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Cross Country | Girls 2024-25

2024 IHSAA STATE CHAMPIONS

Terre Haute (Nov 2, 2024)

Carmel returned to the top after a three-year hiatus and extended its record to 20 state titles in this sport. (Valparaiso is second with five, none since 2004.)

With individual qualifiers displaced, Carmel scorers went 5-6-11-23-31 for 76 points. Concordia Lutheran scored 91 and was second for the second straight year.

The Greyhounds won under first-year coach Scott Williams, who arrived at Carmel after 33 years as a teacher, coach and administrator at Ben Davis.

“The program has a rich tradition, but you’ve still got to come down and get it done,” Williams said. “This team today, Concordia, they were tough.”

Lake Central was third, 2023 champion Homestead fourth and 2022 champion Noblesville fifth.

Teams outside Indianapolis and its collar counties took six of the top 10 team

spots.

Carmel’s top finishers were sophomore Larkin Tayor in 10th and junior Sadie Foley in 12th. 

No. 6 runner Olivia Mundt, a senior who was 71st, said Williams changed the culture and the workouts. The coach said he added core strength to the training in an attempt to reduce injuries.

“I think in years past, we all kind of had the mind-set, ‘it’s either you or nothing.’ We never thought that your teammates could really help you through,” Mundt said. “This year we learned that finding your teammate in a race just really helps propel you.

“Honestly, it makes you feel stronger when you can find a teammate to run with. And this year, we’ve all gotten so close. We all look at each other as family now.”

Williams said he advised the team not to panic if the two Weller sisters were way out in front of them. The Greyhounds' strength was the pack.

“So today, just bring it all together,” he said. “They did a great job of not losing sight of the plan at hand.”