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The people have spoken and Robbinsdale Armstrongs Noah Breker and Nevis's Jade Rypkema have been voted as the 2022 MileSplit Minnesota Athletes of the Year!
Noah Breker put together one of the most impressive seasons in Minnesota distance history. He started off the year on the track where he set new PRs in the 800m, 1600m, mile, 3200mn, and 2-mile. He won the 3200m state title for Class AAA and finished 4th in the 1600m. He finished his track season at NSAF Nationals where he finished 2nd overall in the 2-mile race.
This fall he won five XC races, set a new state record time of 14:51 for the 5K (XC), and then finished top-ten at the Heartland Regional, Midwest Champs Regional, Team Nationals, and Champs Nationals. He was the first Minnesota boy since 2008 to qualify for Champs Nationals (previously Eastbay and FootLocker).
Related: Breker Finishes 2nd at Champs Sports Nationals
Rypkema has been perfect this year on the track and during the cross country in Minnesota. She has won the Class A 1600m, 3200m, and XC (5K) titles this season.The only three losses all year for her have been at NSAF Nationals where she finished 4th in the 5K with a time of 17:07.33; at the Team Heartland Regional where she finished 3rd overall in the 5K behind Nechanicky and Paityn Noe; and at Team Nationals where she finished 53rd overall.
This fall Rypkema won her first five races of the season which culminated in her beating Amanda Overgaauw for the Class A State Cross Country title. She then finished 3rd at the Team Heartland Regional to punch her ticket to the Team Nationals meet on 12/3.
Rypkema improved her 5K PR from 18:20.20 (set in 2019) all the way down to 17:09.80 this season. Her time of 17:09.80 is the 10th fastest 5K time in Minnesota state history (given a runner's top time only).
Rypkema also has the third fastest time in Class A all-time and was the 2nd fastest girl in Minnesota this cross country season.
2022 MileSplit Minnesota Athlete of the Year Voting
| Athlete | School | % of Vote |
| Noah Breker | Robbinsdale Armstrong | 67% |
| Jarod White | Pine Island | 14% |
| Emmett Gerres | Belle Plaine | 13% |
| Blake Nyenati | Andover | 4% |
| Richlu Tudee | Champlin Park | 2% |
| Athlete | School | % of Vote |
| Jade Rypkema | Nevis | 59% |
| Abbey Nechanicky | Wayzata | 28% |
| Jordyn Borsch | Maple Grove | 5% |
| Shaina Zinter | Concordia Academy | 4% |
| Ava Cinnamo | Rosemount | 3% |
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