NEW YORK, N.Y. (June 10, 2026) – American Dairy Association North East has announced the winners of the second annual Refuel with Chocolate Milk Athletes of the Year.
A total of 24 student-athletes across three disciplines were nominated based on performances at The Armory in New York City during the 2025-26 indoor track and field season. Following a public vote that wrapped up in May, the final six honored athletes include:
- Girls’ Sprinter of the Year: Jane Hickey | The Ursuline School | New Rochelle, N.Y.
- Boys’ Sprinter of the Year: Cameron Homer | Bullis School | Potomac, Md.
- Girls’ Distance Runner of the Year: Naomi Douglas | LaGuardia High School | New York, N.Y.
- Boys’ Distance Runner of the Year: Ryan Sykes | Horace Greeley High School | Chappaqua, N.Y.
- Girls’ Field Athlete of the Year: Brooklyn Lyttle | Elizabeth Seton High School | Bladensburg, Md.
- Boys’ Field Athlete of the Year: Owen Proskin | Plum Senior High School | Plum, Pa.
The Refuel with Chocolate Milk Athlete of the Year Awards are one example of how dairy farmers, represented by American Dairy Association North East, partner with The Armory to support student-athletes in their pursuit of excellence.
The partnership also helps raise awareness of chocolate milk as a science-backed recovery beverage. With an ideal ratio of carbohydrates to protein, chocolate milk helps rehydrate the body, repair muscles, and replenish energy after intense activity.
“As dairy farmers, we take great pride in providing nutritious products that help fuel the ambitions and achievements of young athletes,” said dairy farmer and American Dairy Association North East Board President Audrey Donahoe, whose family operates ATRASS Farm in Clayville, N.Y. “Chocolate milk, in particular, plays a crucial role in their performance and recovery.”
“Everyone here at The Armory is delighted to team up with local dairy farmers and share the wonderful product of chocolate milk as a delicious and effective refuel and recovery beverage for all of our athletes,” said Rita Finkel, Co-President of The Armory.
In addition to honoring this year’s Refuel with Chocolate Milk Athlete of the Year Award winners, American Dairy Association North East served as the presenting sponsor of the Refuel with Chocolate Milk Officials Hall of Fame Invitational in January.
Through its ongoing partnership with The Armory — which hosts over 220,000 athlete visits annually — the association engages athletes through on-site branding, signage, chocolate milk sampling, and as a sponsor of the Refuel Zone, where athletes and spectators alike can purchase chocolate milk to recharge after competition or simply enjoy nutritious refreshments.
About the Athletes
Jane Hickey | The Ursuline School | New Rochelle, N.Y.
Hickey was a standout at The Armory this season with seven total individual and relay wins at the venue during the 2025-26 indoor campaign. Among her top performances was running the sixth-fastest time ever by a U.S. high school athlete in the 600-meter dash at the Molloy Stanner Games and anchoring Ursuline to victories at the Millrose Trials in the 4×800-meter relay and Nike Indoor Nationals in the Sprint Medley Relay. A New York State champion at 600 meters, Hickey is committed to the University of North Carolina.
Cameron Homer| Bullis School | Potomac, Md.
Homer competed in three meets at The Armory during the indoor season where he won the 200-meter dash at the Marine Corps Holiday Classic and the 300-meter dash at the Jim Mitchell Invitational. A member of two national title relay teams, Homer also sprinted to three additional individual second place finishes at The Armory and grabbed fourth in the 400-meter dash at the prestigious Millrose Games.
Naomi Douglas | LaGuardia High School | New York, N.Y.
Douglas captured four individual wins along with two relay victories across eight meets at The Armory this indoor season. Notably she had a double victory at the JAMBAR Coaches Hall of Fame Invite, taking the top spot in the mile and 3,000-meter events. Douglas was also the Public Schools Athletic League (PSAL) Manhattan Champion in the 1,500-meter run and 4×800-meter relay, as well as runner-up in the 1,500-meter and 3,000-meter distances at the PSAL City Championships. Douglas, a Yale University commit, also competed in the mile and 2-mile races at Nike Indoor Nationals.
Ryan Sykes | Horace Greeley High School | Chappaqua, N.Y.
Sykes raced to four victories – three individual and one relay – at The Armory during his junior indoor campaign at Horace Greeley High School. The four wins came in four different meets during the month of February as Sykes took home the top spot in the 3,200-meter run at the Purple Champions Invitational and Section 1 State Qualifier, as well as in the 2-mile race at The Circuit New York City. Sykes also toed the line in both the mile and 2-mile events at Nike Indoor Nationals.
Brooklyn Lyttle | Elizabeth Seton High School | Bladensburg, Md.
Lyttle visited The Armory three times during her season, tallying four individual wins across two field and two sprint events. A University of South Carolina commit, Lyttle had a double victory at the U.S. Marine Corps Holiday Classic, wining both long jump and triple jump. Her other victories at The Armory occurred at the Garden State TC Invitational where Lyttle won the long jump and 55-meter dash. Lyttle also had the opportunity to compete in the triple jump at the 118th Millrose Games.
Owen Proskin | Plum Senior High School | Plum, Pa.
Proskin only participated in one meet at The Armory this year, but he made his time count as the University of Cincinnati commit was crowned the Nike Indoor Nationals pentathlon champion. Of the five events – 60-meter hurdles, 1,000-meter run, shot put, high jump, long jump – Proskin took first in two events and second in two others. He concluded the event with 3,816 points, which was more than 200 ahead of second place.
About American Dairy Association North East
American Dairy Association North East (ADA North East) is the dairy farmer-funded organization funded by participating dairy farmer’s checkoff investment to build demand and sales for milk and dairy foods throughout the local region. Representing more than 7,600 dairy farm families in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and northern Virginia, ADA North East develops and implements local programs to drive milk and dairy sales at retail outlets and in schools. The organization also conducts consumer education about dairy through events, traditional and social media, and in collaboration with health professionals through National Dairy Council. ADA North East works closely with Dairy Management Inc.™, the national dairy checkoff organization, to support nutrition research, national partnerships and developing export markets for dairy to bring a fully integrated promotion program to the region. For more information, visit www.AmericanDairy.com.
About The Armory
The Armory Foundation is a New York City non-profit institution, with the mission of “Keeping Everyone on Track.” Each season, The Armory – the proud home of the Nike Track & Field Center – produces the Millrose Games, hosts more than 100 track and field meets, and welcomes more than 300,000 visits. Among its many youth sports and educational programs, including the acclaimed Armory College Prep and Great Minds programs, The Armory runs the leading collegiate indoor track meets with the Dr. Sander Columbia Scorcher and the HBCU Showcase presented by Nike. Additionally, The Armory hosts the largest high school indoor track meets with the Apple Bank Hispanic Games, the JAMBAR Coaches Hall of Fame Invitational, the Refuel with Chocolate Milk Officials’ Hall of Fame Invitational, and the Holiday Classic. The Armory runs the CUIMC Team Relay Marathon, which is the world’s largest indoor marathon relay. The Armory is also the home to the National Track & Field Hall of Fame and dozens of very large education-focused events. For more information, visit Armory.NYC and ArmoryTrack.org.