The IHSAA sanctioned Girls’ Cross Country in 1981-82. The NIC did not incorporate it as a sport until 1984-85, when all schools fielded a team. Below are a few noteworthy titles of NIC Schools.
1983-84 – Michigan City Elston’s Nadine Wiencek State Runner-Up
1983-84 – Michigan City Elston’s Paula Swedeen Mental Attitude Award
1984-85 – Michigan City Elston’s State Runner-Ups
1988-89 – SB Clay’s Jennifer Culbertson – IHSAA Mental Attitude Award
1992-93 – Penn’s Jill Nace – IHSAA Mental Attitude Award
1994-95 – Michigan City Elston State Champions with Coach Cabot Holmes
1994-95 – Michigan City Elston’s Megan Leahy State Runner-Up
2004-05 – Penn’s Laura Carr – IHSAA Mental Attitude Award
2012-13 – Mishawaka’s Anna Rohrer State Champion
2014-15 – Mishawaka’s Anna Rohrer State Champion & IHSAA Mental Attitude Award
2025 All-Conference Team
Place
Name
School
Time
1
Shreya Nayee
Penn
18:55.77
2
Lila Van HoveIn
Penn
19:07.79
3
Gabby Smith
Penn
19:26.18
4
Ari Balinnang
Penn
19:39.13
5
Agnes Hasler
SB Adams
19:59.40
6
Sami Pentelow
Penn
20:04.28
7
Annika Retana
SB Riley
20:08.62
8
Riley Holland
Penn
20:24.29
9
Isabella (Izzy) Frabutt
SB St. Joseph
20:35.42
10
Janice Felker
New Prairie
20:38.69
11
Rosell Robles
Elkhart
20:53.00
12
Cali Lederer
Penn
20:58.14
13
Ella Trenerry
SB St. Joseph
21:08.02
14
Rebecca Abnatolios
SB St. Joseph
21:12.08
15
Emerson Haeffel
Marian
21:24.24
16
Scarlet Connoly
SB Adams
21:27.54
17
Ella Lutz
SB St. Joseph
21:36.66
18
Gretchen Rea
SB Adams
21:38.30
19
Mikaela Wilson
New Prairie
21:42.24
Year
Champion
Record/Points
Coach
MVP
Coach of the Year
1984-85
Mishawaka
9-0
Lori Alexander
1985-86
Penn
9-0
Don Sloan
1986-87
Penn
9-0
Don Sloan
1987-88
Penn
9-0
Don Sloan
1988-89
Elkhart Central
9-0
Jean Kerich
Jenny Culbertdon was undefeated for 4 years in NIC dual meets
1989-90
Penn
9-0
Don Sloan
1990-91
Penn
9-0
Don Sloan
1991-92
Penn
9-0
Don Sloan
1992-93
Penn
9-0
Don Sloan
1993-94
Michigan City Elston
9-0
Cabot Holmes
1994-95
Penn
9-0
Tom Miller
Amy Schlatterback of Penn
Tom Miller of Penn
1995-96
Penn
8-0
Tom Miller
Melissa Griffey of Elkhart Memorial
Tom Miller of Penn
1996-97
Penn
8-0
Tom Miller
Sonya Sterba of SB Adams
Tracy Smith of Mishawaka
1997-98
SB Adams
8-0
Randy Isaacson
Sonya Sterba of SB Adams
Randy Isaacson of SB Adams
1998-99
SB Adams
8-0
Randy Isaacson
Krissi Ernst of Mishawaka
Randy Isaacson of SB Adams
1999-00
Penn
8-0
Tom Miller
Krissi Ernst of Mishawaka
Tom Miller of Penn
2000-01
Penn
7-0
Tom Miller
Katie Koellner of SB Adams
Bob Triebold of SB Clay
2001-02
SB Clay
7-0
Bob Triebold
Karlie Singleton of Penn
Bob Triebold of SB Clay
2002-03
Penn
8-0
Tom Miller
Karlie Singleton of Penn
Tom Miller of Penn
2003-04
Penn
8-0
Tom Miller
Megan Malone of Penn
Tom Miller of Penn
2004-05
Penn
32 points
Tom Miller
Laura Carr of Penn
Cory Watt of Elkhart Central
2005-06
Penn
77 points
Marshall Sellers
Mary Cate Quiett of Marian
Jerry Hoffman of SB St. Joseph’s
2006-07
Penn
55 points
Keri Eby
Mary Cate Quiett of Marian
Keri Eby of Penn
2007-08
Mishawaka
49 points
Chris Kowalewski
Valerie Burns of Penn
Chris Kowalewski of Mishawaka
2008-09
SB Riley
53 points
Chad Wetzel
Ashley Name of Mishawaka
Chad Wetzel of SB Riley
2009-10
Penn
34 points
Keri Eby
Valerie Burns of Penn
Keri Eby of Penn
2010-11
Penn
25 points
Keri Eby
Kristina Galat of Penn
Keri Eby of Penn
2011-12
Penn
22 points
Tom Miller
Maddie Woods of Penn
Tom Miller of Penn
2012-13
Penn
44 points
Tom Miller
Anna Rohrer of Mishawaka
Chris Kowalewski of Mishawaka
2013-14
Penn
45 points
Tom Miller
Danielle Frank of Penn
Tom Miller of Penn
2014-15
Penn
18 points
Josh Fletcher
Maddie Woods of Penn
Josh Fletcher of Penn
2015-16
Penn
29 points
Michael Clements
Lauren Frank of Penn
Michael Clements of Penn
2016-17
Penn
25 points
Michael Clements
Lauren Frank of Penn
Michael Clements of Penn
2017-18
Penn
27 points
Michael Clements
Lauren Frank of Penn
Michael Clements of Penn
2018-19
Penn
25 points
Michael Clements
Lauren Dibley of Elkhart Central
Michael Clements of Penn
2019-20
Penn
23 points
Michael Clements
Brooke Neal of Penn
Michael Clements of Penn
2020-21
Penn
25 points
Michael Clements
Lillian Zelasko of New Prairie
Michael Clements of Penn
2021-22
Penn
25 points
Michael Clements
Lillian Zelasko of New Prairie
Michael Clements of Penn
2022-23
Penn
22 points
Michael Clements
Lillian Zelasko of New Prairie
Michael Clements of Penn
2023-24
Penn
23 points
Michael Clements
Mary Eubank of Penn
Michael Clements of Penn
2024-25
Penn
18 points
Michael Clements
Shreya Nayee of Penn
Michael Clements of Penn
2025-26
Penn
16 points
Michael Clements
Shreya Nayee of Penn
Michael Clements of Penn
The IHSAA officially sanctioned Girls Cross Country during the 1981-82 school year. The Northern Indiana Conference (NIC) did not recognize the sport as a conference championship sport until 1984-85, when every member school fielded a varsity team.
Notable State Achievements
1981-82 – SB Clay’s Bipasa Bose received the IHSAA Mental Attitude Award
1983-84 – Michigan City Elston finished as IHSAA State Runner-Up
1983-84 – Michigan City Elston’s Nadine Wiencek was the Individual State Runner-Up
1983-84 – Michigan City Elston’s Paula Swedeen received the IHSAA Mental Attitude Award
1984-85 – Michigan City Elston finished as IHSAA State Runner-Up
1988-89 – SB Clay’s Jennifer Culbertson received the IHSAA Mental Attitude Award
1992-93 – Penn’s Jill Nace received the IHSAA Mental Attitude Award
1994-95 – Michigan City Elston won the IHSAA State Championship under Coach Cabot Holmes
1994-95 – Michigan City Elston’s Megan Leahy was the Individual State Runner-Up
2004-05 – Penn’s Laura Carr received the IHSAA Mental Attitude Award
2012-13 – Mishawaka’s Anna Rohrer won the IHSAA Individual State Championship
2014-15 – Mishawaka’s Anna Rohrer repeated as State Champion and received the IHSAA Mental Attitude Award
Conference Champions
Championship Summary
School
Championships
Penn
31
Mishawaka
2
SB Adams
2
SB Clay
1
Elkhart Central
1
Michigan City Elston
1
SB Riley
1
Penn has dominated NIC Girls Cross Country, winning 31 conference championships since the sport’s introduction in 1984-85.
Notable Conference Records
Jennifer Culbertson (SB Clay) went undefeated in NIC dual meets for four consecutive years (1985-89).
Anna Rohrer (Mishawaka) became a two-time IHSAA State Champion in 2012-13 and 2014-15.
Lillian Zelasko (New Prairie) earned NIC MVP honors in three consecutive seasons from 2020-21 through 2022-23.
Michael Clements (Penn) guided the Kingsmen to an unprecedented run of conference titles from 2015-16 through 2025-26.
