Check out our watch list for 2023-24 USA TODAY HSSA Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year

The USA TODAY High School Sports Awards is pleased to announce its watch list for 2023-24 USA TODAY HSSA Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year!

This initial list includes 50 current student-athletes who meet the nomination criteria for this year’s national Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year award. These athletes were either nominees in last year’s national show, or athletes who were seriously considered based on season-wide performance, state championships and any other state, regional and/or national recognition.

Watch last year's full show: 2023 USA TODAY High School Sports Awards

Here's a little more about this year's program and how it works:

The official 2023-24 USA TODAY HSSA Boys Cross Country Team will be announced later this spring. All 25 final team members will be honored as nominees for national Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year. The winner will be revealed during the fourth annual USA TODAY High School Sports Awards. Visit the event website for updates leading up to this summer's on-demand event, and to view all of the award winners from last year's show!

Note: The purpose of this watch list is to track eligible nominees for this year’s national show. Athletes could be removed from this list if they no longer play for their high school team (either by choice or injury), or if their high school no longer participates in a state-sanctioned championship tournament for this sport.

Who else should we be tracking for national Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year?

This watch list is only a starting point. All student-athletes who compete for state-sanctioned interscholastic championships are eligible for our program. Player of the Year suggestions can be submitted to both roleary@usatventures.com and BFontana@usatventures.com.

2023-24 USA TODAY HSSA Boys Cross Country Watch List:

Connell Alford — SR | Chelsea High School | Chelsea, Michigan

James American Horse — SR | Bentonville High School | Bentonville, Arkansas

Aden Bandukwala — SR | Hinsdale Central High School | Hinsdale, Illinois

Joe Barrett — JR | Christian Brothers Academy | Lincroft, New Jersey

Paul Bergeron — SR | Westford Academy | Westford, Massachusetts

Brady Brennan — JR | Brooke Point High School | Stafford, Virginia

Adam Burlison — SR | Coronado High School | Lubbock, Texas

Dane Eike — SR | Valor Christian High School | Highlands Ranch, Colorado

Aloysius Franzen — SR | Stevens Point High School | Stevens Point, Wisconsin

Gavin Genisio — SR | Benton High School | Benton, Illinois

Juan Gonzalez — JR | Fremont High School | Fremont, Nebraska

Drew Griffith — SR | Butler High School | Butler, Pennsylvania

Andrew Hauser — SR | Rock Bridge High School | Columbia, Missouri

Landon Heemeyer — SR | Rocky Mountain High School | Meridian, Idaho

Steven Hergenrother — SR | Ridgefield High School | Ridgefield, Connecticut

Henry Hopper — SR | Wilde Lake High School | Columbia, Maryland

Daniel Hruska — SR | Cherry Creek High School | Greenwood Village, Colorado

Alex Jordan — SR | Jefferson Forest High School | Forest, Virginia

Patrick Koon — SR | Leon High School | Tallahassee, Florida

Nick Kuenkel — SR | Cherokee High School | Marlton, New Jersey

Tommy Latham — JR | Marist School | Brookhaven, Georgia

Jake Liebert — SR | Wando High School | Mount Pleasant, South Carolina

Griffin Mandirola — SR | Suffield High School | West Suffield, Connecticut

Jack Meier — SR | West Salem High School | Salem, Oregon

Graham Mitchell — SR | Deer Creek High School | Edmond, Oklahoma

Eric Moore — JR | Huntsville High School | Huntsville, Alabama

Brady Mullen — JR | Jesuit High School | New Orleans, Louisiana

Dylon Nalley — SR | Marion High School | Marion, Illinois

Nathan Neil — SR | Bozeman High School | Bozeman, Montana

Evan Noonan — JR | Dana Hills High School | Dana Point, California

Seth Norder — SR | Grand Haven High School | Grand Haven, Michigan

Keane Palmer — SR | ‘Iolani School | Honolulu, Hawaii

Emmanuel Perez — SR | Cathedral High School | Los Angeles, California

Anthony Provenzano — SR | Carmel High School | Carmel, Indiana

Manny Putz — JR | Onalaska High School | Onalaska, Wisconsin

San Quagliaroli — JR | Fishers High School | Fishers, Indiana

Miles Ramer — SR | Ravenwood High School | Brentwood, Tennessee

Vincent Recupero — JR | Bishop Blanchet High School | Seattle, Washington

Samuel Ricchiuti — SR | Dublin Jerome High School | Dublin, Ohio

Sam Scott — SR | Southwest High School | Minneapolis, Minnesota

Logan Scott — JR | Faith Lutheran High | Las Vegas, Nevada

Will Sheets — JR | Covington Catholic High School | Park Hills, Kentucky

Clay Shively — SR | Trinity Academy | Wichita, Kansas

Daniel Simmons — SR | American Fork High School | American Fork, Utah

Keegan Smith — JR | Knoxville Catholic High School | Knoxville, Tennessee

Ty Steorts — JR | Hurricane High School | Hurricane, West Virginia

Riku Sugie — JR | Thomas Nelson High School | Bardstown, Kentucky

Cameron Todd — SR | Brebeuf Jesuit Prep | Indianapolis, Indiana

Sage Wilde — SR | Liberty North High School | Liberty, Missouri

Knox Young — SR | Greenville High School | Greenville, South Carolina

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2023 USA TODAY H.S. Sports Awards Boys Cross Country Watch List