The 2026 California track and field season didn’t make it easy on voters.
From national leaders and state records to all-time performances across nearly every discipline, the Golden State produced one of its deepest collections of talent in recent memory. Sprinters flirted with historic barriers, throwers climbed into the national record books, and distance runners delivered breakthrough campaigns that reshaped state rankings.
When High School on Sports Illustrated readers were asked to vote for California’s Boys and Girls Track and Field Athletes of the Year, however, two names emerged above the rest.
Loyola senior Ejam Yohannes earned the boys honor, while San Jacinto Valley Academy sophomore Kaahliyah Lacy claimed the girls award following a season that transformed her from rising prospect into one of the nation’s premier hurdlers.
The fan poll was never intended to serve as an official championship designation. Instead, it provided an opportunity for communities across the state to rally behind athletes who defined the 2026 season. In the end, voters gravitated toward two competitors whose accomplishments extended well beyond popularity.
For Yohannes, the recognition serves as the final chapter of one of California’s most impressive senior campaigns. He said this regarding what it took to achieve his level, “Everybody works hard, everybody has good coaches, everybody’s mom is praying for their kid to win the difference between dreams and reality is mentality, what are you willing to risk. I risked it all.”
The Loyola standout entered high school as a developing quarter-miler still searching for consistency. Four years later, he left as one of the fastest 400-meter runners California has ever produced.
His defining moment came at the CIF State Championships in Clovis, where he delivered a career-best 45.73 to capture the Division I state title and become the first Loyola athlete to win a state championship in the event. The performance capped a season in which Yohannes consistently established himself as the state’s top quarter-miler and broke into the top 10 all-time in CA history in the event.
Throughout the spring, he repeatedly delivered when competition was strongest. He opened eyes with a 46.24 state-leading performance early in the season, then spent the championship stretch running times few California athletes have ever matched.
What made Yohannes particularly unique was his versatility.
While the 400 became his signature event, he demonstrated range rarely seen among elite quarter-milers. He ran 1:51.04 in the 800 meters, 20.85 in the 200 and 10.83 in the 100, showcasing speed and endurance that allowed him to contribute across multiple events for Loyola.
That versatility became a major part of his appeal during voting.
The boys ballot featured no shortage of worthy candidates. Athletes such as Cy Lugo, Benjamin Harris, Bo Ausmus and Maximo Zavaleta all authored exceptional seasons and helped make the final voting highly competitive. Yet Yohannes represented something different: an athlete who combined historical significance, consistency and championship success over the course of an entire season.
His final race ultimately became the perfect summary of his high school career. With a state title on the line, Yohannes produced the fastest performance of his life and secured his place among California’s all-time greats.
If Yohannes’ season was defined by steady progression, Lacy’s was characterized by explosive emergence. It will be a delight to watch what he can accomplish as he heads to Stanford to continue his academic and athletic careers.
Entering the spring, the San Jacinto Valley Academy sophomore was viewed as one of the state’s top young talents. By the time the season ended, she had become one of the most talked-about athletes in the country.
Her breakout performance arrived at the Arcadia Invitational.
Competing against one of the strongest fields assembled all season, Lacy stormed to a stunning 40.81 in the 300-meter hurdles. The performance not only established a new national lead, but also announced her arrival on the national stage.
For many athletes, a race like that would represent the highlight of an entire season.
Lacy followed it up a week later with something even better.
At the Mt. SAC Relays, she lowered her national-leading mark to 39.93, becoming just the second California girl in history to break the 40-second barrier in the event. Only Morgan Herbst’s state record of 39.64 stands ahead of her on California’s all-time list.
The achievement was remarkable not only because of the time itself, but because of who accomplished it.
Lacy spent the season competing for a small Inland Empire school rarely mentioned alongside California’s traditional track powers. Yet week after week, she forced herself into the center of the conversation through sheer performance.
Her success wasn’t limited to the 300 hurdles.
Lacy also emerged as one of the state’s premier sprint hurdlers, finishing second at the CIF State Championships in the 100-meter hurdles while posting a wind-legal best of 13.59. She added sprint credentials with marks of 11.55 in the 100 and 25.20 in the 200, demonstrating the speed that has made her such a difficult matchup for competitors.
What stood out most was her consistency.
Many athletes produce one headline-worthy performance. Lacy spent the entire season reinforcing that her breakthrough was no accident. Multiple races under 42 seconds in the 300 hurdles, strong championship performances and national-level marks across several events made her one of the most complete athletes in California regardless of classification.
The girls ballot was loaded with accomplished candidates.
Jaslene Massey delivered the greatest throwing seasons in state history. Braelyn Combe dominated the distance events. Clara Adams and Saniah Varnado helped lead Long Beach Wilson to national prominence in the relays.
Any of them would have represented deserving selections.
Instead, voters chose the sophomore whose season felt impossible to ignore.
In many ways, the results reflected the broader story of California track and field in 2026.
The state continues to produce elite talent across every event group, but the athletes who ultimately captured fans’ attention were those who consistently elevated themselves when expectations were highest. Yohannes finished his career by becoming a state champion and one of California’s fastest-ever 400-meter runners. Lacy established herself as one of the nation’s most promising young hurdlers before even reaching her junior season.
Different events. Different journeys.
But when California fans looked back on the performances that defined 2026, they landed on two athletes whose accomplishments already belong among the state’s most memorable seasons.
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