Nico Young

Young ran for Newbury Park High School in Newbury Park, California. He broke the 3 mile American high school record at the 2019 Woodbridge Invitational, running a time of 13:39.7,[2] and lowered the American high school indoor 3k record (previously held by Drew Hunter), running a time of 7:56.91.[3] At the 2019 Nike Cross Nationals, Young won the race and set the course record with a time of 14:52[4] 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]

During the 2020 cross country season, Young placed 4th place at the 2020 NCAA Cross Country Championships with a time of 29:58.3[5]at the 10k distance, the highest a true freshman has placed since 2001. He set an under-20 American record in the 5000m at the 2021 Drake Relays with a time of 13:24.26.[6] With this time he qualified for the 2021 Olympic Trials, where he ran 13:35.94 and finished 9th.[7]

Later that year, Young placed only 11th at the 2021 NCAA Cross Country Championships, but he also would lower the U-20 American record in the indoor 5000m with a time of 13:22.59 at the BU Season Opener on December 4, 2021.