Anna Cockrell, Providence Day, 55 Hurdles
A rule change for NCISAA schools may make it tougher for the state's best returning hurdler to compete this winter. Unlike the last two years, the state's independent schools cannot register their athletes for indoor races, and so Cockrell will have to compete unattached or as a member of a club team. The #4 returner in the nation at 55 Hurdles, she ran the 4th-fastest time in North Carolina history (7.87) on the way to an 8.48 for 60 Hurdles at NBNI last March. Cockrell then went on to 13.46 in the 100 Hurdles outdoors, which is also US #4 Returning. While we're on the subject of hurdlers, make sure you check out Kylie McMillan, who ran 8.03 last winter (US #6 Returning, NC #6 All-Time). Athletes like Gabriele Cunningham, Ariel Davis, and Kayla Moore also rank among the nation's top 20 returners in this event. Oh, and there's one more female hurdler we need to talk about, but she will have her own page later on...