December 2018 Athletes of the Month

MENDOTA HEIGHTS – The 2018 cross country season finished up in the month of December with two main competitions: Nike Cross Nationals in Portland, Oregon on December 2^nd and the Foot Locker Cross Country National Championships in San Diego, California on December 8^th. Minnesota was represented very well in both competitions, which resulted in our December Athletes of the Month, Emily Covert of Minneapolis Washburn High School and Acer Iverson of Roseville Area High School.
 
Emily Covert wrapped up her tremendous senior cross-country campaign with a fourth-place finish at Nike Cross Nationals and a fifth-place finish at the Foot Locker Cross Country National Championships, cementing herself as one of the top high school runners in the country this season and giving her the title of USATF Minnesota’s December Athlete of the Month. A University of Colorado – Boulder commit, Covert also won her second straight Minnesota state cross country title back in November. After multiple record-breaking performances in the spring of 2018 on the track and the fall of 2018 on the cross-country course, it will be exciting to watch Covert in her final high school track season this coming spring.
 
Acer Iverson also had a fantastic senior cross-country season this past fall, capping it off as the top Minnesotan finisher at the Nike Cross Nationals meet with a 44^th place finish in a time of 15:41.7, giving him the title of USATF Minnesota’s December Athlete of the Month. Iverson was also the fourth finisher from the entire “Heartland” region, which includes Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin. Like Covert, Iverson also won the Minnesota state cross country title this past November, his first state championship, after finishing as runner-up in 2017 and will be exciting to watch this spring as well.
 
 
Honorable Mention Performances December – 2018
 

• Andrew Brandt, a senior at Wayzata High School, finished 49^th at Nike Cross Nationals in Portland, Oregon on December 1^st, in a time of 15:43.9.
• The Mounds View High School Boys Cross Country Team finished as the 17^th best boy’s cross-country team in the nation at Nike Cross Nationals, scoring 366 points. Team consisted of Austin Streit (86^th – 16:06.0), Lukas Hessini (105^th – 16:17.3), Will Sacay (127^th – 16:25.6), Finn Sokolowski (128^th – 16:26.2), Alec Nelson (150^th – 16:37.4), Elliot McArthur (168^th – 16:55.5) and Nehemiah Gaim (200^th – 17:37.6).
• The Wayzata High School Girls Cross Country Team finished on the podium with their 3^rd place finish at Nike Cross Nationals, scoring 207 points. Team consisted of Emma Atkinson (66^th – 18:17.6), Abigail Nechanicky (75^th – 18:27.1), Caroline Sassan (81^st – 18:32.7), Emelia Arnone (100^th – 18:46.0), Rhynn Paulsen (114^th – 18:55.9), Grace Link (148^th – 19:19.1) and Lauren McCollor (162^nd – 19:35.4).
• Lauren Ping, an 8^th grader from Winona Cotter High School, finished 14^th overall at Nike Cross Nationals in a time of 17:29.5.
• Grace Ping, a sophomore from Winona Cotter High School, finished 48^th overall at Nike Cross Nationals in a time of 18:03.4 as well as 31^st at the Foot Locker Cross Country National Championships in a time of 18:49.8.
• Anna Fenske, a sophomore from Farmington High School, finished 87^th at Nike Cross Nationals in a time of 18:34.9.
• The Edina High School Girls Cross Country Team finished 17^th at Nike Cross Nationals, scoring 358 points. Team consisted of Margaret Wagner (91^st – 18:37.5), Maria Rickman (97^th – 18:42.7), Macy Iyer (130^th – 19:09.1), Madeline Lawler (132^nd – 19:09.7), Morgan Richter (150^th – 19:23.4), Lauren Cossack (153^rd – 19:27.7) and Sadie Schreiner (180^th – 20:02.3).

 
 
We welcome your nominations!
To nominate an athlete for USATF Minnesota’s Athlete of the Month award, please send a detailed email about his/her performance to maxwellkuzara@gmail.com with the subject line “Athlete of the Month Nomination”.

Fans can follow along with USATF Minnesota on Facebook, Twitter, and online at www.minnesota.usatf.org.
 
Maxwell Kuzara
Athlete of the Month Committee Chair
USA Track & Field Minnesota
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