Upcoming Event: Women's Cross Country at Griak Invitational on September 19, 2025 at 10:45 a.m.
/
10:45 a.m.
Women's Cross Country
at Griak Invitational
South Dakota State University Athletics
JACKRABBIT WOMEN LOOK TO DEFEND TITLE
8/9/2021 3:40:00 PM | Women's Cross Country
 The reigning Summit League Champion South Dakota State University Women's Cross Country squad will return 26 of their athletes as four newcomers fill out their new roster, shifting their focus on the 2021 season.
Welcome Back Jacks: Of the 26 runners coming back, SDSU will call back upon three of their five scorers in the conference meet last year and five of their top seven finishers as well. Those runners include (in order of finish at last year's conference championship meet):  sophomore Leah Hansen who qualified for the 2020 NCAA National Championships (21:45.60 - first), juniors Anna Donnay (21:58.00 - third), Cailee Peterson (22:14.1-4th) Jessica Christoffer (22:51.50 - 12th) and rounding out the top seven returning Jackrabbit finishers are: sophomores Janean Hanka (23:07.30 - 16th) and Bridget Henne (23:23.30 - 17th).
Newcomers: SDSU has three new athletes who will make their collegiate debuts in cross country this fall. First is Claire Beckman, the Andover, Minnesota native, as a Huskie Beckman participated in the state meet all four years and was her section's individual champion in 2019. Beckman recorded a five-kilometer personal best of 18:51 which happened to be the third fastest in Andover Women's Cross Country history.
Next, is Laura Peterson who hails from Fredericksburg, Virginia where she competed for Mountain View High School. As a Wildcat, Peterson was a member of two teams that made the trip to the state meet both in 2018 and 2019.
Last, is incoming freshman Grace Wagge who competed at O'Gorman High School in Sioux Falls. Wagge was the last to score for her team as they captured the 2020 cross country state championship and also was a member of the team that finished runner-up a year previous in the 2019 finale.
SDSU's Slate: The Jackrabbits' schedule will feature five regular season meets (four road, one home) before the Summit League Championships slotted for Oct. 30Â followed by the NCAA Midwest Regional Nov. 12 and the NCAA Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee, Florida Nov. 18. The Jacks will close out the regular season at the Bradley Pink Classic on Oct. 15 featuring many of the top mid-major programs in the Midwest.
Discussion With DeHaven:
"We are really looking forward to the season. Winning the conference title last March was a reflection of a group of women that were committed to their craft and managed to run very well in both indoor track and cross country. That energy carried over into the outdoor track season and then into this summer. We will be in the mix again this fall for another title not based on sheer talent, but on the resolve and grit of this group."
SDSU will kick off the year with the Augustana Twilight set for Sept. 3 with a tentative start time of 8 p.m. All times on the schedule are subject to change.
Â
 -GoJacks.com-
Â
Â
Â
Welcome Back Jacks: Of the 26 runners coming back, SDSU will call back upon three of their five scorers in the conference meet last year and five of their top seven finishers as well. Those runners include (in order of finish at last year's conference championship meet):  sophomore Leah Hansen who qualified for the 2020 NCAA National Championships (21:45.60 - first), juniors Anna Donnay (21:58.00 - third), Cailee Peterson (22:14.1-4th) Jessica Christoffer (22:51.50 - 12th) and rounding out the top seven returning Jackrabbit finishers are: sophomores Janean Hanka (23:07.30 - 16th) and Bridget Henne (23:23.30 - 17th).
Newcomers: SDSU has three new athletes who will make their collegiate debuts in cross country this fall. First is Claire Beckman, the Andover, Minnesota native, as a Huskie Beckman participated in the state meet all four years and was her section's individual champion in 2019. Beckman recorded a five-kilometer personal best of 18:51 which happened to be the third fastest in Andover Women's Cross Country history.
Next, is Laura Peterson who hails from Fredericksburg, Virginia where she competed for Mountain View High School. As a Wildcat, Peterson was a member of two teams that made the trip to the state meet both in 2018 and 2019.
Last, is incoming freshman Grace Wagge who competed at O'Gorman High School in Sioux Falls. Wagge was the last to score for her team as they captured the 2020 cross country state championship and also was a member of the team that finished runner-up a year previous in the 2019 finale.
SDSU's Slate: The Jackrabbits' schedule will feature five regular season meets (four road, one home) before the Summit League Championships slotted for Oct. 30Â followed by the NCAA Midwest Regional Nov. 12 and the NCAA Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee, Florida Nov. 18. The Jacks will close out the regular season at the Bradley Pink Classic on Oct. 15 featuring many of the top mid-major programs in the Midwest.
Discussion With DeHaven:
"We are really looking forward to the season. Winning the conference title last March was a reflection of a group of women that were committed to their craft and managed to run very well in both indoor track and cross country. That energy carried over into the outdoor track season and then into this summer. We will be in the mix again this fall for another title not based on sheer talent, but on the resolve and grit of this group."
SDSU will kick off the year with the Augustana Twilight set for Sept. 3 with a tentative start time of 8 p.m. All times on the schedule are subject to change.
Â
 -GoJacks.com-
Â
Â
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
Cross Country Weekly Update (09.16.25)
Tuesday, September 16
Cross Country Weekly Update (09.09.2025)
Tuesday, September 09
Cross Country Weekly Update (09.03.2025)
Wednesday, September 03
Fall Media Day 2025 - Rod DeHaven
Thursday, August 14