Presenting The 2023-2024 Ed Grant Award Winners

NJ MileSplit is proud to announce the winners of the second annual Ed Grant Award!

This prestigious award, named after longtime track and field journalist and NJ T&F historian Ed Grant, who passed away in May of 2021, honors the top high school male and female athletes in New Jersey track and field and cross country.

Winners were selected by a committee based on which athletes were viewed as the top performers during this past school year in all three seasons combined.

The winners and highlights from their seasons as well as the full list of finalists are below.

More: In-Depth Feature on Ed Grant's Life

Ed Grant Award Winners

Taylor Cox

Junior - Union Catholic HS

Cox had one of the greatest years in NJ history for a high hurdler, sweeping the New Balance Indoor and Outdoor titles over the barriers with record-smashing times that put her right near the very top of the state's all-time lists indoors and outdoors.   

Indoors, Cox stopped the clock at 8.11 to win the 60m hurdles at the New Balance Nationals and break the NJ record and the meet record to put the finishing touches on an undefeated campaign.  

Outdoors, Cox put an exclamation point on her historic campaign when she shattered the meet record at the New Balance Nationals by winning the 100 hurdles in a wind-legal 13.38!!! That's tied for the third fastest time in NJ history. Cox broke the meet record of 13.41 set last year by Camden Bentley of Ohio Speed.

The only two hurdlers in NJ history to run faster than Cox are a pair of legends, Dawn Bowles of Neptune (13.30 in 1988) and Sydney McLaughlin of Union Catholic (13.34 in 2014).

That's not all.

Cox also ran the second leg on Union Catholic's 4x100 relay that finished second at the NB Nationals in 45.48, which broke the NJ record of 45.50 set by Montclair at the 1998 Penn Relays, and ran a Union County record 11.66 in the 100 dash, No. 4 in the state this season, when she finished first at at the Union County Championships.

Malachi James

Senior - Burlington City HS

The Syracuse-bound James kept saying all spring that it was just a matter of time before he became the fastest runner in state history in the 100-meter dash. 

He backed up those words in electrifying fashion with arguably the greatest season for a sprinter in NJ history.

At the South Jersey, Group 1 Championships at Pennsauken, James ran 10.18 to win the 100 dash, the fastest all-conditions time in NJ history. But since there was no wind gauge, the 10.18 couldn't be listed as the state wind-legal record.

James guaranteed that he'd get the state record at the Meet of Champions if the wind cooperated. And as usual, he put his money where his mouth was by blasting a 10.28 in the final (wind legal 0.3) to shatter the 100 dash wind-legal state record and meet record of 10.35 that Jamar Ervin of Camden ran at the 2000 Meet of Champions at South Brunswick. The 10.28 by James was tied for the 6th fastest wind-legal time in the nation.   

James, who missed the Meet of Champions with a hamstring injury last year after winning the 100 and 200 as a sophomore, came back to also reclaim his half-lap crown by running a wind-legal 21.08 (-0.1), the fourth fastest wind legal auto time in NJ history.

James, who will play football and run track at Syracuse, finished his sensational high school career with six M of C titles. He also won the 55 and the 200 at the Indoor M of C in March when he ran meet record times of 6.22 and 21.28!!!  The 6.22 is the second fastest time in state history, and was No. 2 in the U.S. for the season, and his 21.28 is No. 6 in NJ history.

All Finalists & Season Highlights

All finalists are listed alphabetically and not in ranked order.

Finalist highlights written by Jim Lambert

Girls Finalists

Outdoor Track & Field Finalists

Taylor Cox, JR, Union Catholic

Cox, who broke 14.00 in all eight of her meets this past season, put an exclamation point on her historic campaign when she shattered the meet record at the New Balance Nationals by winning the 100 hurdles in a wind-legal 13.38!!! That's tied for the third fastest time in NJ history. Cox broke the meet record of 13.41 set last year by Camden Bentley of Ohio Speed.

Layla Giordano, SR, NV- Old Tappan

Giordano completed one of the greatest careers in NJ history in the circle this past spring by winning her second straight discus title at the Meet of Champions, placing second in the discus at the New Balance Nationals, and becoming just the second girl in state history to throw 50 feet in the shot and 170 in the discus.

When the Princeton-bound Giordano launched the shot 50-0 at the Bergen County Meet of Champions, she joined the legendary Alyssa Wilson of Donovan Catholic as the only NJ girls to ever hit 50/170. Wilson threw a still-standing national record of 58-1 in the shot and a NJ record 182-0 in the discus as a senior in 2017.

Giordano unloaded a NJ No. 2 all-time 172-2 in the discus at the North Jersey, Sec. 1 Group 3 Championships, and won her second straight discus title with a meet record 171-7 at the Meet of Champions.

Giordano's 172-2 was No. 6 in the nation this past season, and her 50-0 was No. 10 nationally. 

Jessica Oji, Jr., Livingston

After missing the state outdoor meets a sophomore last year due to a torn ACL, Oji capped off an amazing comeback season in the spring by winning the New Balance National title with a throw of 50-2 to finish the season undefeated. That was the fourth meet of the season that Oji surpassed 50 feet.

Oji, who also finished third in the discus at NB Nationals, set PR's in both the shot put, a NJ No. 3 all-time 51-10, and the discus with a 161-7. Oji's 51-10 was No. 5 in the nation this season.

Paige Sheppard, FR., Union Catholic

Sheppard continue to rewrite the record books with the greatest season for a freshman distance runner in NJ history.   

The rookie sensation smashed the state freshmen records in both the 800 (2:07.11) and 1,600 (4:43.08), won the State Non-Public 800 and 1,600 titles, and anchored Union Catholic to a national record victory in the 4x800 at the New Balance Nationals.

Sheppard's 4:43.08 in the 1,600 at the Non-Public A Championships, and her 2:07.11 in the 800 at the Union County Championships were not only state freshmen records, they were also both No. 2 in the nation for a freshmen for the season.     

At the New Balance Nationals, Sheppard dropped a mind-numbing 2:05.53 anchor split to put the finishing touches on Union Catholic's national record victory in the 4x800 as she stopped the clock at 8:34.20.

Sianni Wynn, SO, Pennsauken

The sophomore sensation raised her career record in Meet of Champions races indoors and outdoors combined) to 7-0 when she won the 100 and 200 dashes on her home track in June. 

Wynn finished first in the 100 in a wind-legal and meet record 11.36, No. 4 in state history. She came back to win the 200 in a wind-aided 23.29 (2.1 wind), which is No. 4 in state history in all conditions. At the New Balance Nationals, Wynn finished second in the 200 in 11.49. She also ran a NJ No. 2 53.45 in the 400.

Emma Zawatski, SR., Freehold Township

The University of Colorado-bound Zawatski avenged her 2023 runner-up finish in the 1,600 at the Meet of Champions by recapturing that crown when she used a powerful surge on the final lap on her way to victory in 4:50.15.   

Zawatski's victory completed an undefeated season vs. NJ competition in the 1,600, and raised her career total to five M of C titles (2 in XC, 1 indoors in the 1,600 and two outdoors in the 1,600). Zawatski also finished the season with the fastest time in the state in the mile (including converted 1,600 times) with the PR of 4:44.60 she ran at the Penn Relays.   

Zawatski also ran 2:11.31 in the 800 and a PR of 10:24.95 in the 3,200.  

Indoor Track & Field Finalists

Taylor Cox, JR., Union Catholic

The NJ record in the high hurdles is something that's always been in the back of Taylor Cox's mind. 

Jessica Oji, JR., Livingston

Paige Sheppard, FR., Union Catholic

In the highly anticipated 1,600 at the Meet of Champions, Sheppard, who ran 2:19.70 for the final 800 and 64.47 for the final 400, unleashed a wicked kick when she passed Zawatski just before the bell. Sheppard then leveled up ran and a 31.93 final 200 to hold off Zawatski and win the sizzling showdown, 4:48.13 to 4:48.95.

Sheppard, who finished a couple steps behind Zawatski when they went 1-2 at the XC M of C in November, broke the meet record of 4:48.23 set in 2009 by Jillian Smith of Southern and her 4:48.13 is the fastest time in NJ history ever for a 1,600-meter race. Note: There are faster times in state history for the mile, but not for a 1,600 race). 

Sianni Wynn, SO, Pennsauken

The amazing Wynn did it again!

For the second straight year, she won the 55 dash and the 200 at the Meet of Champions.

After nearly breaking the girls meet record in the 55 dash with her 6.93 in the trials, Wynn dropped a 6.81 in the final to crush the meet record of 6.92 set in 2009 by Dominque Booker of Montclair Immaculate. Wynn came back later and sent the packed crowd into a frenzy when she lit up the oval with a 24.00 win in the 200!!!!

Wynn's 6.81 places her No. 3 in state history, and her 24.00 is tied for No. 2 all-time in NJ history!!!

I told you there was a lot of smoke coming off the track at Ocean Breeze.

Only Michele Glover of Willingboro (6.73 in 1981) and Wendy Vereen of Trenton (6.79 in 1984) have run faster than Wynn in the 55, and Vereen is the only NJ girl to go faster in the 200 (23.87 in 1984). Wynn's 24.00 placed her in a tie with legendary World Record holder  Sydney McLaughlin of Union Catholic, who ran that time at the Easterns in 2016.

Cross-Country Finalists

Emma Zawatski, Sr.,  Freehold Township

The Colorado-bound Zawatski won her second straight Meet of Champions title when she came from behind to overtake Paige Sheppard around the tennis courts on her way to victory in a red hot 17:52. 

Zawatski is the 11th girl to repeat as champion, and her 17:52 places her 18th all-time and 16th among NJ girls at Holmdel. The victory capped an undefeated season on NJ soil for Zawatski and gave her four M of C titles (2 in XC and the 1,600 indoors and outdoors). She added another M of C crown in the spring in the 1,600 to finish her amazing career with six M of C titles. 

Zawatski won all six of her XC races in NJ.

In addition to her M of triumph, Zawatski also scored wins at the Shore Coaches Invitational (18:23), the Monmouth County Championships (18:20), the Shore Conference Championships (17:29), the Central Jersey, Group 4 meet (18:15), and at the State Group Championships (18:00).

Boys Finalists

Yashahya Brown, Sr., Washington Twp.

The Rutgers-bound Brown had a season for the ages in the high hurdles, finishing off his undefeated season over the barriers by winning the New Balance National Championships in 13.52. 

Brown went under 13.60 seven times, highlighted by his NJ No. 3 all-time tying and wind-legal 13.43 at the State Group 4 Championshps, which tied the All Groups meet record.

At the Meet of Champions, Brown won the 110's in a wind-legal 13.56, and his 13.53 in the trials is No. 2 in meet history among wind legal times.

Josh Huisman, Sr., St. Rose

Malachi James, Sr., Burlington City

James, left a lot of smoke on the track when he sent the huge and energetic crowd into a frenzy at the Meet of Champions when he stopped the clock at 10.28 (wind legal 0.3) to shatter the state 100 dash wind-legal state record and meet record of 10.35 that Jamar Ervin of Camden ran at the 2000 Meet of Champions at South Brunswick. 

Two weeks ago on the same track, James ran a 10.18 to win the South Jersey, Group 1 100 dash, the fastest all-conditions time in NJ history. But since there was no wind gauge, the 10.18 couldn't be listed as the state wind-legal record.

But James guaranteed that he'd get the state record on Wednesday if the wind cooperated. He backed up his words as usual!! 

James, who missed the Meet of Champions with a hamstring injury last year after winning the 100 and 200 as a sophomore, came back later to reclaim his half-lap crown by running a wind-legal 21.08 (-0.1), the fourth fastest wind legal auto time in NJ history.

James, who will play football and run track at Syracuse, finished his sensational high school career with six M of C titles. He also broke the meet records when he won the 55 and the 200 at the Indoor M of C in March.

Liam Paneque, Jr., Demarest

Paneque cemented his place among the greatest horizontal jumpers in state history when he soared to a huge PR of 25-2 (wind-legal 1.0) in the long jump at the Meet of Champions to break the 29-year-old meet record of 25-0 that William Spearman of Camden Wilson set in 1995. Paneque's 25-2 also broke the Bergen County of 25-0.50 set in 2010 by Corey Crawford of Indian Hills.

Paneque also cleared 6-4 in the high jump and bounded out to 47-8 in the triple jump this season, and swept all three jumps at the Bergen County Meet of Champions and the North Jersey, Section 1 Group 2 Championships.  

Luke Pash, Jr., Ridgewood

In one of the greatest 1,600 races in NJ history, Pash and Peyton Shute of Woodbury both went way under the meet record and moved way up on the state's all-time list with a epic clash at the Meet of Champions. 

After Shute hit 400 in 60.66 and 800 in 2:01.83, Pash jumped to the front with 500 to go and held off Shute with a 61.36 final 400, freezing the numbers on the clock at 4:04.49, the fastest time ever by a NJ runner in a 1,600 race!!! Shute was second in 4:05.26 as both ran well under the meet record of 4:07.31 set in 2011 by Chris Marco of Toms River South.

The 4:04.49 by Pash converts to 4:05.91 for the mile, which places him No. 6 in NJ history on the all-time mile/converted 1,600 list. 

Pash followed that up by splitting 4:02.24 to bring Ridgewood across sixth in the DMR at New Balance Nationals in 9:58.01.

During this past indoor season, Pash won the 3,200 at the Meet of Champions in 8:59.77. Pash is only the third runner in NJ history to run under 9:00 and under 4:05!! The others two? Edward Cheserek of St. Benedict's Prep and Marco Langon of Bridgewater-Raritan.    

In case you're wondering, the state record in the mile is 3:59.8, which has stood since 1967 when Marty Liquori of Essex Catholic became the first and only NJ high school runner to break 4 minutes. Pash has the talent, the drive, the grit, and the coaching to make a legitimate run at Liquori's record!!!    

Yashahya Brown, Sr. Washington Twp.

The Rutgers-bound Brown set the state record in the 55 hurdles with his US No. 1 time of 7.06 at the Soth Jersey, Group 4 meet, also broke the meet record when he finished first over the barriers for the second straight year at the Meet of Champions in 7.18. Brown broke the meet record of 7.19 that was set by by Jermaine Collier of Trenton in 2012.

Brown, who ran under 7.20 at six times during the season, capped off his season by placing second in the 60 hurdles at the New Balance Nationals in 7.65.

Joshua Huisman, JR, St. Rose

The University of Michigan-bound Huisman unloaded a bomb of 67-7 on his final attempt, which is No. 3 in state history and No. 2 in the nation for the season, to win his second straight shot put title at the Meet of Champions. He also placed second at both the New Balance National Championships and the Nike National Championships, and threw over 60 feet in 10 of his 14 meets. 

Malachi James, Sr., Burlington City

After missing his junior season with hamstring injuries,  James made a triumphant return to the track with a memorable indoor campaign.

At the Meet of Champioms, James, headed to Syracuse to play and run track, burned up the track by winning the 55 dash in a meet record 6.22 (he initially broke the meet record in the trials with a 6.30) and the 200 in 21.28, which also smashed the meet record. The previous meet records were 6.34 and 21.68.

Even more significantly, the 6.22 by James is the second fastest time in state history, No. 2 in the U.S. this season, and his 21.28 is No. 6 in NJ history

Jaden Marchan, Sr. Leonia

In his first season of indoor track, the Georgetown-bound Marchan smashed the state record in the 600 when he ran 1:17.66 to finish first at the Marine Corps Classic, a half step ahead of U.S. Olympian Quincy Wilson, the U20 World Outdoor 400 record holder!!!

At the Meet of Champions, Marchan, who will represent Trinidad & Tobago at the Olympics in Paris, captured the 400 at the Meet of Champions in 47.73 and placed second in the 200 in 21.78, and he ran 47.41 to place third in the 400 at the New Balance National Championships.