Minnesota has a knack for consistently churning out top caliber athletes. It is well known that the transition from the high school level to the collegiate level is a huge jump, and to navigate this and continue to be competitive is no easy feat! This week we take a look at some Minnesota alumni who have excelled on both the high school and collegiate level. Their successes in high school include numerous state championships, state and school records, and dozens of other honors, while their successes in college range from representing the United States at the World Championships to winning conference championships in their freshman years!
Here are just a few of Minnesota's finest products having success at the college level!
Lucas Mueller, Carleton College (Nova Classical High School): Mueller burst onto the stage his senior year of high school, winning the Class A State title in the 3200 meters. He has made the transition to college seamlessly and has posted some very impressive times this indoor season. Mueller has a 4:19 mile and 8:21 3-kilometer under his belt. At the MIAC Championship last weekend, Mueller ran a Herculean total of 10600 meters! He was the conference champion in the 1k, 3k, and the DMR (which he ran the anchor 1600m leg). He finished second to teammate
Matt Wilkinson (of Minnetonka fame) in the 5k. And just yesterday, Muller's 3k run of 8:21.48 will qualify him for the DIII Championships in that event. And to top if all off, Mueller received a well-deserved honor of the MIAC Indoor Track Athlete of the Year. Mueller's performances this season have proven that Carleton seems to have struck gold with the Nova grad.
Jaret Carpenter, Purdue University (Wayzata High School): Carpenter enjoyed a dominant career at Wayzata. In his prep career he placed fourth at Nike National his senior year, won three individual state championships, and was a part of the Wayzata team that included multi-time State Champion Connor Olson. Carpenter placed seventh in the Big Ten Cross Country Championship this past fall, and he broke (now professional runner) Matthew McClintock's 5-kilometer school record in a time of 13:49 this indoor season. Carpenter currently ranks #20 in the country. Last Saturday he placed 5th at the Big Ten Indoor Championships.
Bethany Hasz and Megan Hasz, University of Minnesota (Alexandria High School): The Hasz twins had one of the most dominant high school careers in history. Trading off with each other, the sisters captured numerous state titles and All-American awards at Nike Nationals. Bethany (in the photo on the right) recently broke the school 3-kilometer indoor record, running a time of 9:13, beating Megan Duwell's 2010 record of 9:17. Meanwhile, Megan now sits 8th in program history in th 3k, and 6th in the 5k. The twins finished 7th and 8th in the Big Ten 3k last weekend, and Megan came back the next day to finish 5th in the 5k, while Bethany also took 6th in the mile. They were instrumental in the Gopher Women's NCAA qualification for cross country, and they scored valuable points to help capture the Big Ten indoor team title. In only their first year of eligibility, the Hasz twins are poised for outstanding collegiate careers.
Rachel Schow, University of Minnesota (Rosemount High School): Schow owns numerous top-ten finishes at the Minnesota State Meet during her prep career, including a state title in the 100 and 300-meter hurdles. Schow recently placed 5th at the Vanderbilt Music City Challenge, running 8.42 for the 60-meter hurdles. At this weekend's Big Ten Indoor Championships, Schow placed 6th in the 60 meter hurdles with a time just a hair off her career best (8.43), and she helped the Gopher women to the team title. She is already the thir best 60m hurdler in program history. In addition, Show was also the third leg in the second-best indoor 4x400 team in program history with a time of 3:36.35.
Rachel King, South Dakota State University (St. Michael-Albertville High School): King left St. Michael-Albertville after one of the most successful careers in school history. King earned 13 All-Conference titles, 10 section championships, and had 12 state meet appearances between cross-country, track, and hockey. King, four years since graduating, still holds six school records at St. Michael-Albertville. King has enjoyed a very successful career at SDSU. She was the Indoor Track Athlete of the Year a year ago and has posted very impressive times in the mile and 5-kilometer this year; 4:48 and 16:29 respectively. Last weekend, she had a monster Summit League Championship meet, taking first in both the mile and 3k, while finishing 2nd in the 5k.
Jedah Caldwell, Kansas University (Chanhassen High School): Caldwell graduated from Chanhassen High School in 2016 with four state titles (2 in the 100 meters, 2 in the 200 meters), two state records in the 100 and 200 meters (11.67, 23.41), and a AAU Junior Olympics title in the 200 meters. Now in her sophomore year at Kansas, Caldwell has posted an impressive 23.77 in the 200 meters, was a member of the winning 4x400 meter relay team at the Bob Timmons Challenge and placed fifth at the Big 12 Conference Championships this weekend in the 200 meters (and all four runners who finished ahead of her were older than the sophomore). On a side note, Caldwell's teammates and fellow Minnesota graduates
Honour Finley and
Megan Linder will compete at the National Championships as a part of Kansas' 4x400m relay.
Reid Diamond, Minnesota State University, Mankato (Maple Grove High School): Diamond had a strong high school career with Maple Grove, however, he has really flourished at MSU Mankato. Running around 51 seconds in the 400 during high school and never qualifying for State in the event, Diamond has blown those times away. He won the Minnesota State Open & Multi meet this season in the 60 meters and has posted an excellent 400-meters time of 48.13 indoors, making the MSU Mankato junior a potential DII National Qualifier. Last weekend, Diamond took home two All-Conference honors in the Northern Sun conference, finishing 3rd on the 200m and 2nd in the 400m. He currently sits 18th in DII in the 400m with a time that converts to 47.95 from flat-to-banked, just ahead of teammate and Elk River graduate
Morris Dennis who is 19th.
Temi Ogunrinde, University of Minnesota (Park Cottage Grove High School): Ogunrinde's wildly successful career at the University of Minnesota began in a rather unconventional way. She began her career as an All-State sprinter for Park Cottage Grove. While being recruited, Ogunrinde was asked if she knew what a hammer was and was encouraged to give it a try. It turned out to be an excellent decision on the part of throws coach, Pete Miller, as Ogunrinde finished 7th at the NCAA D1 Outdoor Championships and won the Big Ten hammer throw title last year. Ogunrinde, now a junior, has thrown an impressive 67'6.75'' this season (better than last year), and placed seventh this weekend at the Big Ten Championships (remarkably, there were four Gophers that placed in the top seven). She will be looking to return to the NCAA meet again this year.
Maggie Ewen, Arizona State University (St. Francis High School): Ewen is undoubtedly one of Minnesota's most successful and incredible alums! Ewen won numerous State titles with St. Francis during her prep career while smashing the state records in both the shot and discus, and she has now become one of the world's elite throwers. She has won numerous PAC-12 conference titles (including two more last week), numerous NCAA top-ten finishes including one championship in the hammer throw, and qualified to represent the United States at the World Outdoor Championships last summer in London. Right now, Ewen is the best shot putter in the nation by three and a half feet!
Manni Egbujor, Augsburg College (Champlin Park High School): Egbujor enjoyed an impressive career with Champlin Park. He had numerous top-ten finishes in the 100, 200, and 400 meters at the Minnesota State Meet. Egbujor is now a junior at Augsburg, and has been having a very successful career, already securing four All-American honors so far, with more surely on the way. At the MIAC Championships last weekend, he won the titles in the both 60 meters and the 200 meters. With the top time in the 60 meters for DIII athletes (6.79) he also is a potential DIII National Champion.
Taylor Rooney, Gustavus Adolphus College (Andover High School): Rooney had a big year in the 110m hurdle as a senior running the second-fastest time in the state with 14.32, and ultimately finished 8th in Class AA. He was also a very good jumper, clearing 6-4 and nearly 21 feet. Now a freshman at Gustavus Adolphus, however, Rooney has made an immediate and huge impact, especially in the 60m hurdles. Rooney currently has the 9th best time in DIII with 8.14, which will certainly qualify for Nationals. This weekend at the MIAC Championships, Rooney not only was the conference champion in the 60H, but he also cleared 6'8" in the high jump for a second conference title.
Anna Keefer, University of North Carolina (St. Michael-Albertville High School): Keefer was one of the most successful high school athletes in recent years. She won numerous state titles in the 100 meters, 200 meters, and long jump. She owns state records, won three events at the Hamline Elite Meet her senior year, and had several top-three finishes at the AAU Junior Olympic games. Now, in her first year at North Carolina, Keefer has picked up right where she left off. Last weekend, she won the ACC championship in the long jump as a freshman, jumping an astounding 6.16 meters (20' 2.5'')! She even beat fellow Minnesota graduate and current teammate Mia Barron (who was 3rd). With over three years yet to go in her promising college career, Keefer is poised for electric performances and could be a competitor for NCAA titles in the future!
Do you know anyone else from Minnesota who is tearing it up at the college level? Comment and let us know!
Happy running!
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