Women's Cross Country 6/22/2020 9:20:00 AM

BULLDOG WOMEN'S TRACK AND FIELD AND CROSS COUNTRY PROGRAM UPDATE

The University of Minnesota Duluth women's track and field and cross country program looks to build off the momentum of 2019 as they look towards the upcoming 2020-21 seasons. Coach Laura Harmon will begin her third season as the leader of the Bulldog women's track and field and cross country programs. UMD, led by All-Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference honoree Mackenzie Hall, placed fifth at the 2019 NSIC Cross Country Championships and had four individuals -- senior Elizabeth Schlafke, juniors Melissa Drenckhahn and Morgan Radel and sophomore Haleigh Reindl -- go on to earn United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association NCAA Division II All-Academic Team citations. Also, this past winter, Reindl qualified for the NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championship and was named an USTFCCCA All-American in the 800-meter run.

"I believe we have a strong core of returners and a great group of incoming young women who will contribute not only to the program, but to the athletic department's values and mission," said head coach Laura Harmon. "Our team is poised to take a big step and are looking forward to running this fall."

The Bulldogs will welcome an incoming freshman class this fall that includes a number of student-athletes and highlights listed below.

Madeline (Maddie) Verkerke

White Bear Lake High School
Four time varsity letter winner in cross country and four times in track and field
Three time MSHSL State Track and Field Meet Qualifier
800m (2:18.04), 1600m (5:11.45)
2019 MSHSL Cross Country All-State Finisher (24th place)
MSHSL State Meet qualifier 2019 in 800m
2019 runner up @ Suburban East Conference Championship Meet in the 1600m
2019 MSHSL Track and Field State Qualifier in the 4x800m (2nd place and school record)
2019 MSHSL Cross Country All-State Finisher (24th place)
2019 Cross Country and Track and Field Academic All-State
White Bear Lake Women's Cross Country and Track Captain

Anna Muellner

Woodbury High School
2017 MSHSL Track and Field State Qualifier in the 4x100m (7th place)
2017 MSHSL Track and Field State Qualifier in the 200m (6th place)
2018 and 2019 section champion in the 200m
2019 MSHSL Track and Field State Qualifier in the 200m at State (10th place)
Track and Field All-conference 2017, 2018, and 2019
Academic All-State
2018 MSHSL Cross Country State Qualifier
Cross Country All-Conference in 2018 and 2019

Lauryn Renier

Rochester Lourdes High School
President of the National Honors Society chapter at Rochester Lourdes High School
Women's Cross Country 4 year captain
6 time varsity letter winner
5 time HVL All-Conference Cross Country
5 time MSHSL Cross Country State Qualifier
3 time HVL All-Conference Track and Field
2 time varsity letter winner in Women's Basketball

Alaina Steele

Pine City High School
4 year National Honor Society member
2015 MSHSL Cross Country State Qualifier
2018 MSHSL Cross Country State Qualifier (35th place, class A)
2019 MSHSL Cross Country State Qualifier (43rd place, class A)
MSHSL, class A, Track and Field State Qualifier in 800m (2016: 9th place, 2018: 5th place, 2019: 9th place)

Eden Worden

Brainerd High School
Competed in Pole Vault – 10'6" (2nd all-time @ Brainerd High School)
2019 2nd place finish @ section 8AA meet (pole vault)
2019 MSHSL Track and Field State Qualifier (pole vault)
Four year letter winner (2017-2020)

Brooklyn Jones

Crosby Ironton High School
Pole Vault (10'6" – school record holder)
3 year Track and Field Captain
MSHSL Track and Field State Qualifier (2018 and 2019)
MSHSL Track and Field 8th Place (Pole Vault)
2 year Gymnastics Captain
Gymnastics Team Section Runner-Up 2019
Gymnastics MVP Award 2018, Rookie of the Year 2016, True Grit Award 2020
Academic Award Winner (Gold Division) Gymnastics
All-Conference in Gymnastics

Jacqueline (Jackie) Olander

Cambridge Isanti High School
Academic All State 2017-2019
MSHSL Track and Field State Qualifier 4x200 (7th Place, Class AA)
School record 4x100 and 4x200
All conference 2017 (4x200, 4x100), 2018 (4x200, 4x100, 200), 2019 (200, 4x200, 4x100)
Starting Varsity Point Guard, 2017-2020
MSHSL Basketball State Participant (4A, 2020)
Basketball All-Conference, 2019-20
National Honors Society (NHS) 2019, 2020
4-H Member (2007-2020)

Francine (Franny) Seidel

Medford Area Senior High School (Wisconsin)
4 year varsity letter winner cross country, 3 year varsity letter winner track and field
2016 Individual WIAA Cross Country State Qualifier
2017 WIAA Track and Field State Qualifier in 3200m and 4x800
2018 WIAA Division 2 State Cross Country Team Champions
2018 WIAA Track and Field State Qualifier (4x800m, 5th place)
2019 WIAA Cross Country State 4th place team finish
2019 WIAA Track and Field State Qualifier (4x800m, 6th place)
2019 GNC Track and Field Runner of the Year Recipient

Haley Voermans-Dean

Tomahawk High School (Wisconsin)
Four time first team all-conference Cross Country
Individual WIAA Cross Country State Qualifier 2018 (32nd place) and 2019 (24th place)
Two time all conference in Softball and second
2020 Softball All-Star game Qualifier

Megan Gilles

Prescott High School (Wisconsin)
National Honor Society member
Track and Field team captain
Holds 5 school records
2018 WIAA Track and Field State Qualifier in the 400m relay
2019 WIAA Track and Field State Qualifier in the 300m hurdles (9th place finish), 4x100m relay (6th place finish), and 4x200m relay (3rd place finish)

Izzy Zwart

Farmington High School
Two time letter winner in lacrosse, two time letter winner in track and field, two time letter winner in cross country, and four time letter winner in hockey.
2017 MSHSL State High School Lacrosse Participant
MSHSL Participant in 2017, 2019, and 2020 State High School Hockey Tournament
2019 All-Conference Honorable Mention in cross country
2020 Academic Honorable Mention in hockey
Recipient of the MSHSL AAA Award, recognition for outstanding achievements in Arts, Athletics, and Academics

Grace Szymborski