Taylor Mikkalson

Class:
Redshirt Freshman
High School:
Kasson-Mantorville HS
Hometown:
Mantorville, Minn.

2015 - Redshirt Junior Season: Named Academic All-Big Ten honoree - served as team captain - ran six races - ran a career-best 21:49.4 as the third Gopher in 23rd overall in the open race at the Wisconsin adidas Invitational - placed seventh on the team and 18th overall at the season-opening Oz Memorial (23:02.0) - finished 10th on the team and 110th overall at the Greater Louisville Classic 5K in 18:12.68 - finished 11th on the team at the Griak Invitational (23:55.8) - placed 33rd overall as the fifth female finisher at Jack's Run - led the Gophers and placed fifth overall at Rocky's Run (23:35.1).

2014 - Redshirt Sophomore Season: Named Academic All-Big Ten honoree - ran five races - finished among the top nine Gophers at four meets - placed 19th overall and was the fifth Gopher at the Oz Memorial 6K in 23:53.6 - finished 39th overall and 12th on the team at the BYU Autumn Class three-mile in 19:39.1 - finished as the ninth Gopher at the Griak Invitational in 23:31.8 - placed 16th overall and finished ninth for Minnesota at the SDSU Classic 5K in 18:44.06 - finished second for the Gophers and 50th overall in a season-best 22:15 in the open race at the Wisconsin adidas Invitational.

2013 - Redshirt Freshman Season: Raced in six meets - ran a career-best 21:55 as the fourth Gopher in 14th overall at the open race of the Wisconsin adidas Invitational - also ran career-bests in three meets leading up to the adidas Invitational, beginning with the Oz Memorial (23:37.6) as the 12th Gopher - improved her career-best to 22:55.5 as the 14th Gopher at the Griak Invitational (137th overall) - cut over 30 seconds off her time and finished second on the team (seventh overall) in 22:17.02 at the Blugold Invitational - came in fifth overall as the fourth Gopher in 22:34.3 at Jack's Run - was the sixth Gopher finisher at Rocky's Run (23:39).

2012 - Freshman Season: Redshirted the 2012 cross country season.

High School: A graduate of Kasson-Mantorville High School - two-time Minnesota state track champion: in the 4x800-meter relay in 2009, and the 1600m in 2010 - all-state performer every year from 2008-11 - four-time Hiawatha Valley League champion - holds school records in the 1600m, 3200m, and 4x800m relay - will make her cross country debut as a Gopher, as Kasson-Mantorville does not have a cross country team - also an all-conference and academic all-state volleyball player - academic letterwinner.

Personal: Born December 31, 1993 - daughter of Michael and Michelle Mikkalson - has four siblings: Katie, Erin, Layton, and Hannah - majoring in psychology and minoring in biology with the goal of becoming a dentist - enjoys wakeboarding, tubing, and coaching young volleyball players.