Rylee Lydon, a Texas A&M-bound senior at Prairie Ridge High in Illinois and the reigning adidas Indoor National pentathlon champion as well as the defending USATF Junior Olympic 17-18 heptathlon champ, joins DyeStat editor Erik Boal to discuss the first two weeks of her outdoor season and preparing to compete April 22 at Distance Night in Palatine. Lydon produced the best debut of any American prep competitor in the indoor pentathlon by accumulating 3,844 points March 17 at the adidas Indoor Nationals in Virginia Beach. She also elevated to No. 5 in U.S. high school history, trailing only Anna Hall of Valor Christian High in Colorado, Georgia competitors Kendell Williams from Kell High and Sterling Lester of Marietta High, along with Shana Woods from Long Beach Poly High in California. Lydon shares her encouragement after running a personal-best 15.37 in the 100-meter hurdles April 13 at the Ram Invite, and how that improvement has her inspired to run under 15 seconds, which will provide a significant boost to her heptathlon during the summer. She also speaks about consistently surpassing 19 feet in the long jump and building toward her personal-best 5-9 (1.75m) in the high jump, in addition to clocking 2:15.83 in the 800 meters. Lydon reflects on the mental and emotional challenges that came during her first pentathlon and the optimism that she will be able to surpass 4,000 points as a freshman at Texas A&M under the guidance of Aggies' multis coach Mario Sategna. She also expresses gratitude for the support of her Prairie Ridge coaches and family, along with how valuable the fall and winter training under the guidance of TNT Track and Field Academy coach Brandon Stryganek has been in her improvement since her heptathlon debut of 4,784 points in July and capturing the USTAF Junior Olympic title in Sacramento. Lydon examines her quest to surpass the 2016 Illinois high school state record of 4.975 points achieved by LaJarvia Brown of Alton High and her motivation to eclipse the 5,000-point barrier. She also speaks about the opportunity to wear HOKA gear competing in January at the CYUP Misfits Invitational at the Dr. Conrad Worrill Center at Gately Park in Chicago, as well as the potential to pursue Name, Image and Likeness opportunities at Texas A&M. Lydon also emphasizes how significant it has been to compete during her final spring season with her Prairie Ridge teammates and looking forward to the Illinois 3A state postseason after winning the high jump last year and 400 crown in 2021.