2026 All-Minnesota Girls Cross-Country Runner of the Year: Evie Malec

Minnetonka’s Malec finished sixth as an eighth-grader and never got closer until Saturday’s triumph.

The Details

The path to a state championship isn’t always linear.

Minnetonka cross-country runner Evie Malec made the varsity as an eighth-grader in 2022 and finished sixth at the state meet that year.

She looked poised to win it eventually. But instead of inching closer, she went backward each year at state, finishing eighth, then ninth, and 13th last year as a junior.

Finally, on Saturday, it all clicked.

Malec won the Class 3A state title at Majestic Oaks Golf Club in Ham Lake, becoming the first Minnetonka girl to win an individual cross-country state championship.

In the process, Malec earned Strib Varsity’s All-Minnesota Girls Cross-Country Runner of the Year award.

“The past couple years have been pretty hard,” she said. “So this is — I don’t know — a dream come true, to finish it off.”

Malec has also ranked among the top high school Nordic skiers in Minnesota. She plans to specialize in that sport in college while still running competitively.

“Evie [pronounced Evv-ee] is just such a strong person,” Minnetonka girls cross-country coach LeeAnn LeBlanc said. “She is sort of naturally competitive, and then she also is just so incredibly talented. So I think she’s like that perfect combo of confidence, certainty and humility.”

Malec credited former Skippers coach Jane Reimer-Morgan, who put her on the varsity in eighth grade. And it was clear how much confidence Malec had in LeBlanc the way they strategized the race.

Malec ran the 3.1-mile course in 17 minutes and 33 seconds, nine seconds ahead of second-place finisher Lyla Drayna from Edina.

“I was a little tired at the start of the week, but I trust my coach’s training,” Malec said. “So it’s kind of just like, ‘Yes, I’m tired. It’s been a long season, but we can do this.’”

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