The 5-foot-8 senior won a national title in the 800-meter run at the New Balance Nationals Outdoor with a time of 2:05.7 this past season. The state's two-time returning Gatorade Girls Track and Field Athlete of the Year, Watson holds four indoor national records and competed in the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials. Her season-best time of 2:00.78 in the 800 is ranked as the nation's No. 1 performance among prep competitors in 2017 at the time of her selection and is the third-fastest clocking in U.S. high school history.
Watson has maintained an A average in the classroom. She has signed a National Letter of Intent to compete on an athletic scholarship at Texas A&M this fall.
A talented musician and a peer mentor in her school, Watson has volunteered locally on behalf of youth track camps and community clean-up initiatives. "Sammy is a very humble girl who is always striving to improve," said Rush-Henrietta coach Mike DeMay. "All she thinks about is going out and getting better and running faster. She deserves everything she's gotten, and there's no limit to what she can do."
