Courtney West is a junior at Triton High School. She was a school record-breaking All-Conference runner last year in the 1600 and 3200 meter runs, and has improved in 2017 in those events to 5:10 and 11:13.
Courtney West is a junior at Triton High School. She was a school record-breaking All-Conference runner last year in the 1600 and 3200 meter runs, and has improved in 2017 in those events to 5:10 and 11:13.
Maple Grove senior Alex Miley was the 2016 MN Gatorade XC runner of the year after his 15th-place finish at NXN, and with his victory in the Hamline Elite 1600, his track season is in good shape too.
Southand senior Peter Torkelson has come a long way since some recklessness landed him in trouble in 7th grade, but he came out of that experience with a love for running that won't soon die.
Woodbury senior Nathan Bursch is a hard-working football recruit for the Gophers, but he makes time to be one of Minnesota's top throwers too.
Declan Dahlberg is a junior at Mounds Park Academy. He won the Boys Class A XC title in 15:59.6 last fall, and was 4th in the 3200 and 6th in the 1600 in the 2016 Boys Class A Track & Field Meet.
After two years of doing track mostly out of fun, Austin senior Amber Hansen didn't really start to realize her potential until last year. When she did, she turned herself into a record-breaking, college-bound thrower.
Mark Swann of Elk River is a All-State sprinter and a competitive chef who won't let his senior season be cut short by a pulled hamstring.
Farmington Sophomore Lauren Peterson (pronounced "Lau-REN") was the 2016 Ages 15-16 USATF Junior Olympics champion in
the 1500, and is coming off a victory in the 2016 Hamline Elite 1600.
Saint Peter senior Katie Schilling started her track career as a distance runner, and has tried a wide range of events, but eventually found her home in the hurdles where she is an All State athlete.
Mankato West senior Erica Benson is a highly accomplished sprinter, hurdler, and high jumper, and she says that improving her work ethic each year is one of the main things that has helped her develop as an athlete.
Rochester Century senior Antonio Jusdon-Red Elk overcame a severe iron deficiency from last year to become one of this spring's top names to watch in the distance races.
Hunter Kjelshus and the rest of the Perham team have been unlucky when it comes to cancelled meets this spring, but that hasn't stopped this senior from feeling good and confident about how the season has gone.
Osseo High School's 800 record has stood for over 30 years, but current record holder Matt Ferry is eager to see it fall. The reason? He's the head coach of the athlete who plans to break it, senior Corey Moody.
Tyler Moore felt his calling for golf from an early age, but the absence of a golfing program in Little Falls for 6th graders turned his attention to running. Now six years later, it appears things turned out pretty well.
West Central Area's Ryley Nelson's valiant effort at last falls XC Championships didn't result with a win, but it did result with his favorite running memory. But the real question is, "How often does he shave?"
Junior Carson Speicher didn't last a week in football in 5th grade, but he's lasted a strong six-plus years as a Perham XC runner, and has helped keep alive the Class A dominance Perham has seen since 2002.
Pierz junior Beth-el Algarin is a very good thrower. One of the best in the state. But for her age group, she has proven time and again that she is also one of the best power lifters in the world.
Hopkins senior Bit Klecker comes from a legendary family of runners, and has drawn immense inspiration from their success to become a formidable athlete herself (plus a little inspiration from her hair).
Jack Korte of Henry Sibley has been running since 8th grade, but it wasn't his main sport until this year. And with an new focus, this thrift-shopping senior is off to a hot start, and primed to reach lofty goals.
Joe Romaine of Woodbury has seen a lot of success, but never meeting his own expectations for himself. But this year, with a new coach and new determination, he's feeling confident he will.
Senior Syri Williams of Alexandria isn't joking around when it comes to meeting goals or leaving it all out (and even a bit more than that) on the track, but that doesn't stop her from laughing at all other times.
Jake Kubiatowicz of North St. Paul has his sights set on all-time records in the shot and discus. But even if he breaks them, he still wouldn't throw the discus as far in feet as he used to recite pi...
Senior Ricardo Twinawe is a triple jumper from Woodbury High School, so you know he must be good. And with a career best of nearly 45 feet, he has champion-sized goals both this year and beyond.
Mariah Schoeder, already a great basketball and volleyball player for Caledonia, did track for the first time last fall as a junior, and ended up earning All State honors in two events.
Christian Leonard went from 8th-to-2nd in the last 200 meters when he qualified for State in the mile as a sophomore, and the Elk River senior still has a lot of kicking left to do.
Lucas Mueller went from being hardly able to stand to finishing 8th at last fall's Class A XC Meet in a span of three weeks. And the Nova Classical Academy senior has a work ethic to match his toughness.
Jordan junior Owen Keiser suffered an ill-timed stress fracture just before Sections last track season, killing his All-State dreams that year. But as he proved last fall in XC, he's back and stronger than ever.
Minneapolis South senior Malachi Lossow achieved All-State honors in both the 100 and the 200 last year, and he lists among the contributions to his success his four sprint coaches and a pink plastic fish.