Assistant Coach: Maddie Himmelman
Hometown: Le Claire, IA
School: Pleasant Valley HS; University of Northern Iowa (BA)
Athletic Highlights: A cross country and track and field standout while at Pleasant Valley High School, Maddie earned All-State honors in cross country in 2010, 2011 and 2012 helping her team to four consecutive conference titles from 2010-2013 and top-3 finishes at the state meet in 2011, 2012, and 2013, including a state team title in 2012. She was a four-time MAC All-Conference honoree in cross country and graduated as one of the most decorated distance athletes in PV cross-country history.
In track and field, she was a 6x Drake Relays qualifier and an 11x state qualifier for Pleasant Valley. She was a part of three conference championship teams from 2011 to 2013, including conference titles in the 1500 meters. She helped lead the team to a runner-up team finish at the 2013 state track and field meet. Maddie was also a huge contributor to the successes of the Pleasant Valley basketball and softball teams during her high school career.
At the University of Northern Iowa, Maddie competed in both cross-country and track and field. She ran collegiate personal bests of 4:59.41 in the 1500 meters and 10:25.45 in the 3000 meters in track and field.
Coaching Highlights: Maddie completed her 5th season with Pleasant Valley Girls Track & Field in 2023. After primarily working with our sprint group in 2019, Maddie took the lead in her area of expertise, coaching the distance events beginning in 2020 and continues in that role heading into the Spring season. In 2021, Sophomore Lydia Sommer qualified for the state meet in both the 800 and 1500-meter run events, and Pleasant Valley's 4 x 800-meter relay and distance medley relay groups also qualified for the state meet. The distance groups continued to flourish under her leadership in 2022 with the growth of junior Lydia Sommer, sophomores Josie Case and Lexi Minard, and newcomers Bryn Bahnks, Grace Boleyn, Sophia Foad, and Kaylee Mowen. The Spartans were medalists in the 4 x 800m relay event at both the Drake Relays and State Meet, Boleyn was a state meet medalist in both the 800 and 1500m events, and Lexi Minard was a first-time state qualifier in the 3000m run while Lydia Sommer returned to state again in the 800 and 1500m events.
Maddie led another deep and talented distance group in 2023. She helped lead the Spartans to another medalist performance at the Drake Relays in the 4 x 800m relay, placing 4th; saw Grace Boleyn earn elite all-state honors in the 800m run with a runner-up finish at the 2023 Class 4A State meet and helped Lydia Sommer continue to flourish with lifetime bests this past year in the 800, 1500, and 3000m events, including the establishment of a new school record in the 1500m at the state meet, and medalist performances at the state meet in the 1500m and 3000m events.
While the 2023 season was a breakthrough season, the 2024 season was a historic one. Buoyed by breakthrough seasons from Grace Boleyn and Lexi Minard, the addition of a stellar freshman class, and the additions of juniors Aerielle Johnson and Ani Wedemeyer, the Spartans were impressive every time they stepped on the track. Ani Wedemeyer set school records in the 800m and 1500m events. Kai Rebro, Sophia Lewis, Ashley Hansen, and Grace Boleyn broke the school record in the distance medley relay, placing 2nd at the state meet, and the 4 x 800m relay quartet of Wedemeyer, Johnson, Kaylee Mowen, and Boleyn broke the state meet and all-time records in the event this past season. The 4 x 800m relay group became the first Iowa high school girls team to break 9 minutes in the 4 x 800m relay walking away as Drake Relays and State meet champions. Junior Ani Wedemeyer was the Drake Relays champion in the 800m run and placed 2nd at the 2024 state meet. The Spartans also qualified two athletes in each of the 800, 1500, and 3000m events for the state meet and will be back for more in 2025.
Maddie completed her third year as an assistant with the Pleasant Valley Girls Cross Country team in Fall 2024, which completed their season winning a state title for the Spartans and she continues to be a freshman girls assistant basketball coach this winter. Maddie is a USATF Level I certified coach.
School: Pleasant Valley HS; University of Northern Iowa (BA)
Athletic Highlights: A cross country and track and field standout while at Pleasant Valley High School, Maddie earned All-State honors in cross country in 2010, 2011 and 2012 helping her team to four consecutive conference titles from 2010-2013 and top-3 finishes at the state meet in 2011, 2012, and 2013, including a state team title in 2012. She was a four-time MAC All-Conference honoree in cross country and graduated as one of the most decorated distance athletes in PV cross-country history.
In track and field, she was a 6x Drake Relays qualifier and an 11x state qualifier for Pleasant Valley. She was a part of three conference championship teams from 2011 to 2013, including conference titles in the 1500 meters. She helped lead the team to a runner-up team finish at the 2013 state track and field meet. Maddie was also a huge contributor to the successes of the Pleasant Valley basketball and softball teams during her high school career.
At the University of Northern Iowa, Maddie competed in both cross-country and track and field. She ran collegiate personal bests of 4:59.41 in the 1500 meters and 10:25.45 in the 3000 meters in track and field.
Coaching Highlights: Maddie completed her 5th season with Pleasant Valley Girls Track & Field in 2023. After primarily working with our sprint group in 2019, Maddie took the lead in her area of expertise, coaching the distance events beginning in 2020 and continues in that role heading into the Spring season. In 2021, Sophomore Lydia Sommer qualified for the state meet in both the 800 and 1500-meter run events, and Pleasant Valley's 4 x 800-meter relay and distance medley relay groups also qualified for the state meet. The distance groups continued to flourish under her leadership in 2022 with the growth of junior Lydia Sommer, sophomores Josie Case and Lexi Minard, and newcomers Bryn Bahnks, Grace Boleyn, Sophia Foad, and Kaylee Mowen. The Spartans were medalists in the 4 x 800m relay event at both the Drake Relays and State Meet, Boleyn was a state meet medalist in both the 800 and 1500m events, and Lexi Minard was a first-time state qualifier in the 3000m run while Lydia Sommer returned to state again in the 800 and 1500m events.
Maddie led another deep and talented distance group in 2023. She helped lead the Spartans to another medalist performance at the Drake Relays in the 4 x 800m relay, placing 4th; saw Grace Boleyn earn elite all-state honors in the 800m run with a runner-up finish at the 2023 Class 4A State meet and helped Lydia Sommer continue to flourish with lifetime bests this past year in the 800, 1500, and 3000m events, including the establishment of a new school record in the 1500m at the state meet, and medalist performances at the state meet in the 1500m and 3000m events.
While the 2023 season was a breakthrough season, the 2024 season was a historic one. Buoyed by breakthrough seasons from Grace Boleyn and Lexi Minard, the addition of a stellar freshman class, and the additions of juniors Aerielle Johnson and Ani Wedemeyer, the Spartans were impressive every time they stepped on the track. Ani Wedemeyer set school records in the 800m and 1500m events. Kai Rebro, Sophia Lewis, Ashley Hansen, and Grace Boleyn broke the school record in the distance medley relay, placing 2nd at the state meet, and the 4 x 800m relay quartet of Wedemeyer, Johnson, Kaylee Mowen, and Boleyn broke the state meet and all-time records in the event this past season. The 4 x 800m relay group became the first Iowa high school girls team to break 9 minutes in the 4 x 800m relay walking away as Drake Relays and State meet champions. Junior Ani Wedemeyer was the Drake Relays champion in the 800m run and placed 2nd at the 2024 state meet. The Spartans also qualified two athletes in each of the 800, 1500, and 3000m events for the state meet and will be back for more in 2025.
Maddie completed her third year as an assistant with the Pleasant Valley Girls Cross Country team in Fall 2024, which completed their season winning a state title for the Spartans and she continues to be a freshman girls assistant basketball coach this winter. Maddie is a USATF Level I certified coach.
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