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Photo by: Christopher Mitchell
Hopkins Tabbed as USTFCCCA Regional Coach of the Year
11/26/2024 11:40:00 AM | Women's Cross Country, Women's Track & Field
The Midwest Region honor is the third of Hopkins' career.
MINNEAPOLIS -- University of Minnesota women's cross country head coach Sarah Hopkins has been named the 2024 USTFCCCA Midwest Region Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year, the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announced Tuesday.
In her 12th season at the helm of the Gophers, Hopkins guided the Gophers to an 18th-place team finish at the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships in Madison, Wis., the third time in the last five seasons the program has finished inside the top 18. The 18th-place finish at NCAAs was five positions higher than their No. 23 national ranking heading into the championship event. Additionally, earlier this season the Maroon and Gold were the runner-up at the Midwest Region Championships with 76 points, and won the team title at the 2024 Roy Griak Invitational.
Under Hopkins' direction, junior Ali Weimer claimed a bronze medal at the 2024 Big Ten Cross Country Championships. Weimer was also the top junior (or younger) at the NCAA Cross Country Championships in program history, placing 48th in a 6K time of 20:10.5. Weimer's runner-up finish at the NCAA Midwest Regional came in the time of 19:48.85, posting Minnesota's best individual finish at the NCAA Midwest Regional since 2013 when Molly Kayfes was the runner-up for the Maroon and Gold in Ames, Iowa.
With Hopkins in charge the Maroon and Gold have reached the NCAA Cross Country Championships as a team nine times in her 12 seasons. In those nine appearances, the Golden Gophers have finished as high as fifth nationally and have finished inside the top 20 six different times, including in 2024.
For more information on the Gophers, continue to check back with GopherSports.com. Keep up with the University of Minnesota cross country and track and field team on Twitter and Instagram (@GopherCCTF) and on Facebook, so you do not miss any content during the 2024 cross country season.
In her 12th season at the helm of the Gophers, Hopkins guided the Gophers to an 18th-place team finish at the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships in Madison, Wis., the third time in the last five seasons the program has finished inside the top 18. The 18th-place finish at NCAAs was five positions higher than their No. 23 national ranking heading into the championship event. Additionally, earlier this season the Maroon and Gold were the runner-up at the Midwest Region Championships with 76 points, and won the team title at the 2024 Roy Griak Invitational.
Under Hopkins' direction, junior Ali Weimer claimed a bronze medal at the 2024 Big Ten Cross Country Championships. Weimer was also the top junior (or younger) at the NCAA Cross Country Championships in program history, placing 48th in a 6K time of 20:10.5. Weimer's runner-up finish at the NCAA Midwest Regional came in the time of 19:48.85, posting Minnesota's best individual finish at the NCAA Midwest Regional since 2013 when Molly Kayfes was the runner-up for the Maroon and Gold in Ames, Iowa.
With Hopkins in charge the Maroon and Gold have reached the NCAA Cross Country Championships as a team nine times in her 12 seasons. In those nine appearances, the Golden Gophers have finished as high as fifth nationally and have finished inside the top 20 six different times, including in 2024.
For more information on the Gophers, continue to check back with GopherSports.com. Keep up with the University of Minnesota cross country and track and field team on Twitter and Instagram (@GopherCCTF) and on Facebook, so you do not miss any content during the 2024 cross country season.
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