University of Minnesota Athletics
Captains Corner: Anne Haakenstad
8/10/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Cross Country
MINNEAPOLIS -- With the 2016 cross country season fast approaching, the Golden Gophers have announced their four captains to lead this year's squad, including redshirt junior Anne Haakenstad.
Haakenstad will serve as a leader for the Gophers' mid-distance corps throughout the cross country season as Minnesota's 800-meter runners complete their fall season of training. During the 2016 track & field season, Haakenstad participated in nine indoor races and five outdoor races. At the 2016 Tommie Twilight, she posted a career-best 1:00.58 in the 400m and helped secure a runner-up showing in the 4x400m relay (4:00.28). In 2015, Haakenstad set a career-best time of 2:17.7 in the 800m at the Tommie Twilight as well.
Haakenstad joins fellow redshirt juniors Danielle Anderson, Madeline Strandemo, and Tess Wasowicz to make up the Gophers' captains. Stay tuned as GopherSports.com features each of the 2016 women's cross country captains.
Gopher Sports: How does it feel to be named a captain?
Anne Haakenstad: It's a big honor. I have a lot of respect for all of the girls on the team, so to be selected by them is really cool. I look up to all of them, and I love the program so it's an honor to be able to lead them. I am really excited to help lead such a great group of girls with some other awesome captains.
GS: Describe your style of leadership.
AH: I am more of a behind-the-scenes leader, one of the locker room leaders. I'm not one of the most outgoing or outspoken people, but I do a lot more with individual interactions. I like to encourage people to keep a positive attitude. I like the one-on-one conversations and the opportunity to be a role model.
GS: What are your personal goals for the year?
AH: I'm not the biggest cross country runner, so I just want to have a good season of training. Otherwise, I have some bigger goals with track, like running PRs, running at the Big Ten meet and traveling, but overall, my main goal as a senior is to enjoy the process and every day of training and racing. I want to try and learn something every day and come out of the year just knowing I didn't waste a day training with the Gophers.
GS: What are your goals for your college cross country career?
AH: I do have some outcome goals with times and traveling. The main things are to learn as much as I can from the sport, come away with lifelong friendships, lead the team well as a captain, help our team do well, and continuing the tradition of going to nationals.
GS: What are your team goals?
AH: For the cross country team, I hope we go to nationals again. It would be awesome if we could win the Big Ten meet at our own course. We lost a lot of talent last year with our seniors, so the other thing I hope we can accomplish is to do as well as they did last year, if not better, and put our own spin to the team. I hope we can make it a place where everyone feels like they can step up.
GS: Do you have any superstitions or pre-race rituals?
AH: I like to pray. Otherwise, sometimes we write inspiration on our arms.
GS: What are your career goals?
AH: I am currently applying to medical school. If that goes well, hopefully I can be a physician of some sort. I definitely want to work in the medical field.
GS: How do you feel the team will do this year?
AH: I think we will do well. We have a lot of talent; so far the group has been meshing well. I can already tell people have been bonding, and the energy is good. A lot of people are antsy to prove themselves. This year is the year to do that since it's more of a free-for-all. It's going to be a good year.
GS: How do you think your experience running track helps you going into this cross country season?
AH: I think it helps because I have a different perspective and may not have the normal cross country mindset. I think I can provide diversity. I lead the 800-meter group, so we add a different spin. We are not as big on the long run workouts, but we love sprinting workouts on the course so we can spice those up a little more.
GS: Being from Minnesota, how does it feel to run for the Gophers?
AH: It is a dream. I never would have pictured myself here growing up, and I always looked up to the Gophers. To be able to wear the uniform is just amazing, and I don't take it for granted. People have been so supportive, and I've loved every minute of it. I know I'll always look back and be so thankful for this opportunity.
Haakenstad and the Gophers begin the 2016 cross country season with three consecutive home meets, unofficially opening the 2016 campaign with the annual Intrasquad meet (Sept. 2) before the Oz Memorial marks the official season-opener on Friday, Sept. 9. Minnesota then has two weeks to prepare for the annual Roy Griak Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 24.
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Players Mentioned
