Ell is a tough and gritty person who has been a great leader for our team. She has a great work ethic and is committed to being the best she can be for her team and herself.

We return the vast majority of our women’s team while also welcoming a strong incoming class, giving us plenty to be excited about heading into the fall. That combination has added valuable depth, strengthened our training environment, and positioned us to take meaningful steps forward as a program.

Tenley recorded the highest finish of her career at the NSIC Cross Country Championships last fall and has since reached a new level of consistency in both her training and racing, highlighted by a string of personal bests throughout the indoor and outdoor track seasons. I’m excited to see how her talent, consistency, and experience come together this fall.

Our team is very young but is one of the most talented teams we have ever had coming into a cross country season. If everything goes well, I anticipate us being one of the best overall cross country teams ever at Bemidji State by the end of the season.

Sophie is one of only two returning runners this season. She has a lot of potential to keep improving as a cross country runner to go along with her excellent middle distance speed from the track. I am looking to her to take a greater leadership role on a very young team.

Our women’s team starts this season with a strong sense of unity and shared purpose. We have built a supportive environment where athletes truly support each other, creating a team culture that feels like family. Our path to success is clear: we will thrive by running together as a close, united group.

Kayla is a dedicated leader who brings positive energy to our women's team every day. Her strong work ethic goes hand in hand with her selflessness. She has earned her teammates’ respect by being consistent, humble, and always doing the small things right. Kayla leads by example, and younger athletes naturally look to her for guidance and encouragement. Her toughness, experience, and team-first attitude make her an athlete to watch this season.

Our women's xc team is coming off of a year of quickly building momentum and progression. We have a small, but greatly improved XC team from last year. Overall, we have a lot more experience, a lot more confidence, and improved fitness from last year's team. We return virtually all of our key pieces from last year and we go from an extremely young and inexperienced group to one that is mature and ready to compete!

Ally started last year off relatively strong in cross country and then proceeded to build massive momentum in training and in racing throughout the rest of the year. She has quickly become a leader in all elements of our program - in training, in racing, and in the growth of our team culture. She is ready to have an excellent cross country season and to continue to be one of the primary leaders of our program!

The women's team is training a lot together this summer and that always leads to great results. They have been digging to fine tune the sport over all not only with standard training but going for the "why's" and "wills." I believe our depth is incredibly strong this year and will help us compete against some really great teams.

Amanda is coming off a great outdoor season and has been highly communicative so far this summer. I think she is about to really dip into her potential this year and see how much she can flourish with our system! She has already connected very well with out women's team and will be a great team culture add!!

Our women’s team set a school record for highest placement at the NSIC Championship meet in 2025. The team looks to build on that success as we only lost one runner to graduation and added six talented freshmen. Our two seniors Emma Williams and Grace Alwardt have great leadership qualities and lead by example. Both have been instrumental in getting our program to where it is today. I am excited to watch them and the rest of the team compete and continue to reach new heights this season!

Morgan transferred into our program in 2025 and made an immediate impact upon her arrival. In her first season she broke our school record time in the 6k and set the school record for highest individual placement at the Central Region Championship. Morgan does not let anyone outwork her and is extremely motivated. I can’t wait to see what Morgan is able to accomplish this season!

The Bulldogs are ready for another great year of growth and competition at a high level this fall. We bring back several key members from our team last season and also bring on ten newcomers who are extremely talented with exciting potential. We are looking forward to working hard and watching the results pay off come November!

Ellie had an incredible breakthrough season last year and I am excited for what's to come her senior year. She works hard, trains consistently, and focuses on the little things. Ellie has been a wonderful team member who continually helps elevate our program!

I am excited to see what this team can do this season. We are returning 4 of our top 8 this year, blending experienced returners with exciting newcomers, each contributing unique strengths. We have always had a team first mentality and I feel with that along with our combination of talent and consistency of training and taking care of the little things, we will see some great things happen this fall.

Mileena is our top returner from our National qualifying team last fall. She is extremely dedicated, works hard and has big goals not just for herself but for the team as well. She has been putting in the work this summer and I'm excited to see what she can do this upcoming season!

What excites me most is the mix we have this year. We have experienced returners who know what it takes to compete at the NSIC level, and then you add a transfer like Ava Dunnigan, who's coming in with exceptional talent, and it just raises the level for everybody. When you combine that with consistency and team-first mentality this group already has, I think we're going to see some strong performances throughout the season.

Katelyn's our top returner this season and preseason athlete to watch. She had her best-ever finish at the NSIC Championships in cross country last fall, then in the Spring earned All-NSIC honors in the 1500m outdoors. She's put together a great 2025-2026 campaign, and I'm expecting her to set the tone for our women's team in 2026.

For me personally, I am excited to see the kind of growth and maturity that we have as a group. We have a small group of women this year and are definitely rebuilding, but I believe that the group that we have will be able to handle what lies ahead of them. Having a solid group of returners to help lead our incoming class is crucial for us this year. I fully believe in the ability that the group brings to the table and I know that if we focus the energy in the right spot, we will see success.

Julie really progressed through the 2025-2026 season, having some big personal bests in every event that she competed in. Julie specifically brought her energy to the steeplechase and proved the toughness that she has to be a conference qualifier in that event. I really believe that the success that she had in the Spring will help her become a solid cross country runner. Julie is someone that you never have to worry about giving her best in everything that she takes on. She is a great example of what hard work will do for an athlete if the trust in the process is there.

I'm excited to see Emaleigh's hard work over the past few years pay off. We've gradually built up her training and increased her workload, and she looks more confident and comfortable than ever. I can't wait to see where her dedication and hard work take her next.

Emaleigh is a natural leader who leads by example and motivates our team to do their best every day. She balances her responsibilities with training while also succeeding as a nursing student, showing incredible dedication and work ethic. She is dependable, positive, and always willing to help others, making her a valued member of our team.

What excites me most about our women's team this year is the opportunity to see this group continue to grow and reach its potential. While we have a strong core of experienced returners, every season presents a chance for athletes to embrace larger roles and elevate the program. Our senior leadership will be a major strength, and we're looking for that experience to set the tone while our younger runners continue to develop. I'm excited to see how this team comes together, competes, and responds to the challenges throughout the season.

Anjalie returns as the top finisher for the Cougar women from a year ago and is poised for another strong season. She is one of the hardest-working and most coachable athletes in our program, consistently embracing every opportunity to improve. Her dedication, positive attitude, and willingness to learn have been key factors in her development, and we're excited to see her continue leading our women's team this fall.

There will be a number of new faces to make an impact this upcoming season for our women's cross country program. This should create strong competition within the team and the top five.

Anneka begins her first year as solely a cross country / track & field athlete after also competing as a member of the SMSU swim & dive team her first two years of college. This will allow her to excel being able to focus on one sport.

The team this year is very exciting for my staff. We have a healthy mix of both returners who will carry on the culture that has already been established. Along with that, we are adding a very talented group of first-years that will enhance our program tremendously.

We are very excited to see what Abby can do on the course this season. Coming off two years of collegiate experience now, we are excited to see how she can translate that experience into times throughout the year. Abby will also be taking a leadership role on the team, which will help her as she heads toward a breakout season on the course.

We have a team that I think has the potential to be better than last year. We graduated several seniors last year, but I think with the improvement of our returners, along with several new faces on our roster, we can improve on our placement last year, which is what we are looking for.

Allie was our top performer at every meet last year. This year a goal that I have for her is to step up her level of competitiveness in the NSIC to help lead our team to move up in the NSIC standings. She had a several new personal bests in track events this past track season, which I think will help set her up for an even better season this fall.

I am excited because we have a good group of returning varsity runners in Ella Voit, Stella Rusch, Kelsey Young, Libby Ray, and Emily Meyer. Our senior leadership will be strong with Jenna Anders, Sam Harke, Caroline Hermann, and Lexi Terwedo. Our freshman class is strong yet untested. It will be fun watching this team develop throughout the season.

Ell is a tough and gritty person who has been a great leader for our team. She has a great work ethic and is committed to being the best she can be for her team and herself.