The quietest record-breaker: Hesston’s humble star rewriting Kansas track history
One of the fastest girls in Kansas high school track history isn’t one for the spotlight.
Ashley Lehman would rather blend in than stand out, but when she’s on the track, there’s no hiding her dominance.
The Hesston junior has quietly built one of the most decorated careers the state has ever seen — a résumé now headlined by a record-breaking, four-gold performance at last month’s Kansas high school state track and field championships.
Just don’t expect her to talk about it.
“If we came back to school on Monday, you’d never know she just won four golds and set all of these records,” said Hesston cross country coach Nealee Johnston. “If you asked her about it, she’d start talking about how the team finished second or how well the 4x8 relay did. That’s just who she is.”
A historic state meet for Hesston’s Ashley Lehman
In a state-wide meet that features thousands of athletes, Lehman was arguably the star of the show.
She won gold for the first time in the pole vault, clearing 12 feet, 4 inches, then shattered Class 3A state records while defending her championships on the track: 11.99 seconds in the 100 meters, 24.66 in the 200 and 54.65 in the 400.
The records in the 100 and 200 had stood since the 1990s. The mark in the 400? That was Lehman breaking her own state record — and doing so with a personal-best time that now ranks eighth-fastest in Kansas history.
“It’s been a dream for so long, I’m just so excited to finally accomplish it,” Lehman said softly. “I had so many people here watching and the whole community of Hesston is so supportive. I’m just happy I can make them proud.”
Lehman is an 8-time individual state champion and what’s even more remarkable is that she doesn’t even compete in her best race during high school season.
Last summer, Lehman clocked a 2:09.93 in the 800 meters at the AAU National Junior Olympics, finishing runner-up in the nation and posting the third-fastest time by a Kansas high school girl in history.
A humble star on the track
With a pedigree like hers — a father, Cory, who threw javelin at Nebraska, and a mother, Karen, who was a gymnast — success on the track might seem like much of a surprise.
But those who know her best say her success comes from something far less genetic: hard work.
“She’s just one of those kids who has the drive,” Cory said. “You never have to beg her to get in the weight room. She never misses a workout. When she goes to the gym, it’s not social hour — she’s there to get work done.”
That work ethic was evident early on, when Ashley started winning nearly every race in junior high. By eighth grade, after adding strength training to her routine, she was flat-out dominant.
“She hates losing more than she likes winning,” Cory added.
Ashley’s work ethic carries over to the classroom, where she’s a regular on the honor roll and recently scored a 30 on her ACT.
But you’ll never hear her boast.
Even with college recruiters lining up to bring her in for an official visit this fall, Ashley retains the same quiet demeanor that led her grade-school teachers to tell her parents she should speak up more in class.
“Everyone has different journeys through this sport and through life,” Ashley said. “I just always try to stay humble. I think a lot of people work really hard and don’t always receive the credit they deserve, so I’m lucky I get that credit. I try not to take anything for granted.”
An individual star with a team-first mentality
Despite her individual accolades, Lehman’s focus never strays far from her team.
She runs cross country in the fall, not only because it keeps her in shape for track, but because it helps Hesston’s team chances.
She has finished top-15 at the state cross country meet all three years, including a 13th-place finish this past fall that helped the Swathers win the Class 3A team championship by a single point. She also played a role on the Hesston girls basketball team that finished third at state this year.
“She is the hardest-working kid all the time and that goes for the classroom too,” Hesston cross country coach Nealee Johnston said. “It would be really easy for her to be arrogant, because she can easily back it up, but Ashley is so humble.”
The expectations keep climbing for Lehman — and she keeps rising right with them.
Coaches were still marveling at the idea of her breaking 56 seconds in the 400, only for her to go out and break 55 at the state meet.
“We’ve learned not to put a limit on her,” Hesston track coach Jason Peters said with a smile.
Her humility also shows in small moments, like earlier in the season at a youth track meet Hesston hosts each spring to help fund-raise for the team.
While other state champions might bask in the spotlight, Lehman was spotted quietly helping younger kids, crouching down to explain starting positions and offering encouragement.
“She’s just a selfless individual who goes out of her way to do the right thing,” Peters said. “She’s the first to cheer for someone else, the first to help the younger kids. And every time we think she might plateau, she exceeds expectations and keeps climbing.”
For all of the records and headlines, not much has changed about Lehman. She’s still the same quiet, humble kid who would rather slip into the gym for a workout than talk about her accomplishments.
Even after a four-gold performance on the state’s biggest stage, there is always more work to be done, more records left to chase.
“We celebrate the victories and let them soak in,” Karen Lehman said. “But then we get back to work.”
This story was originally published June 25, 2025 at 7:03 AM.
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