Your Prep Sports Area Girls Cross Country Runners to Watch this Season
Ryan Murken
Your Prep Sports
The sport of cross country is about distance running.
In Iowa the high school cross country season can feel like a sprint.
The season officially started with the first day of practice last week, competition begins in less than a week and the season concludes in a little more than two months with the state meet scheduled for October 30 and 31st at Lakeside Golf Course in Fort Dodge.
As the season gets underway Your Prep Sports offers a look at some of the top returning girls cross country runners in the area.
Grace Hamann
Senior, City High
After taking huge strides in each of the past two seasons Hamann will look to make another big jump as a senior as she chases her first career state medal.
Hamann improved her finish at each of the final four meets of the season for the second consecutive year last fall capped by a career-best 20th place finish at the Class 4A state meet.
A West Branch student that competes for City High, Hamann helped the Little Hawks to a seventh-place team finish at the 4A state meet.
As a sophomore Hamann concluded her season strong, finishing 10th at the Mississippi Valley Conference Super Meet, 20th at the MVC Divisional, eighth at the 4A state qualifier and 30th at the 4A state meet.
Last season Hamann improved on all of those performances.
Hamann started her strong close by fishing fifth at the MVC Super Meet and was fourth at both the MVC Valley Divisional and 4A state qualifier.
She finished 20th at the Class 4A state meet in a time of 18:43.1 which was more than 26 seconds faster than her previous best state-meet time.
A three-time state qualifier Hamann has cut nearly a minute and a half off her time at the state meet from her freshman to junior season.
Falyn Svalstad
Senior, Solon
One of the most improved runners in the state last season Svalstad established herself as one of the top runners in Class 3A with an impressive junior season that concluded with a top-20 finish at the 3A state meet.
A three-time state qualifier, Svalstad finished a career-best 17th at the 3A state meet last season in a time of 19:11.3.
The state meet time of 19:11.3 was more than 50 seconds faster than the previous best state-meet time for Svalstad that came in a 44th place finish as a freshman and her 17th place finish was 78 spots higher than she placed as a sophomore in 2024.
Svalstad was impressive all season.
She finished runner-up at the WAMAC Conference meet in a time of 19:04.5 and was eighth at the Class 3A state qualifying meet in 19:38.2 before her breakthrough performance in Fort Dodge.
Ali Seidl
Sophomore, Clear Creek Amana
One of the top young runners in Class 3A Seidl posted an impressive debut season that included top-10 finishes at the WAMAC Conference meet and Class 3A state qualifier.
In her first season of varsity cross country Seidl finished sixth at the WAMAC Conference meet in a time of 19:39.
Her sixth-place conference finish was the best for any WAMAC freshman.
Seidl followed up her strong conference meet by earning a trip to the 3A state meet with a top-10 finish at the 3A state qualifier.
She was eighth at the state qualifying meet in a time of 19:41.21.
With a year of experience to her credit look for a big step up from Seidl this season.
Eliza Doster
Junior, City High
Last fall it was teammate Grace Hamann that took a major step forward during her third season of varsity cross country.
Doster appears to be a similar trajectory after a breakthrough sophomore season in which she surged down the stretch improving her finishing position at each of the final four meets of the season.
As a freshman Doster posted top-15 finishes at the Mississippi Valley Conference Super Meet, MVC Divisional meet and 4A state qualifier before placing 35th in her debut at the Class 4A state meet.
Last season Doster improved at all four of those events, posting three consecutive top-seven finishes before placing 34th at the 4A state meet.
Doster was seventh at the MVC Super Meet in a time of 18:54.6 and sixth at both the MVC Valley Divisional at 4A state qualifying meet.
Her time of 19:07.9 at the 4A state meet was nearly three seconds faster than here state-meet time as a freshman.
Look for another big jump from Doster this season as City High looks to improve on a seventh-place team finish at the state meet a year ago.
Chelsea VeDepo
Senior, Liberty High
Already a two-time state qualifier, VeDepo is the leader of the Liberty High pack and is coming off a stellar junior season in which she improved her finish at three consecutive meets leading up to the 4A state meet.
VeDepo placed 56th at the 4A state meet for the second consecutive season last fall, finishing in a time of 19:38.5.
Prior to her state meet performance, VeDepo posted career-best performances at the Mississippi Valley Conference Super Meet, MVC Divisional at 4A state qualifying meet.
VeDepo finished 16th at the MVC Super Meet in 19:34.8 and was fifth a week later at the MVC Mississippi Divisional meet in a time of 19:57.1.
She finished 11th at the 4A state qualifying meet in a time of 20:05.7.
Adrienne Hodge
Sophomore, West High
Hodge wasted no time establishing herself as a front of the pack runner for the Trojans last season during an impressive freshman season in which she posted three consecutive top-15 finishes leading up to her debut at the Class 4A state meet.
In her first season of varsity action Hodge logged top-15 finishes at the Mississippi Valley Conference Super Meet, MVC Mississippi Divisional and Class 4A state qualifier before placing 96th at the 4A state meet in a time of 20:11.8.
Hodge was 14th at the MVC Super Meet in a time of 19:33.2 and moved up to fourth at the Mississippi Divisional in a time of 19:55.9.
She placed eighth at the 4A state qualifier to earn her spot at the state meet.
Look for a big season from Hodge who will use the experience from last season to help her climb the Class 4A standings.
Ava Twait
Sophomore, West High
One of two freshmen to post impressive debut seasons last fall Twait joined her teammate Adrienne Hodge as qualifiers for the Class 4A state meet.
Twait was at her best down the stretch last season.
She finished 30th at the Mississippi Valley Conference Super Meet in a time of 20:18.3 and moved up to 13th at the MVC Mississippi Divisional Meet in a time of 20:37.5.
Twait finished 17th at the Class 4A state qualifier in 20:18.3 before finishing 84th in a time of 19:59.9 in her first trip to the Class 4A state meet.
Twait and Hodge will look to the lead the way for West High this season as the Trojans seek a return trip to Fort Dodge as a team in 2026.
Addison Seamans
Junior, Solon
A three-year varsity runner, Seamans is a two-time state qualifier seeking a breakthrough junior season as Solon looks to improve on its sixth-place team finish at the 3A state meet last fall.
Seamans finished 23rd at the WAMAC Conference meet in 21:20.1 and was ninth at the Class 3A state qualifying meet in 19:38.38 last season.
After finishing 54th at the state meet as a freshman in 2024, Seamans placed 51st at the 3A state meet last season in a time of 20:04.9.
The time of 20:04.9 was more than two seconds faster than her state-meet time as a freshman.
Solon returns all seven runners from its state meet squad from a year ago and a breakthrough season from Seamans could help the Spartans move into the title conversation.
Did you enjoy this subscription free article? Help keep Your Prep Sports free by donating
