Rylee Lydon, an incoming senior at Prairie Ridge High in Illinois and the reigning USATF National Junior Olympic 17-18 champion in the women's heptathlon along with an All-American in the 4x400-meter relay representing TNT Track and Field Academy, joins DyeStat editor Erik Boal to discuss her breakthrough summer in the combined events highlighted by her memorable week at Sacramento State. Lydon, 17, shares her background of joining TNT Track and Field Academy last year and collaborating with coach Brandon Stryganek and training with the group in preparation to take on the challenge of her first career heptathlon July 9-10 at the Region 7 qualifying meet at Wabash College in Indiana. Lydon revisits accumulating 4,784 points to elevate into the top five prep competitors in the country this season, producing one of the best heptathlon debuts in U.S. high school history. She examines her development in the shot put and javelin throw, and analyzes her significant room for improvement that can help challenge the 5,000-point barrier next year. Lydon explains how she didn't consider competing in the pentathlon indoors, in order to allow for additional time to train for the two-day, seven-event schedule during the summer. She reflects on trailing Y'Vette Harris of Lincoln Stockton High and God Speed Track Club in California by 62 points entering the 800 meters July 26 and producing a lifetime-best 2:16.18 to win the heptathlon by a 34-point margin with 4,677 points. Lydon also speaks about earning All-America honors again in the 4x400 relay and improving by nearly three seconds from the qualifying round to the final to clock 3:53.74 and secure sixth after finishing fourth last year in Jacksonville. An Illinois state 3A champion in both the 400 meters and the high jump, Lydon reminisces clearing a personal-best 5-9 (1.75m) in April and how beneficial her 18-10 (5.74m) long jump can also be in building her overall heptathlon. She looks forward to the recruiting process during the fall, having already taken unofficial visits to several major universities, and talks about balancing her academics and athletics, boasting a 4.55 grade-point average. Lydon also has sights set on pursuing the indoor pentathlon and competing at national meets, and shares the advantages of having an elite facility like the Gately Indoor Track in the Chicago area. She also expresses her ambitions to compete for an opportunity to represent the U.S. at the Pan American U20 Championships next year.