Women's Cross Country

MIAC announces 2024 Women’s Cross Country Awards

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – The Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference announced its annual award winners for women's cross country on Thursday. Carleton junior Hannah Preisser received Athlete of the Year honors, while Macalester first-year Kate Fox was named Rookie of the Year, and St. Olaf head coach Erica Maker was celebrated as MIAC Coach of the Year. The MIAC also recognized its All-Conference and Honorable Mention runners from last Saturday's conference meet.
 
Preisser (Jr. | Chapel Hill, N.C. | Carrboro) was named MIAC Women's Cross Country Athlete of the Year after winning the 6K conference championship race in 21:18.9. Preisser finished the race with a 45.5-second margin of victory. She is the fifth Knight since 1995 to be selected MIAC Women’s Cross Country Athlete of the Year and the first women’s runner in conference history to receive both the Rookie of the Year and Athlete of the Year honors in her career.
 
Fox (Fy. | Seattle, Wash. | Roosevelt) received Rookie of the Year honors after clocking in at 22:54.9 at last Saturday's MIAC Championships. Fox was the first first-year runner to cross the finish line, ending up ninth overall and earning All-Conference distinction in the process. Fox is the first Scot in history to be named MIAC Women's Cross Country Rookie of the Year.
 
Maker (7th season) was recognized by her peers as the MIAC Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year for the second time in her career after guiding the Oles to a program-record-low 34 points to win the 2024 MIAC women’s cross country title. St. Olaf placed all five of its scorers among the top 15 finishers. Maker was previously celebrated as MIAC Women’s Cross Country Coach of the Year in 2021.
 
In addition to the top individual honors, the MIAC Women's Cross Country All-Conference and Honorable Mention runners were also recognized. The top 15 finishers in Saturday's MIAC Championship race received All-Conference honors, while finishers 16-25 received Honorable Mention.
 
Nine of this year's 15 All-Conference honorees were also All-MIAC or honorable mention in 2023, with three – Carleton's Hannah Preisser and Sophie McManus along with St. Olaf’s Lauren Walda - becoming three-time All-Conference honorees, a feat achieved by just 52 runners in MIAC women's cross country history.

A complete list of 2024 women’s cross country honorees can be found below.