Willmar returns their entire top seven from the squad that placed ninth in 2015 with an impressive 28-second spread. They saved their best effort for the national championship and that experience bodes well for another solid outing this December.
Probable Top Five
Jessa Hanson SR - 13th at MN state meet 2015, 16th at NXN Heartland 2015, 80th at NXN 2015, 18:03.2 5K XC PB, 11:15.76 3200m PB, 5:05.92 1600m PB
Sophie Schmitz SR - 31st MN state meet 2015, 27th at NXN Heartland 2015, 88th at NXN 2015, 18:23.9 5K XC PB, 2:13.94 800m PB, third in 800m at MN state meet
Heidi Schmitz SO - 60th at MN state meet 2015, 36th at NXN Heartland 2015, 115th at NXN 2015, 18:35.1 5K XC PB, 11:33.41 3200m PB
Kayla Rudie SR - 33rd at MN state meet 2015, 46th at NXN Heartland 2015, 96th at NXN 2015, 18:43.4 5K XC PB, 11:09.21 3200m, 5:09.47 1600m
Serena Monson SO - 40th at MN state meet 2015, 68th at NXN Heartland 2015, 100th at NXN 2015, 18:45.1 5K XC PB, 11:28.75 3200m PB, 5:18.38 1600m PB
Q&A with head coach Jerry Popp
How many years have you coached at Willmar?
This is my 13th yr at Willmar after coaching at Bowman, ND for 29 yrs.
What is your meet schedule this fall?
Moorhead (8/29), Gale Woods (9/8), Sioux Falls Nike Preview (9/10), Little Falls (9/15), Rocori (9/22), Alex Lions Meet (10/8), St. Cloud Tech (10/11)
We have a very challenging schedule each year. Last fall, due to the very competitive nature of MN XC, we competed against a top 25 nationally ranked team almost weekly.
How has summer training gone for your team? What do you focus on during the summer months?
Great summer for our girls. We "seem" to be ahead of where we were last year at this time. We had a super running camp in Buffalo, Wy for a week where we got in solid runs and bonded. Our focus is pretty simple for the summer: Just to build a base and get stronger so we are ready for tough workload once the season starts Aug 15.
Which athletes do you see as the probable top five this season?
It is way too early to tell. We are hoping for a few surprises. We return our top 9 girls from last yrs squad that won Heartland and finished 9th at NXN and our JV only lost 1 meet. We had a good track season with 4 girls under 5:20 in the 1600, 2 more in the 5:30's and 6 younger girls under 6 minutes.We want competition for those spots; in the past 2 years, we have had 5 different girls be our leader at various meets; our spread from 1-5 many times is sub 20 seconds. The deeper we are, the more competition we have for those spots, the better we are going to be.
Who are your team captains or leaders and what stands out about them as examples for the rest of their teammates?
Srs: Kayla Rudie, Sophie Schmitz, Jessa Hanson, and Savannah Anez. They have been with us since 7th grade. They know our program and what it takes to be successful. They set high goals and realize that when there is a setback, you have to get right back on the road the next day and get after it.
Who are some new faces who will make an impact on your team this year? (i.e. freshmen, transfers, runners who have improved a lot)
Besides the seniors listed above, our soph class is going to be very important to our eventual success. Serena Monson (sub 5:20 as 9th grader), Heidi Schmitz, Leah Hansen, Elsie Duinnick, and Isabel LaRue all have potential to improve and be even bigger contributors. Junior Ally Pollock has been one of our top JV girls, 9th grader Lydia Engle ran on our state 3rd place 4 x 800 relay, new recruit Amel Dayib is our first Somali girl ever and shows potential, and 9th grader Emily Malmgren, 8th grader Abby Coquyt and 7th grader Nina Dawson could be factors by year's end.
What are some staple workouts your team does during the season?
Mile repeats; 60/60s; various tempo intervals.
What will be the biggest reason why your team is successful this season?
We have to do the work necessary with focus, excitement, and energy. We know what it takes to reach that top level; we have to be willing to do the work. We tell our girls it is not always what you are willing to do, but also what you are willing to give up to be great. It takes a huge commitment to be a top 'TEAM" .
What will be the biggest obstacle or challenge facing your team this season?
Our senior girls have to realize that they have to stay the course. With picking colleges, AP classes, and just being young ladies, it sometimes becomes overwhelming. Keep it fun as much as possible.
How would you describe your team's culture?
We are a team! We have grown up together, we love each other. We have each other's backs. We have some big goals and we can only reach them together.
What are your top three goals for the team this fall?
Keep it fun!
When we go to the line, be ready to put it on the line! Run smart!
Be a top team locally, be a top team on the state level, be a top team on the national level!
Top Returnees by 5K Time from 2015 XC Season
| 14* | Willmar High School (MN) | 767 | ||
| 1) Jessa Hanson | 18:03.20 | 52 | ||
| 2) Sophie Schmitz | 18:23.90 | 105 | ||
| 3) Heidi Schmitz | 18:35.10 | 151 | ||
| 4) Kayla Rudie | 18:43.40 | 203 | ||
| 5) Serena Monson | 18:51.00 | 256 | ||
| Average Time: 18:31.32 Total Time: 1:32:36.60 1-5 Split: 47.80 | ||||
| 6) Leah Hansen | 19:21.00 | 467 | ||
| 7) Savannah Anez | 19:35.40 | 584 | ||
*Willmar ranks #14 in the nation
The top returning times were generated using the MileSplit XC Team Scores calculator found here. Teams are scored against every team in the nation.