Molly Roach

Photo by: Craig Lassig

Class:
Redshirt Senior
Position:
Mid-Distance
High School:
Bloomington Jefferson HS
Hometown:
Bloomington, Minn.

PRONUNCIATION

2021 Cross Country • Redshirt Senior Season: Named an Academic All-Big Ten honoree • opened the season with a 24th place finish overall at the St. Olaf Invite, crossing the line third for the Gophers in a time of 23:42.8 • placed 175th in the women’s gold 6k race at the Roy Griak Invitational with a final time of 24:29.7.

2020 Cross Country • Redshirt Junior Season: Named Academic All-Big Ten honoree • did not compete.

2021 Indoor Track & Field • Redshirt Junior Season: Competed at five meets with appearances in the 600m, 800m, 1,000m, and 4x400m relay • placed seventh in the 800m (2:10.00) at the Big Ten Indoor Championships • ran a career-best 2:09.68 in the B1G 800m prelims • ran a career-best 1:35.26 to finish second in the unseeded 600m at the Larry Wieczorek Invitational • ran a career-best 2:58.77 to finish fifth in the 1,000m at the Hawkeye Border Battle.

2021 Outdoor Track & Field • Redshirt Junior Season: Named Academic All-Big Ten honoree • competed at five meets • placed 10th in the 800m (2:08.53) at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships • ran a career-best 2:08.19 in the 800m at the Illini B1G Relays • ran the 4x400m relay at two meets • ran on the runner-up 4x800m relay at the Illini B1G Relays, clocking a time of 8:41.19 to rank eighth on Minnesota’s all-time list.

2019 Cross Country • Redshirt Sophomore Season: Named Big Ten Distinguished Scholar and Academic All-Big Ten • ran four races • ran a career-best 6K time of 22:42.37 to place fourth on the team and 15th overall at the Blugold Invite.

2020 Indoor Track & Field • Redshirt Sophomore Season: Named Big Ten Distinguished Scholar and Academic All-Big Ten • ran 11 races • made Big Ten Championships debut, running a career-best 2:10.99 to place 15th in the 800m • ran a career-best 1:35.32 in the 600m at the Larry Wieczorek Invite • won the 800m at the Minnesota Open • indoor season ended on March 12, 2020, when the Big Ten and NCAA announced they were ceasing competitions and championships because of COVID-19 public health concerns.

2020 Outdoor Track & Field • Redshirt Sophomore Season: The 2020 outdoor track & field season was canceled on March 12, 2020, when the Big Ten and NCAA announced they were ceasing competitions and championships because of COVID-19 public health concerns.

2018 Cross Country • Redshirt Freshman Season: Named Big Ten Distinguished Scholar and Academic All-Big Ten • ran four races • ran a season-best 25:02.5 at the Griak Invitational.

2019 Indoor Track & Field • Redshirt Freshman Season: Ran three races • ran a career-best 1:37.55 in the 600m at the Jack Johnson Classic • ran a career-best 2:20.70 in the 800m at the SDSU Holiday Invite.

2019 Outdoor Track & Field • Redshirt Freshman Season: Named Big Ten Distinguished Scholar and Academic All-Big Ten • ran six races with three appearances in the 800m and three appearances in the 4x400m relay • ran a career-best 2:17.85 in the 800m at the Minnesota Twilight.

2017 Cross Country • Freshman Season: Redshirted the 2017 cross country season, racing unattached at two meets.

2018 Indoor Track & Field • Freshman Season: Ran four races while competing unattached.

2018 Outdoor Track & Field • Freshman Season: Ran four races while competing unattached.

High School: A 2017 graduate of Bloomington Jefferson High School where she competed for coaches Sean Faulk, Brian Melendez, Dusten Olejnicak, and Justin Lund • three-sport letterwinner, earning five letters in track & field, four in cross country, and three in soccer • two-time all-conference, two-time honorable mention all-conference, and 2016 all-section honoree in cross country • two-time Metro West Conference cross country team champions as a junior and senior • Section 3AA team runners-up as a senior • placed 86th at the Minnesota Class AA State Cross Country Championships as a senior, running 21:03.1 for 5K • four-time all-section, four-time all-conference, three-time all-state, and honorable mention all-conference honoree in track & field • eight-time Minnesota Class AA State Track & Field Championships qualifier with four appearances in the 800m, including placing eighth as a junior, three-top three showing in the 4x400m relay, and a fifth-place finish in the 4x800m relay as a junior • won state title in the 4x400m relay (3:57.90) as a senior after finishing as runners-up as a junior (3:55.01) and taking fourth as a sophomore (3:54.82) • two-time Metro West Conference track & field team champions as a junior and senior • Metro West Conference champion in the 800m (2016, 2017), 4x400m relay (2015, 2016, and 2017), and 4x800m relay (2016) • holds Jefferson school records in the 800m, 4x200m relay, 4x400m relay, and 4x800m relay • owns high school personal-best marks of 2:13.5 in the 800m, 5:27.25 in the 1600m, and 59.06 in the 400m on the track and 19:21.00 for 5K in cross country • academic all-state honoree • 2017 Athena Award recipient.

Personal: Daughter of Paul and Kim Roach • has two siblings, Megan and Emily • Finance and Marketing major with a minor in Spanish • uncle Dan Roach ran cross country and track & field at the University of Minnesota • father Paul was a two-sport athlete at Hamline University in basketball and track & field • grandfather Jack Roach played tennis at Macalester College • enjoys spending time outdoors with friends, traveling, and being involved in the Women in Business Club • National Honor Society member • honor graduate and AP Scholar in high school.

Roach's Cross Country Career Bests (2021-22 Final)
Event	Mark	Meet (Date)
6K	22:42.37	Blugold Invite (10/4/19)
Roach's Indoor Career Bests (2020-21 Final)
Event	Mark	Meet (Date)
600m	1:35.26	Larry Wieczorek Invitational (1/23/21)
800m	2:09.68	Big Ten Championships (2/26/21)
1,000m	2:58.77	Hawkeye Border Battle (1/9/21)
Roach's Outdoor Career Bests (2020-21 Final)
Event	Mark	Meet (Date)
800m	2:08.19	Illini B1G Relays (4/23/21)
3,000m Steeplechase	12:46.20 (UA)	Janis Rider Invite (4/28/18)