2026 Women's Cross Country Roster
Biography
Prior to SPU: Competed in cross country, indoor track, and outdoor track at Palmer Ridge High School under head coach Luke Rodriguez … earned varsity letters in cross country from 2022-25 and track & field from 2024-26 … competed in the 800, 1,600, and 3,200 meters and 5,000 meters in cross country … posted personal bests of 19:31.40 in the 5K at 5,500 feet of elevation and 18:44.82 at sea level in cross country … ran 18:08 in the indoor 5,000 meters … recorded outdoor track bests of 2:27.48 in the 800, 5:16.45 in the 1,600, and 11:21.46 in the 3,200 … earned All-Conference Honorable Mention in the 1,600 meters in 2025 … named to the Milesplit All-City Second Team in the 800 meters and First Team in the 1,600 and 3,200 meters in 2026 … won the Girls Cross Country Rotary Championship in 2024 and 2025 … earned Academic All-State First Team honors in cross country in 2024 and track & field in 2026 … helped Palmer Ridge qualify for the NXR All-Region Team in 2026, win the regional championship for the second time in school history, and place fourth at the 4A State Championships … earned multiple academic honors, including AP Scholar with Honor, AP Scholar with Distinction, Outstanding Junior Math Student, and the Foundational Characteristics Award
WHY SHE CHOSE SPU
“I chose SPU because I loved the team culture and coaches.”
Personal – Daughter of Tony and Glory Paulson … sister to Jedediah, George, and Hope … favorite movie is Chicken Run … favorite book is The Hunger Games … favorite food is baked potatoes with cream cheese … favorite sport to watch is outdoor track … favorite athlete is Jane Hedengren … dream car is anything other than her current vehicle, a 1953 Willys Jeep … parents sometimes accidentally call her Willow, the name of one of the family dogs … when she was 8 years old, she took two soccer balls to the face during a game and kept playing … intends to major in mechanical engineering.
