2013 St. Francis Graduate

Dakotah has already earned the right to participate in the Olympic Games, becoming the first Minnesotan to qualify in any Olympic event when she finished third at the Olympic Marathon Trials in Orlando on February 3. Her time was 2 hours, 25 minutes, 31 seconds over the 26.2-mile course. Dakotah participated in hockey, cross county and track during her high school career and was a walk-on athlete at Northern State University in Aberdeen, South Dakota, eventually earning a scholarship. With her hard work she became a first team track All-American in the 10,000 meters and earned second team All-American honors in cross-country. Following college graduation in 2017 she continued running and working as a paralegal, joined the Minnesota Distance Elite training program and became a two-time Grandma’s Marathon champion in Duluth. She went into the Olympic trials as an underdog but with an undeniable belief in herself she will now wrap the USA flag around her and represent St. Francis in the Olympic Games.

2013 St. Francis Graduate

Maggie was and is probably the most decorated St. Francis athlete in history competing in volleyball and track during her Middle School and High School career winning 7 State Championships in the shot put and discus in Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) State Track Meets over 5 years. Maggie still holds the Shot Put and DIscus Records at St. Francis High School, and the MSHSL Record in both. She became a full-scholarship athlete at Arizona State University becoming an All-American 13 times in those events during her college career and is currently working at the University of South Dakota as well as continuing her athletic career. She currently has recorded the second longest shot put in the World and will compete for a spot on the USA Olympic team at the U.S. Olympic track and field trials on June 21-30 at the University of Oregon.

2017 St. Francis Graduate

Amanda was also an outstanding high school athlete for St. Francis competing in volleyball and track and field. She also competed individually in USA Powerlifting winning a state title in 2017 in her weight class and was the overall Best Female Lifter. She went to the MSHSL State Track Meet in high school finishing fourth in the discus as a freshman, third as a sophomore and as a junior and senior became the State Champion in the discus while also finishing 4th in the shot put as a senior. Her success in high school took her to North Dakota State University in Fargo, North Dakota as a scholarship athlete where she continued to win various shot put and discus events setting a school record in the discus. She was named the Summit League Most Outstanding Performer after winning both the conference shot put and discus titles and qualified for the USATF Nationals in Eugene, Oregon. Her athletic and academic college career earned her the distinction of becoming the 2021-22 Summit League Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year across all sports and also a first team CoSIDA Academic All-American and NDSU’s nominee for NCAA Woman of the Year. Amanda is continuing to train and has returned to St. Francis High School as a Physical Education and Health teacher, along with Coaching Strength and Conditioning, Volleyball and Track at St. Francis High School.