By: Kyle Brazeil for MileSplit

Armory, NYC - It's the most competitive meet of the season. New Balance Nationals Indoors has been the birthplace of more National Records than any other Indoor Meet in history. How many will go down in 2017? We enter the meet with five existing Overall National Record Holders, with many more ready to join those ranks. We're previewing the girls side of the action, which looks to bring about some historic races. Dig into the action below.

Girls 60m Hurdles

It's an indoor vs. outdoor showdown in the short hurdles. US #3 All-Time Chanel Brissett has been a fixture at New Balance Indoor Nationals, part of the record breaking final from a year ago. But enter Tia Jones, who has dominated the hurdle scene outdoors, who set the 100HH National Record as a freshman last spring. Her PR is not quite up to that of Brissett, but she hasn't had quite the same opportunities as Brissett, competing out of Georgia. Another name to watch out for is US #8 All-Time Tara Davis, who has made headlines lately with her Long Jump National Record. She'll be trying to pull double duty at Nationals, with gold medal chances in both events.

Girls 60m

US #1 Jayla Kirkland has made her mark outdoors at the national level. She's won the 100m and 200m national title in 2016. Now, her sights are set on grabbing her first indoor title. In her way is the entirety of the US Top 5 in the event. Texas will be sending US #2 Sydney Washington and US #3 Kaylor Harris, while local Thelma Davis and ;Halle Hazzard will try to bring the speed title to the Northeast. Many of the top seeds have gone the full season undefeated, and for all but one, that will change at Nationals.

Girls 200m

The top two seeds met up at the UK Invite earlier this season, and there, Lynna Irby overtook Jayla Kirkland to grab US #2 and US #3. There will be some longer distance flavor with the addition of 300m US #3 Tamara Clark, who could upset the balance. With some of the southern states already onto the Outdoor Season, Florida sends two under 24secs with Karimah Davis and Symone Mason.

Girls 400m

It may only be March, but we're getting some USA vs. The World action early, sans Penn Relays. That's because we have the countries best future Olympic medal prospect, Sydney McLaughlin, lining up against one of Canada's finest, Victoria Tachinski. By this point, McLaughlin's story is well known. She made the semi's in the 400H at the Rio Olympics, and is recently coming off both an Indoor World Record in the DMR, as well as a High School National Record in the 300m. She's the defending National Champion, when she set the National Record last year at this event. Can she lower the mark? And how close can the Canadian get to her?

Girls 800m

The top seeds both have something in common. They'd both be US #1 if not for a year with Sammy Watson in the ranks. But in Watson's absence, US #2 over 800m Terri Turner will take on US #2 over 1000m Rachel McArthur to determine the top middle distance runner in the country. Turner has set an All-Time best this season, winning the PA State Meet in 2:08.58. However, McArthur has an outdoor best almost two seconds faster, running 2:06.55 last spring. Not to be counted out is Olivia Arizin, who's outdoor best is just off McArthur, as Arizin has clocked 2:06.80. Splitting the pair is Kaitlin Ryan, who hit 2:06.65 last spring as well. It looks like it will take a sub-2:06 performance to solidify the win in a competitive final.

Girls Mile

What better way for Sammy Watson to close out her Indoor High School career than entering nationals at the one distance she hasn't set a National Record in. In fact, it's the only distance Watson has been defeated at in the past three years, being nipped at the line in Boston last year after letting up too soon at the line. But don't expect a repeat in 2017, as Watson has been on a tear ever since, setting records 600m and up.

Fittingly, she'll be facing off against Anna Kostarellis, who broke Watson's own 1500m Section 5 record with an exciting race at the New York State Meet. Expect that mark to go down en-route, as it promises to be a fast final. Watson's biggest competition will come from Hayley Jackson, US #1 at 4:47.21. Watson ran just over that mark when she was beaten in Boston, and is now a superior athlete in both mind and body. Expect that personal best to go down with ease. The only other athlete under 4:5- is Abbe Goldstein, winner of the prestigious Millrose Mile.

Girls 2 Mile

Four of the US Top 5 are entered in the race, with National Soph Record Holder for 3000m Kelsey Chmiel rounding out the field as well. Chmiel's States run was as smooth as anything ever run at Ocean Breeze, similar to when Kate Murphy set the Senior Class National Record earlier in the season. Chmiel's mark converts faster than the field, and has to enter as one of the favorites.

But don't expect Niamh Schumacher, who is seeded 12 seconds back, to give up so easily. She won the Tennessee State Meet by almost a minute, and will be more competitive with closer competition. The same can be said for Michigan's Maggie Farrell, NY's Katherine Lee, and North Carolina's Sarah Platek. Of those athletes, only Lee has the distinction of beating Chmiel in a distance race, as Lee outlasted Chmiel at NXN-NY. However, Lee missed most of the Championship Season with injury, after a trip up at Millrose. How the rest affected her will help determine the pacing of the race.

And yet, despite all the credentials of the field, there is one athlete who surpasses them all. NXN Champ Brie Oakley has been a talent like no other in her short career. She was superior to the field at NXN, and if she is in the same shape, she will be near unbeatable in the longer distances.

Girls 5K

If Brie Oakley is the favorite in the 2-Mile, double the distance, and those odds double just the same. Oakley was unbeatable on the fields of cross country, earning her the Gatorade Athlete of the Year distinction. Expect that title to be indicative of her talents on the track at the same distance. There are plenty of quality athletes in the field, including Libby Davidson and Annie Hill, but none have reached the heights of Oakley over the past year.

Girls Mile Racewalk

Last year, it was a shock to see the equivalent of the first sub-4 min mile from a high schooler in the racewalk, as Lauren Harris broke 7mins for the first time in the history of the sport, scholastically. Since then, she repeated the feat outdoors, and lowered the 1500m Indoor National Record dramatically. Going into 2017, and Harris is looking to cement her legacy, pushing the record as low as it can go. There is no ceiling in a race without many athletes able to keep up, and it will be about Harris and the clock. There are athletes who will be looking to keep her company as best they can, like Amelia Cuomo, and a younger sister of a former National Champ, Nayeli Cisneros.

Girls Long Jump

There are four events that have the reigning National Record Holders competing in them, and the only one coming from outside the Tri-State is in the Long Jump. Tara Davis unleashed an incredible 21-11 performance down in Texas earlier this season. The mark qualified her for USA Senior Nationals least week, where she took 5th overall.

However, as with most field events, you may not jump your best in every competition. US #3 Lanae-Tava Thomas jumped further than Davis did this past weekend, and could be poised to upset the seeds. Maya Evans and Jasmine Moore are both also over 20ft, and will be right in contention for that title as well.

Girls Triple Jump

Not something we see too often, but it's a battle of the underclassmen in the Triple Jump. Texas sophomore Jasmine Moore is your national leader, hitting 42-3.25. Meanwhile, in Virginia, Junior Titiana Marsh measured out a 42-0 jump to win her local State Meet. The pair are the only ones over 42ft this year, and will go head-to-head at the Armory. Maya Hanks and Tara Davis are both at 41-9 or higher, and could very easily cross that threshold as well, making for a very competitive final, open to anyone.

Girls High Jump

High Jump can be one of the most unpredictable events of the meet outside the pentathlon. When you have US #3 Sydney Banks and US #6 Carlie Queen only separated by less than an inch, the titles is completely up for grabs. Just a quarter inch below Queen at 5-9.25 is the pair from the Carolina's, NC's Kenya Livingston and SC's Kamiya Dendy. Those four have to be selected as those most likely to be duking it out over the higher bars deep into Friday night.

Girls Shot Put

When Raven Saunders tossed an unthinkable National Record three years ago, many thought it would last just as long as Michael Carter's toss of 81-3.5 outdoors. Well, nobody told Alyssa Wilson she'd have to wait that long, as it's only two years later, and the senior from New Jersey has erased that mark. Her 57-5.5 is more than five feet better than the next best thrower in the country, Kathleen Young, who is also entered in the field. Wilson's season has produced every competition with a better winning mark than US #2, so it would seem to be a case of how close can Wilson get to that record again.

Girls Weight Throw

Unlike the other throwing event, the Weight Throw is incredibly close, separated only by a single inch. To no surprise, the top two seeds come from both Rhode Island and New York, the two powerhouses of the event. Gianna Rao was the RI State Champ, with a season best of 60-8. Jillian Shippee is the same for New York, with a best of 60-7. They come in as the top seeds, and the only over 60-0 this season. Sitting at 59 feet and change are both Makenli Forrest and Carrol Pauley, who are both within striking distance. This could come down to those final inches in the finals, so keep an eye on the full competition in the cage.

Girls Pole Vault

There is plenty to be excited about in the pole vault. Unlike the boys side of the mat, the standings are so close, anything could shake out. The magic number in 2017 is 13-0, with seven girls at or above. US #2 Becky Arbiv leads the field with her 13-7 clearance, but close on her heels is US #3 Katie Jones at 13-6.5. Carson Dingler and Logan Kemp both find themselves at 13-6, rounding out the top seeds. Of those seven at or above 13-0, only sophomore Erica Ellis will not be graduating from the competition this year. Ellis will be chasing that sophomore national record en route to a podium finish.

Girls 4x200m

If the VA Showcase was any indication, the Western Branch and Bullis match up should produce All-Time performances. Both have hit just above 1:37.00 this season, and will need faster to secure the win. Always a fixture at Indoor Nationals is Oak Park, MI, and could very well upset what promises to be a duel in the sun. Cheltenham is also right there, with Chanel Brissett a more than capable anchor leg.

Girls 4x400m

The entirety of the US Top 5 are here, joined by US #8 St. John's College. Bullis has a four second lead on the field with a seed of 3:44.44, and it will take some big jumps for the field to catch up. As most of these athletes will be running a very busy weekend, by the time it gets to the last event, who knows what times will hold up.

Girls 4x800m

Shenendehowa comes into the race with a sizeable lead from their US #1 at the NY State Meet. They are at 9:00.34, with some wiggle room on fresher legs. It's hard to argue there is much competition here, as US #2 Fayetteville-Manlius are the only other team under 4:13, and they aren't entered. It would seem the goal would be to improve one full second or more, which would bump them from NY #9 All-Time, all the way up to NY #4 or better.

Girls Shuttle Hurdle Relay

Western Branch was only .05 seconds off their own National Record when they ran 31.27 at the Marine Corps Class, and that was in late December. With three months more of training, expect them to smash that National Record with ease, conditional on their clearance of the hurdles unscathed. Bullis is at 31.61 from that same race, and the two VA schools will have to battle it out once again to see who can go further under the record for the win.

Girls Sprint Medley Relay

There could very well be a medley sweep for the first time ever at New Balance Nationals. North Rockland is the top seed in the DMR on paper, and in contention for the SMR. But Penn Wood has to be given the favorite status in the short medley. Terri Turner is US #2 for the 800m, and the Penn Wood 4x400m is US #5. That simply spells success in the sprint relay, but North Rockland has some speed of their own, clocking only four seconds slower. Could they keep it close enough to steal a win.

Girls Distance Medley Relay

With the absence of National Record Holders Lake Braddock, the former record breakers North Rockland seem to be the team to beat. But fellow New York squads Shenendehowa and Ursuline won't just give it away. North Rockland has a solid lineup on the distance legs, with capable legs in between. Tuohy is US #2 for the mile, Harris US #12 for 1000m, and Morales US #13 for the 3000m. The biggest outside threat would be Patriot out of Virginia, with Rachel McArthur on anchor leg.

Girls 4xMile

It's hard to pick out the best teams in the rarely run event. On paper, Corning has the best miler in the field, as Jess Lawson clocked 4:25.55 for the 1500m just last week. However, Ursuline has two girls under 5:00.00 for the mile, with the Flynn twins. Shoreham-Wading River has the best 4x800m of the bunch, running in the US Top Ten without their anchor leg on that team, Katherine Lee. However, even without Kate Murphy, Lake Braddock is a more than capable distance relay, and as the only event they are entered in, they could steal one without a sub-4:40 anchor.

Girls Pentathlon

It's always tough to narrow down a favorite in the events that are not contested often. However, we have US #1 Antonia Frazier and US #2 Erin Marsh, who have to be considered the favorites.