Fred Rupp was in his eighth season as head coach of the St. Cloud Cathedral cross country team in 1979 when a group of girls showed up to run with the boys in practice and eventually start a girls team.

Kelly Haws was one of those girls.

“There were enough of us that it made a complete team,” Haws said. “We trained with the boys and when we went to meets, there were races for the girls.”

Haws returned to her alma mater in 1984 to help Rupp coach Cathedral. The boys and girls split into separate programs before the 1986 season, making Haws the new head coach.

Haws led the Cathedral girls to their first state title in her first season. The Crusaders haven’t won another cross country coach since.

Rupp, meanwhile, is in his 39th season coaching the Crusaders boys.

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