California
3200 m8:40.00April 6, 2019Arcadia, California
5000 m13:50.55June 23, 2020Portland, Oregon
Indoor 1500 m3:58.64+January 29, 2019Boston, Massachusetts
Mile4:14.92January 26, 2019Boston, Massachusetts
3000 m7:56.97February 8, 2020New York City, New YorkHigh School Record
XC 3 miles13:39.7September 20–21, 2019Norco, CaliforniaFormer High School Record
5 km14:28.5November 30, 2019Fresno, California

College Personal Bests
Event Time Date Location Notes
Outdoor 1500 m3:37.75April 15, 2022Azusa, California
5000 m13:11.30May 6, 2022San Juan Capistrano, California
Indoor 800 m1:54.21AJanuary 21, 2022Flagstaff, Arizona
Mile3:56.00January 29, 2022Seattle, Washington
5000 m13:15.25March 11, 2022Birmingham, Alabama
XC 8 km22:30.8February 9, 2021North Las Vegas, Nevada
10 km28:01.8November 20, 2021Albuquerque, New Mexico

References
  1. "Nico Young - Track & Field". Northern Arizona University Athletics. Retrieved September 26, 2021.
  2. "College Runner Nico Young Comes Out As Gay in Emotional Instagram Post". www.out.com. September 1, 2022. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  3. Ochsner, Steve. "Best All-Time Boys Individual (SilverLakes course)". Woodbridge Cross Country Classic. Retrieved September 26, 2021.
  4. S, Rich; s. "High School 3000 Record Falls To Nico Young". Track & Field News. Retrieved September 26, 2021.
  5. "Nike Cross Nationals", Wikipedia, September 24, 2021, retrieved September 26, 2021
  6. Curley, Joe. "Nico Young to complete memorable freshman collegiate year at Olympic Trials". Ventura County Star. Retrieved September 26, 2021.
  7. "Nico Young Posts Breakthrough Performance at Drake Relays". Northern Arizona University Athletics. Retrieved September 26, 2021.
  8. Newman, Eric. "Northern Arizona runner Nico Young reflects on freshman season". Arizona Daily Sun. Retrieved September 26, 2021.
  9. Mull, Cory (May 7, 2022). "Lex Young, Colin Sahlman Generate Historic 5K, 1,500 Efforts". MileSplit United States. Retrieved May 14, 2022.
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